The FBI-LEEDA Trilogy award is a prestigious honor given by the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) to law enforcement leaders who complete its comprehensive Trilogy Leadership series.
The executive training program builds strong, ethical and effective leadership in public safety. In October 2025, Officer William Fawcett completed the series, which includes a supervisor leadership institute, a command leadership institute and an executive leadership institute.
An ECU Health police officer at ECU Health Medical Center, Officer Fawcett began his career in law enforcement 30 years ago after three and a half years in the U.S. Navy and two years in the National Guard. He served as a state trooper and deputy sheriff in South Carolina before finding his way to North Carolina.
While working in Washington, North Carolina, his chief encouraged him to finish his bachelor’s degree and pursue the Trilogy program. While it took some time, and a move to the ECU Health Police force, Officer Fawcett didn’t forget his chief’s advice.
“He told me to never stop getting education, and if it wasn’t for him, I might not have done this,” Officer Fawcett shared.
Major Reynolds Askew shared that Chief Randall Walston was very proud to receive a congratulatory letter from the FBI recognizing Officer Fawcett for this accomplishment. The series is competitive to enter and challenging to complete, but Officer Fawcett said it was worth the time and effort.
“I’m hoping this will take me farther, and show my dedication to the department,” he said. “It teaches a higher standard of leadership for captains, lieutenants, chiefs and others. For us boots-on-the-grounds folks, it helps everyone in a department talk to people, encourage them and move in a better direction.”
Now, Officer Fawcett plans to apply for the national FBI academy, which is a three month long rigorous course of study aimed to raise law enforcement standards.
“I want to show my colleagues there’s more than just the standard classes they can take. This coursework gives us a different perspective and helps us be better leaders, and our leaders support us in pursuing these classes. It’s important to keep educating yourself, no matter your line of work. If you do, you can help the next person, and they help the next.”
To learn more about career opportunities at ECU Health, visit Careers.ECUHealth.org.
The Bennett Award for Outstanding Rehab Members is given annually to two ECU Health rehabilitation therapists who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in his or her field.
In 2025, Amy Becker, audiologist IV at ECU Health Medical Center, and Rhonda Beal, physical therapist IV at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, were recognized as the award winners. Winners are nominated by their peers and selected by a committee.
Amy Becker
A Virginia Beach, Virginia native, Becker said she didn’t have an “aha” moment when it came to being an audiologist.
“I started as an elementary education major, but I switched to speech therapy,” Becker said. “I didn’t know anything about audiology, but I kept an open mind and discovered that was a better fit for me.”
Audiology studies hearing and balance disorders and focuses on the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with those diagnoses.
“Someone suggested I look into ECU Health, and the exact job I was looking for just happened to be posted,” she said.
That was 11 years ago, and Becker said she enjoys her work and her team.
“I like the variety of patients we see and the options for treatment. The technology we use is always evolving and I’m learning all the time,” she said. “I love my coworkers and the collaboration with other professionals. The work I do requires a team approach, and we are helpful to each other. Our team is small but mighty.”
Becker said she also enjoys helping patients from across eastern North Carolina, many of whom come from rural communities outside of Greenville.
“I see patients who drive from the Outer Banks, Duplin County and even from the Virginia state line to see us,” she shared. “We are the largest pediatric audiology clinic—and the only place that accepts pediatric Medicaid for hearing aids and provides cochlear implants—east of I-95.”
Becker didn’t know she’d been nominated for the Bennett Award and was surprised to learn she’d won, but the award’s reputation was well known.
“I didn’t know Wanda Bennett, but I know she was highly regarded and respected in rehabilitation,” she said. “No one goes into this work for the recognition, but it was validating to be nominated by my peers. I was honored.”
Rhonda Beal
Beal has been a physical therapist for 36 years, more than eight of which have been with ECU Health. The Tennessee native has worked in a variety of settings, including outpatient therapy, rehabilitation, acute care and long-term care, and now she serves as a pelvic floor therapist at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital.
“I like taking care of people,” she said. “When our pelvic floor therapist left, they offered me the role. I had no previous knowledge of pelvic floor rehabilitation, but I was up for the challenge. I feel like I provide something my patients have needed for a long time, and I learn something new every day.”
Beal said she also loves her team and the collaboration among different disciplines, and she’s appreciative to her leadership for supporting her journey into a new area of expertise.
“I was given the opportunity to move into pelvic health and receive continuing education. The team’s support has made it so I can do my work efficiently and well, and because of that, my caseload has grown,” she said.
Like Becker, Beal didn’t know she had been nominated for the Bennett Award until her husband, daughter and grandkids suddenly appeared during a staff meeting.
“Ironically, I’d considered skipping the meeting because I was leaving the next day for vacation and I had a lot of work to do,” Beal recalled. “But then my name was on the screen that I’d won the award. I was shocked.”
Her gratitude for being recognized—especially since she was nominated by a colleague and former student—has inspired Beal to consider who she wants to nominate for 2026.
“Sometimes we get busy doing other things, but it’s awesome to recognize workers in rehab,” she said. “I feel undeserving; there are so many others who deserve this award more than me.”
Dr. Shannon Longshore has built her career around a simple but powerful belief: children deserve honesty, compassion and the very best care medicine can offer. In her many roles across the pediatric medicine community, that patient-focused approach is making a major impact.
Recently named Senior Medical Director and Surgeon in Chief at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center, Dr. Longshore also serves as Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, medical director of Pediatric Trauma since the program’s inception, and medical director of the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program (ECIPP).
For more than 13 years, Dr. Longshore has been a cornerstone of the pediatric surgery community in eastern North Carolina, guiding families through some of the most frightening moments of their lives, performing lifechanging operations, and helping shape the future of pediatric care at ECU Health.
Dr. Longshore earned her medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She went on to complete a general surgery residency at the University of California, Davis in Sacramento, followed by a research fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, and ultimately a pediatric surgery fellowship at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in Loma Linda, California. She is board certified in both General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery, bringing nationally recognized expertise to the region’s only children’s hospital.
For Dr. Longshore, technical skills are only part of the story.
“I love the idea of having a problem and being able to fix it,” she explained. “Most pediatric surgeons will tell you the congenital anomalies – babies born without their esophagus connected – those are the cases we love to treat the most. You do that operation, and they go on to live a pretty normal life. That feels amazing.”
If you ask Dr. Longshore what keeps her grounded in such a demanding specialty, she will tell you it’s the kids.
“Kids just want to get better,” she said. “There’s no secondary gain for them. They want to get back to playing, back to school, back to being themselves.”
Erika Greene, trauma program manager at Maynard Children’s Hospital, said Dr. Longshore’s leadership is nothing short of extraordinary.
“Even after reaching the highest level of pediatric trauma verification, Dr. Longshore never stops looking for ways to grow our program,” Greene said. “She continues to strengthen our pediatric trauma resources, expand our team and ensure we have pediatric expertise at the bedside the moment patients arrive.”
When Dr. Longshore stepped into leadership of ECIPP, the program was much smaller in scope. Over time, her vision and persistence helped elevate them into nationally recognized efforts.
“She has really helped take us to the next level,” said Sue Anne Pilgreen, manager of ECIPP and ECU Health’s Pediatric Asthma Program. “She’s been incredibly intentional about helping us pursue grant funding, supporting research and encouraging publications and presentations.”
That support has translated into meaningful growth and visibility.
“For example, we had two presentations accepted at the Pediatric Trauma Society meeting last year,” Pilgreen said. “That’s a very big deal and having two accepted was an even bigger accomplishment. She played a huge role in helping us get there and making sure we had a seat at the table.”
Pilgreen also credits Dr. Longshore as a consistent advocate for prevention initiatives.
“She was involved at every level,” Pilgreen said. “Whether it was meeting with leaders, supporting new initiatives or going into schools with us, she’s always been willing to show up and do the work.”
That hands-on, “boots on the ground” leadership style, combined with strategic vision, has helped grow the program from a small team into a comprehensive effort focused on child safety across the region. ECIPP has reached thousands through prevention efforts, including more than 3,000 individuals in mental wellness initiatives and over 2,600 people through firearm safety programs in 2025. The program also plays a critical role in reducing preventable injuries through traffic, pedestrian and passenger safety efforts, reaching more than 3,200 individuals in 2025 through occupant protection initiatives and supporting environmental improvements that make roads safer for the community.
“It’s taken our program from being great to something truly exceptional,” Pilgreen said.
Dr. Longshore is quick to emphasize that exceptional pediatric care is never a solo effort. It’s the product of a deeply collaborative environment.
“When you interact with child life, or our therapy dog, Sam, our anesthesia team or our nursing team, that’s their mission: to make this the best possible experience for kids,” she said. “Nobody wants their child to have surgery, but it’s our job to make it the best experience we can.”
After more than a decade in Greenville, Dr. Longshore is beginning to see the lasting impact of her work.
“It’s a small community,” she said. “You start taking care of siblings. You run into families at swim meets. Someone will point to a child and say, ‘You operated on him.’”
Her own children were swimmers, and she recalls a moment when a parent approached her on the pool deck to share how far their child had come since surgery.
“As surgeons, we don’t always get that long term follow up,” she said. “To see a child you operated on swimming next to your daughter, that’s the cool part of this job.”
As Surgeon in Chief, Dr. Longshore now plays a pivotal role in shaping the vision and culture of Maynard Children’s Hospital. Her leadership blends clinical excellence with a commitment to ensuring that every child and family who walk through the doors feels seen, supported and cared for.
“She’s never satisfied with ‘good enough’—she always wants to do better,” said Greene. “She always wants to do more, to be better, to serve children in every way possible. You couldn’t place a more perfect person in the role of chief of Surgery.”
For Jason Hardison, becoming a police officer was a long-standing goal — one that recently became a reality, thanks in part to the support of ECU Health.
“After almost 10 years with the Department of Corrections and nearly 12 years as an ECU Health Public Safety Officer, I had the opportunity to work closely with law enforcement,” Hardison said. “It was a lifelong dream to become a police officer.”
At the time, there wasn’t a clear path for team members to enter Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). After sharing his interest with Lt. Gregg Grillo, a new role was proposed that would allow Hardison to attend the program while remaining an ECU Health team member.
That idea quickly grew into a broader effort. Public Safety leadership partnered with Workforce Development to create a pathway — allowing Hardison to complete BLET while also serving as a paid team member.
“It can be difficult to recruit officers out of BLET because many participants are already sponsored and committed elsewhere,” said Lisa Lassiter, director of Workforce Development. “By sponsoring one of our own, we can grow our workforce from within.”
With full support, Hardison committed to the six-month program.
“ECU Health made it possible for me to focus on my studies and physical training,” he said.
The program included firearms training, scenario-based exercises and driving instruction — along with intense physical training.
“5:30 a.m. workouts with endless pushups and miles of running would test even a 21-year-old,” he said. “At 46, it was especially demanding. But it showed me that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.”
In May, Hardison completed the program and stepped into his new role as an ECU Health police officer.
“I’m committed to serving with integrity, compassion and understanding,” he said. “I want to make a positive difference in my community and within the hospital.”
For others considering a similar path, his advice is simple: “Be open to learning and don’t doubt what you can achieve.”
And one practical tip: “Invest in a good pair of running shoes.”
To learn more about career opportunities at ECU Health, visit Careers.ECUHealth.org
Changing careers can seem daunting, but thanks to the guidance and service of ECU Health’s Community Pipeline Program, eastern North Carolina residents are finding the support they need to pursue a new experience and make a difference across the region.
The Community Pipeline Program was established in 2019 to improve access to career opportunities at ECU Health hospitals through strong community engagement and strategic partnerships. The services are available through ECU Health Workforce Development to anyone who expresses interest in a career at ECU Health.
Participants can be identified in a variety of ways including partner agency referrals, word of mouth, social media or recruitment and community engagement events, regardless of their experience or background.
Toyta Kee, talent pipeline consultant for Workforce Development, ECU Health, said the program gives people who want a new career, or to pivot their role in the health care field, access to opportunities while addressing clinical and nonclinical workforce needs across ECU Health hospitals.
The program is focused on supporting people from eastern North Carolina, and Kee is involved with participants from start to finish — improving their resumés, finding jobs that match their skills, and coaching them through employment.
“Seeing people who once faced barriers to employment grow into confident ECU Health team members with clear career pathways is very fulfilling,” Kee said. “Seeing pipeline participants start a new career or change roles, complete professional development plans and accomplish their goals warms my heart.
“Many people don’t realize there’s a place for them in health care beyond clinical positions,” she continued. “My role is to help them see those possibilities and walk alongside them as they take the next step.”
Janon Hughes, a patient access representative at Outer Banks Health Hospital, joined ECU Health through the Community Pipeline Program in late 2025. Before that, Hughes was working part-time as a bookkeeper for a non-profit organization. The work was fulfilling, but she wanted something different.
“My kids are adults now, so I can focus on my career,” Hughes said. “The medical field was not on my radar, since I did not have medical experience.”
That changed when Hughes met Kee at a nonprofit conference. The two struck up a conversation where Hughes shared her desire for a full-time job. She said Kee told her that no medical experience was no problem.
“Toyta reassured me that she could help me find a perfect position,” Hughes recalled. “I sent her my resumé immediately, during the conference to be exact. She even helped me reword certain parts to highlight my skills which, to me, went above and beyond.”
Hughes was soon matched with a number of jobs. She began working at Outer Banks Health in December 2025, where she said she is grateful for her team members.
“Working at Outer Banks Health has been a great experience,” Hughes said. “I have been able to learn as I go, along with support from the teams I work with each day.
“I would highly recommend the Community Pipeline Program, and I look forward to a long career here at Outer Banks Health with opportunities to grow.”
“My aunt raised me, and she told me we’d never have anything if we didn’t work for it.”
That’s the motto Mary Swinson has lived by her whole life, and at 83, she has no plans to stop.
“I just love to work,” she said. “I started out in the tobacco fields when I was nine years old, and I’ve been working ever since.”
Swinson was born in Greene County, and after she grew up, she moved to New York City where she cleaned houses and kept the children for a local family. While she liked parts of living in the big city, it was too fast paced for her and she decided to return home to North Carolina after three years.
She found work in Wilson, first with Collins Aerospace and then Wrangler Jeans, where she worked for 10 years. When the Wrangler factory closed down, Swinson found a new job with ECU Health.
“I had a friend, Barbara, and she worked here,” Swinson said. “She asked if I wanted to work in housekeeping, and that’s how I got on here.”
That was 25 years ago, and Swinson has seen a lot change in that time; managers have come and gone and the hospital has grown. What hasn’t changed is her love of her work.
“I like working in housekeeping,” she said. “I’m off by myself and I get the satisfaction of seeing things accomplished.”
Even when she gets knocked down, Swinson gets right back up.
“In the Emergency Department, I was taking out the trash when someone knocked into me,” she said. “I’m little; I don’t weigh much, so I fell down. I didn’t get hurt, though, and even though my manager wanted me to get checked out, I just wanted to get back to work.”
Tasha Jones, manager of supply chain management, said Swinson’s impact on ECU Health and her team is unmistakable.
“She is a loving, generous, selfless person who consistently exemplifies a strong work ethic and commitment to this organization,” Tasha said. “On days I feel overwhelmed, she appears at exactly the right moment, and whether it’s her playful banter or a warm hug, she knows just what I need. That encouragement, no matter the form, always gives me the extra push to keep going.”
Swinson has no plans to retire anytime soon.
“I’m not ready to retire,” Mary said. “I don’t want to just sit around the house.”
To new and current team members, Swinson had a bit of advice: “When you come here, do your job and do it well.”
“Ms. Mary can outwork and outpace anyone on the team,” Tasha shared. “She is truly one of a kind and we are all better because of her.”
To learn more about job opportunities with ECU Health, visit Careers.ECUHealth.org
It might come as a surprise to her high school self, but Anne Chadwick has spent 44 years treating, tending to, and connecting with patients in eastern North Carolina. Now, her passion and commitment have been honored with ECU Health’s first ever DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.
Chadwick, an ECU Health staff nurse with 2 North at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, was recognized with the award in front of more than 500 of her peers on May 20, during the 2026 ECU Health Nursing Summit. The honor intends to spotlight a nurse with 25 or more years of experience who has demonstrated a lasting legacy of compassionate care, mentorship, advocacy, lifelong learning and transformational leadership.
For Chadwick, what began as a simple decision developed into something much, much deeper.
“When I was in high school, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do,” Chadwick said. “I had some good friends say they were going into nursing so I said, ‘OK. I’ll do nursing.’ When I started working, I fell in love with it. 44 years later, I still love it.
“I have not one regret going into this field.”
In addition to her clinical time, Chadwick is an adjunct instructor at Pitt Community College where she teaches the next generation of nurses. She values being able to make a difference in her career.
“I hope that what I bring to nursing I can give to my students and fellow nurses,” Chadwick said. “When patients and family members thank you for taking care of them or their families, that’s what touches you. It makes you want to be the best nurse you can be.”
The 13th annual ECU Health Nursing Summit is a two-day event that brought together more than 400 nurses from across the system. Each year, the summit offers an opportunity for nurses to connect, reflect on the future of the profession and celebrate their impact. Participants engaged in breakout sessions focused on research, innovation, leadership development, well-being and technology. The summit also featured educational sessions, keynote speakers, networking opportunities and vendors showcasing the latest in health care innovations, allowing nurses to explore cutting-edge technology designed to enhance patient care.
“When nurses come together to share experiences, challenge traditional thinking and learn from one another, incredible things happen,” said Trish Baise, chief nursing executive at ECU Health. “This summit reflects our commitment to creating a culture where nurses are engaged, empowered and equipped to lead transformation. The future of health care will be shaped by nurses, and I am excited to see the innovation and leadership emerging across our system.”
Tara Stroud, chief nursing officer, ECU Health Medical Center, said the annual summit is also a celebration.
“We are so proud of our ECU Health nurses and the care that they deliver,” Stroud said. “It’s so important to be able to give back to them and ensure they can grow professionally to be the best nurses they can be. Our nurses do remarkable things every day, so this is an opportunity for us to really celebrate that amazing work.”
A number of deserving candidates were nominated for the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award. That list was painstakingly narrowed down to five finalists: Barbara “Dee” Abrams, care manager at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital; Andrea Jeppson, licensed practical nurse at ECU Health Duplin Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit; Lou Ann Proctor, staff nurse at ECU Health Medical Center’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; Dr. Sharona Johnson, executive director of Advanced Clinical Practice at ECU Health; and Chadwick. All five represented more than 200 years of nursing expertise.
Over 42 years, Abrams has made an impact on the Edgecombe County community through her work with patients and colleagues. She said ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital has always felt like home.
“There’s nothing else that I’d rather do,” Abrams said. “I think what has kept me in the field is just doing my best and working as a family to help others.”
Jeppson will soon mark 40 years in nursing. In that time, she said nursing has changed, but caring for people has not. Jeppson initially felt called to the career after she saved a neighbor from choking on food.
“She came out waving a dish cloth, she was choking on a piece of steak,” Jeppson recalled. “I just ran across the yard and did the Heimlich maneuver, and we managed to get the steak out. I thought, maybe I want to be a nurse.”
Proctor has been a nurse for over 38 years. Her mother, two aunts and a great aunt were also nurses. They taught her the value of compassion, something she takes into her role working with patients and her fellow team members.
“You’re not in this alone,” Proctor said. “You go into a room by yourself to check vitals or administer medications, but if that alarm goes off there are three people at your door. People come running when there’s a need.”
Johnson said that as a youth, she could tell nurses cared about people. That resonated with her on the way to her 39-year career in the field.
“I think we owe it to our patients to know part of their story, because that is what defines their life,” Johnson said. “We’re a shared humanity and we need to realize that.”
Stroud said all of the nominees were worthy of the Lifetime Achievement Award, finalist or not. She said Chadwick personifies the qualities that exemplify what it means to be an exceptional nurse, and that her commitment to the profession and her patients deserved recognition.
“Anne shows heartfelt compassion, exceptional clinical skills and a commitment to growing the future of nursing,” Stroud said. “She spends so much time teaching other nurses and students how to succeed in the field.”
Chadwick also thanked her team who she said do a phenomenal job taking care of patients. She said anyone considering a career in nursing should just do it.
“This is a great career,” Chadwick said. “You have to show compassion and care for your patients. It is about people.”
Logan Craft’s passion for horses isn’t what led her to her career in Human Resources, but it certainly informs the way she serves ECU Health team members.
As a service representative, she plays a key role in supporting team members, from welcoming new hires to answering questions and providing guidance.
“I love customer service,” she said. “I got my degree in business administration with a concentration in management from East Carolina University, and it’s been a great opportunity to work here.”
That care and connection extends beyond Craft’s day job; she learned a lot about patience, responsibility and trust from the horses she trains and competes with.
“When I was five, I started with English riding,” she said, referring to the style of riding that emphasizes balance and precision. “I worked with many talented horses, and the experience shaped my skills and passion for the sport.”
Nine years ago, Craft took those skills and tried barrel racing for the first time.
“I knew some people who did barrel racing,” she said. “I thought it would be fun, so I tried it, and now I’m obsessed. I own three horses and do a lot of training and exercising, along with work and my social life, to compete across the state and the southeast.”
Her commitment has won her a few prizes and belt buckles along the way.
“I was the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) 2020 North Carolina 4D youth state champion and champion and reserved champion in my district a couple years ago,” she said. “I have also qualified for the NBHA youth and teen world championships between 2018 and 2021.”
A lot of Logan’s racing happens along the East Coast and in Benson, North Carolina. She was quick to note that barrel racing in rodeos and barrel racing with divisions differ primarily in structure and competition format.
“In rodeos, the fastest time wins, period,” she said.
Barrel racing with divisions means all riders, regardless of their skill level, run in the same race and have the chance to place. Each race includes four divisions based on time, from Division One (1D) to Division Four (4D).
Race day is a full-day event, from feeding and transporting the horses, to familiarizing the horses with the arena, to the race itself – which is always with three barrels and only lasts about 16 seconds. After everyone has raced, times are entered into the computer and winners of each division are notified.
“It keeps me busy. I take care of the horses and train them, because it’s a special skill to race. Every horse is different and they must stay calm and adapt to different environments,” she said.
Whether she’s guiding a team member through a new role or preparing a horse for competition, Craft approaches both with the same mindset: connection and consistency.
“Horses depend on me every day no matter how busy life gets,” Craft said, “and it’s the same for team members who come to HR for attention and care.”
To learn more about joining team members like Logan Craft at ECU Health, visit our Careers website.
Valorie Nelson, HIMS operations specialist, joined what was then Pitt County Memorial Hospital in 1981 as a high school student. While her first job was as a volunteer, she has made a few career shifts along the way.
“You could say the hospital and I have grown up together,” she said. “After being a candy striper, I worked in dietary for a while, but I wanted to do more.”
A turning point
Nelson said the support of Dr. Murray Merner, who worked in behavioral health, started her on a new path.
“He gave me this test with abstract questions, and at the end it told you about your strengths and your weaknesses, and it listed some recommended occupations. Dr. Merner said I wasn’t challenged enough and that test helped guide me in a positive direction.”
At that time, Nelson said the hospital offered free classes on-site for team members to progress in their careers.
“You could complete your GED,” she explained. “And they had other classes like basic medical terminology or anatomy and physiology. They weren’t for college credit, but they helped team members excel in the hospital. I took as many as I could, and I did well.”
One of the instructors happened to be a medical records manager, who approached Nelson about a job.
“She asked me what I planned to do after taking the classes, and then offered me a position in medical records,” she said. “I tried to be calm but I was so excited. I knew I wanted a change and I dove in.”
Nelson said she’s had great colleagues and leadership, and she has found her work to remain challenging and interesting.
“Time has a way of going by so quickly, but I’ve been able to advance my career. You have to know that systems are always evolving, and you have to evolve with them,” she said. “Every time I’ve seen an opportunity, I’ve taken it – no one will give it to you. You have to seek it out.”
“When I joined medical records, I didn’t know how to operate the computer,” Nelson continued. “Someone had to show me. From there, I just leaned into it. As systems changed, IS sent a manual and I’d sit down and read it. Then I’d take out a pen and paper and simplify it, creating my own breadcrumbs. You have to be flexible and learn because otherwise you can’t get the work done.”
Looking ahead
Although she recognizes that 45 years is a milestone anniversary, retirement isn’t in Nelson’s immediate future.
“I enjoy what I do – that’s why I’ve been here so long,” she said. “There’s a lot of opportunity in Greenville, but I’ve never found anything that makes me want to leave. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and I’m grateful. I don’t take my job for granted.”
She does, however, plan to travel.
“I went to Las Vegas recently, and my favorite place to go is the Dominican Republic,” she shared. “My goal is to get to Europe and see the Eiffel Tower and go to Rome.”
For those just starting their careers at ECU Health, Valorie had some advice.
“It’s our job to bring the light. Don’t come to work expecting others to make you have a good day,” she said.
“Have an open mind,” she added. “You never know what you might learn or who you might meet who will change your life. It’s a life changing place.”
When Ashley Dunn, a quality nurse specialist on the ECU Health Medical Center patient safety team, graduated from nursing school in 2008, she found a place in Pitt County Memorial Hospital’s labor and delivery unit. She loved her team and her work, but in 2014 she was sidelined with an unexpected diagnosis.
“I found out I had cystic fibrosis, which I was not expecting. That took me away from the bedside, so I worked in outpatient case management with Access East until 2016.”
Ashley then switched to working in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), but the pandemic required another change.
“My doctors did not want me anywhere near the bedside, but I still wanted to work with the hospital. That’s when I found this role in patient safety. Everything fell into place like it was meant to be.”
An unexpected journey
Around the same time she joined ECU Health, Ashley and her husband, David, also wanted to grow their family. Despite polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), her cystic fibrosis diagnosis and the everyday stress of life and work, Ashley said she and David assumed things would work out.
“Nothing was happening,” she said. “We didn’t feel pressed to do IVF early on, but then suddenly I was 37 and we felt like we were running out of time.”
Ashley and David underwent IVF and over the next couple of years, she had three embryo transfers.
During that time, she needed multiple testing modalities and a surgery to improve her chances.
“Three transfers didn’t work, and we had one left,” she said. “We said this is it, the last chance, so we threw everything but the kitchen sink at it to make it work. And that last embryo stuck.”
Once pregnant, Ashley said she was doing well until she started leaking amniotic fluid at 28 weeks.
A strong start
“It was a Wednesday and I went to the hospital, knowing I wouldn’t be coming out without a baby,” she said. “I wasn’t in active labor, so they hoped I could get to 34 weeks. Just in case, they gave me steroid shots and magnesium to prevent complications.”
By that Saturday, however, Ashley began feeling mild contractions. They progressed throughout the day, until by that evening, Rhys Dunn was born at two pounds, 14 ounces.
“He came out kicking and screaming,” she laughed.
Rhys was born a fighter, but at 28 weeks, he needed to go to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. This was challenging, especially when it was time for Ashley to discharge home.
“It’s so hard to leave the hospital without your baby,” she said. “There was a lot of back and forth for us. But we felt at peace about him being there because we had a team that knew what it was doing and cared about us.”
There was even a camera set up so Ashley and David could check on Rhys anytime of the day or night, and the staff were available by phone if they wanted to call for an update on Rhys’s status.
“The nurses were so attentive; the doctors were great. A speech therapist helped him with his feeding. The care partners and the volunteers were helpful,” she said. “The team in labor and delivery were supportive and checked in on us. We felt Rhys was well taken care of, and when he came home, he was ready.”
After 71 days in the NICU, Rhys went home on Father’s Day weekend, and now, he is a happy one-year-old.
“He’s hit all his milestones and he’s very much a happy baby,” Ashley said. He’s sweet as pie, and he brings us so much joy. We have been so blessed.”
Ashley emphasized that she and her family are fortunate to live close to the Maynard Children’s Hospital and the high-quality care they provide.
“I was in a NICU support group and so many parents had to drive two or three hours to see their babies. How lucky we are to have a NICU in our backyard,” she said. “To have that quality of care so close is a luxury.”
The whole experience was a “whirlwind,” but Ashley said it’s been worth it.
“The life we have now wouldn’t be possible without the hospital and the people working there,” she said. “We are so thankful to each and every person.”
Share your story with us at go.ecuhealth.org/gratitude. Stories like these show the lasting impact of the Maynard Children’s Hospital.