2024 Scholarship Winners
In 2022, upon her arrival in the U.S. from Haiti, Taina Louis embarked on a journey to a rewarding career in health care. Prior to coming to the United States, she dreamed of becoming a nurse practitioner specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, however after completing her medical assistant training at South Shore Medical Center, she has a new goal of becoming a nurse practitioner in the primary care setting. “The brief yet impactful moments spent with patients during their visits have revealed to me the profound influence that empathy and compassion can have on their well-being” she stated. “I want to make a difference in their lives and help to holistically nurture patients’ physical and emotional needs.”
Her commitment and determination is visible in everything she does. Her colleagues describe her as the first person to sign up for training sessions, having a keen attention to detail, always eager to take on challenges and step out of her comfort zone, always putting her patients’ needs first. She is not afraid to ask questions, she is tenacious, and able to make and execute a plan with precision. Taina states, “With each patient interaction, I am reminded of the privilege and responsibility that comes with being a nurse and I am committed to upholding the highest standards of care.”
A resident of Randolph, Taina is excited to start nursing school at Mass Bay Community College. She looks forward to this next chapter in her life and she is so grateful for her colleagues and experience at SSMC. She said, “This workplace has become more than just a job; it’s a place where I feel valued, empowered, and encouraged to grow professionally and personally. Without a doubt, it’s a place I can call home.”
Rockland resident Tayla Swanson has worked at South Shore Health since she was 16 years old. She has worn many hats and spread her talents across many departments, starting as a dietary aid before moving to a guest representative in Food and Nutrition Services and then to maternity unit coordinator. Most recently, after completing the necessary education and training, she has been working as a surgical technologist. “I want to continue to expand my knowledge and become more hands on with the patients, so I am going into nursing with the goal of becoming an operating room nurse” Tayla states.
“Watching Tayla grow in her profession has been a pleasure for me both as a mentor and senior nurse in the department,” shares Lynn Costello. “Tayla’s strengths lie in her ability to collaborate with many disciplines within the surgical environment, support a positive culture of respect and inclusion, and grow and learn as she contributes to patient care. Lynn adds that “Tayla has followed a natural progression in her journey from surgical technologist to nursing student, a solid demonstration that she has her sights on a career of service and care for others.”
Tayla is attending the Brockton School of Nursing. She attributes her drive and success to working here at South Shore Health and having the opportunity to work in many roles, learn multiple skills, and be part of an amazing team.
Ella Gray Cullen, RN, MSN, CHPN, CCM started her impressive career at South Shore Health back in 2015, as a hospice nurse where she worked her way up to the position of Advanced Illness nurse case manager. Being able to work in and serve the community in which she lives is extremely important to Ella who is a resident of Pembroke. Ella is a firm believer in explaining diagnoses to her patients so they may make informed decisions that impact their quality and quantity of life. In earlier years, Ella volunteered with the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association, Midwives for Haiti, and the U.S. Peace Corp, Kenya, among others.
Ella founded Julia’s Way, a not-for-profit organization providing support and education for mothers who want to breastfeed their babies with Down Syndrome. Ella shares her knowledge and experience through frequent lectures and papers with other nurses and interested audiences on topics such as advanced illness care and Down syndrome and often serves as a resource for her colleagues. Currently, she works as a per diem RN with the Mobile Integrated Health program while pursuing her PhD in Nursing at the University of Rhode Island. Upon completion of her studies, Ella’s goal is to become a nurse scientist, teaching future nurses, and helping shape the nursing field.
Braintree resident Monique Hankinson’s nursing career has also spanned 25 years, with the first three in various locations in the Army where she had leader and mentor training.
Focusing on gynecological and obstetrical care, Monique brought her passion and extensive experience to South Shore Health 20 years ago as an attending RN in our Level 3 Maternity Birthing Unit which currently delivers over 4,000 babies per year. Her manager Dona Tehranian-Burns shares, “Monique is a clinical expert and unit-based leader who seeks out opportunities for growth and shares knowledge freely with staff. She leads initiatives for practice and quality improvement and presents results widely to the organization. She is a a role model and leader to her peers.” Within her unit of 13 beds, Monique juggles cesarean section scheduling and labor inductions, resolving staffing issues and ensuring that staff have adequate resources for our patients to receive quality care. Monique developed and implemented a recovery program for post-Cesarean patients. It helps decrease post-op pain and reduce opioid consumption and promotes earlier patient ambulation for earlier gastric motility.
Monique is pursuing her MBA in Healthcare Management at Fitchburg State University and is motivated by the benefit it will help her bring to SSH saying, “SSH has been home to me as I have grown as a nurse, leader and community member, made close friends, and had my family cared for by SSMC providers. Although we have
grown into a major healthcare system, we maintain the neighbors caring for neighbors feeling and I am so fortunate to be part of this very special community.” Long-time colleagues assert that Monique “consistently exemplifies the best of SSH.”
Gina Morse, a Middleboro resident, was involved in a terrible car accident at the age of 17. A person who feared doctors, nurses, and everything medical, her three-week hospital stay made a lasting impression. “I gained an appreciation for the nurses who took such special care of me at the most vulnerable time of my life.” The passionate care her team provided during that stay is what brought her to South Shore Hospital.
She began her rising career back in 2012 working as a nursing assistant and unit coordinator, while attending nursing school at Labouré College. Once she became an RN, she moved up to a night shift charge nurse until being offered the opportunity that brought her to her passion. Gina was selected to transition to the operating room in the “Grow your Own” program. “I fell in love with Perioperative nursing and still feel as passionate and excited to come to work today as I did the first day I stepped foot in the OR.”
Today, she holds a leadership position as a nurse manager within the Perioperative and Trauma Services. In her role Gina strives to improve patient care processes and influence healthcare delivery and policy, while contributing to the overall strategic direction of the System. Her focus is on providing the exceptional patient care for which South Shore Health is known for in our community. She states, “I think what drives and motivates us as a team is the knowledge that we are taking care of our family and friends, right here in our own back yard.” Those who work with her will tell you Gina is exceptionally gifted at making patients feel comfortable, safe, and always maintaining a positive atmosphere.
Gina is pursuing her BSN at Emmanuel College and hopes to learn more about quality and safety initiatives, research, and evidence-based practice. She is committed to her “home” here at South Shore Hospital.
A dedicated nurse with a reputation for kindness, sincerity and commitment, Ginny Philippeaux’s mother inspired Ginny’s career choice. Her death when Ginny was only 17 was devastating but led her to develop resilience that has served her well all through her life including her 25 years in nursing.
Ginny’s experience at South Shore Health began in 2009 as a float pool nurse, initially in the cardiac and telemetry units and then in the surgical and medical units. In 2016, Ginny moved to our PACU with pre-op nurse responsibilities. She has chaired SSH’s Evidence-Based Practice Committee which utilizes evidence-based nursing practices to yield favorable patient outcomes. In her words, “Working with the exceptional nurses in perianesthesia has taught me so much.” In turn, Ginny has precepted many senior nursing students with an emphasis on “strengthening their assessment skills, instilling in them a deep passion for nursing,” and the “importance of finding fulfillment in their work and advocating for their patients.” She has mentored them in life skills such as conflict resolution, time management and effective teamwork.
A resident of Brockton with her children now grown, Ginny is ready to pursue her goal of receiving a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Simmons University and believes “few pursuits are as meaningful as educating and mentoring future healthcare professionals.” As her nurse manager Lisa Murphy states, “Knowing that nurses like Ginny are joining the world of academia, our future nurses will be mentored and have an excellent education experience. She is the smartest and kindest nurse I have ever worked with.” Ginny’s mother would be very proud!
With a nursing career that began in 1999 and a wide range of experience, Mary “Abby” Schmid came to South Shore Health in 2013 when she moved to Marshfield for the support their school system could provide to her son with Mitochondrial Disease. Along with her three other children, Abby quickly became immersed in volunteering in the schools, her church, and in the community at large. She also loves being part of the South Shore Health community.
Abby is currently a nurse in the Endoscopy Unit and also has worked in acute in-patient medical surgical units equipped with cardiac monitoring. Abby says that she is “honored to work at SSH caring for the “whole patient.” Colleagues describe her as compassionate, funny and good natured. Chief Nursing Officer Drew Harding says “Abby has great interdisciplinary colleagues who praise her work and patient and family interactions” as she effectively utilizes the chain of command and clinical care team. “No one is able to act alone in a hospital, so having excellent relationships with the entire care team is a powerful tool to delivering safe, high-quality care.” Harding adds that “Abby is a tireless patient advocate who has shown her abilityto lead by example, inspire her team, and implement initiatives that drive real change,” making significant contributions to the health care field.” Abby is pursuing her MSN in education at Curry College with a graduation date of 2027.
Holbrook resident Debra Ayers’ first career as a stay-at-home mom brought her to Tufts Floating Hospital 25 years ago when her fourth daughter was diagnosed with a rare parasitic blood infection that put her at risk for a myriad of dire health consequences. Following a year of blood transfusions and daily medications, her daughter came through with only some minor eye issues. But it gave Debra a deep appreciation for the nurses who helped her through this tumultuous time by giving her hope and ultimately igniting her interest in the field of nursing.
In 1999, Debra joined South Shore Health as a unit secretary in the Emergency Department and was further encouraged by the nurses there. She entered Massasoit Community College at the age of 32 and emerged seven years later with an associate degree in nursing and was the first in her family to graduate college. After working as an RN on Center 4 in 2007-2008, Debra started the BSN cohort through Simmons College at South Shore Health in 2009 and graduated in 2012 with her bachelor’s degree. Employed for over 20 years with the health system, she says, “It’s like working with your extended family. Some of the kindest and most caring professionals work here and I am proud to say I am part of such a special group.”
Debra’s passion for nursing led her to become a clinical instructor at Simmons College. Simultaneously, she is attending UMass Dartmouth, earning her master’s degree in nursing education. “I tell my kids all the time, ‘You’re never too old to learn,’” she offers. Debra’s daughter works in South Shore Hospital’s ED and will graduate next year from Curry College with her BSN.
In 2011, Bridgewater resident Jaime Meighan graduated from Curry College with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. In 2018, she followed that with a master’s in nursing education from Southern New Hampshire University. Since then, Jamie has had a wealth of clinical experience as a part-time RN in the post-anesthesia care unit at South Shore Health; as an American
Heart Association instructor; as an RN in SSH’s intensive care unit; as a short-term clinical adjunct with Quincy College; and an RN at a Texas medical center.
After giving birth to her first child at South Shore Health, Jamie suffered from severe postpartum depression. A condition she didn’t recognize until it became overwhelming and necessitated
inpatient care. She explains, “It was only through intensive therapy and the comprehensive perinatal program at South Shore Health that I found the help I needed. It was transformative for me and I often say it saved my life.”
She adds, “My personal experiences have given me a unique perspective and a deep commitment to improving the mental health and well-being of women in our community. I am passionate about ensuring that no woman
has to endure the feelings of isolation and despair that I once felt.” That experience motivated Jaime to advance her education. She is currently pursuing her psychiatric - mental health nurse practitioner certification at Regis College.
Entering her junior year at Curry College, Olivia Anstead of Cohasset completed four months of clinical rotations at Beth Israel Deaconess in 2022 and has just completed another four months at Carney Hospital in April 2024. Olivia explains, “I am looking forward to more clinical time and experience where I can participate as part of the team with bedside care and interact with patients. I have found my clinical rotations to be quite rewarding and have strengthened my desire to seek the path of a health care professional.”
Olivia’s mother, Julie Anstead, has been an emergency nurse at South Shore Health for the past 15 years. A neighbor and friend of the Ansteads who is a psychiatric nurse watched Olivia take an active role in her grandparents’ care, and commended her saying, “When confronted by their struggles with dementia Olivia took on the challenge of helping them until the end, demonstrating utter compassion and emotional maturity while maintaining a safe and trusting relationship through thoughtful and loving redirection.” Certainly, this mindset is the foundation of being a nurse.
Julie Canuto-Depina has been working as a part-time medical assistant at South Shore Medical Center for the past two years while attending Boston College to earn a BSN. She also works as a certified nursing assistant at The Residence at Peniman Hill and serves as a student ambassador in BC’s Thea Bowman AHANA Intercultural Center and their Montserrat Coalition. She champions diversity initiatives for her fellow students and patients. “In a space filled with predominantly white/Caucasian nurses, it can be quite daunting for a person of color to seek care or it can sometimes be a barrier to seeking care,” she asserts.
The Associate Dean of Student Services at BC’s Connell School of Nursing sums up her impression of Julie saying, “I have known thousands of students in my 20-plus years in academia, but Julie stands out as being very self-directed, caring and driven toward excellence. I look forward to following her progress in the years to come because she is going to be someone who makes a difference in the world.”
Alexandra Rey’s years at Weymouth High School were well spent. She earned National Honor Society recognition; participated in varsity gymnastics (named captain in her final year!); and gained practical experience in SkillsUSA as a chapter rep earning both state and national medals. Earning her CNA certification from Weymouth High’s Allied Health Career and Technical Ed program, Alexandra believes her involvement in the community and experience in long-term and rehabilitative care are equally as important as her classroom education.
Alexandra’s interest in nursing was inspired from witnessing the care that her great-grandmother Dolly received as her Alzheimer’s disease progressed. Alexandra is now seeking certification in EKG and phlebotomy while working as a dietary aide at South Shore Health. With high accolades and recommendations from both her Allied Health instructor and her current SSH supervisor, Alexandra will attend The University of Massachusetts Boston’s nursing program this fall and continue her journey to be part of the profession that gave Dolly so much dignity, compassion and peace in her final time with her family.
Rockland resident Molly Shiner will begin her first year at Salem State University pursuing her BSN. After earning a BS in biology from St. Michael’s College, Molly began working at South Shore Medical Center in 2022 as a phlebotomist intern and then as a laboratory technician. This experience led Molly to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother who was a nurse at Carney Hospital for 30 years. “I possess the personal qualities that can make a difference in a field where it is critical to be emotionally aware,” Molly emphasizes. Her manager in the lab, James Rogers, praises, “Molly will make a great nurse due to her caring nature and engaging personality.” A sentiment echoed by her SSMC colleagues.
Graduating from Silver Lake Regional High School in the top ten percent of her graduating class, Pembroke resident Danielle Walters has been a patient transporter at South Shore Health since 2022. This position has given Danielle an introduction to a hospital setting while gaining communication and interpersonal skills with a diverse population.
Throughout high school, Danielle worked as an assistant teacher in a pre-school and as a junior camp counselor, both fueling her aspiration to become a pediatric nurse. Through her work at an early education center, Danielle learned that a child’s cognitive development can be directly affected by their health. She recognizes that nursing can be an emotionally challenging career, but believes the rewards far outweigh the trials. Danielle will begin her journey in September at Rivier University.
Connor O’Hare is pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Springfield College. A Norwell resident, Connor was very active in his school community. He was a member of the National Honor Society and a three-sport varsity athlete. He volunteered at the Norwell Recreation Department and enjoyed working with the kids. In September 2022, Connor suffered a torn meniscus, torn LCL, and a sprained MCL. He was devastated by the thought of not being able to participate in sports for the year. Basketball was his way of dealing with stress, without that, he was lost. In early November, he got good news that he was healing faster than expected. He poured his heart and soul into physical therapy. He pushed to become stronger so that he could play again. His hard work paid off, he was able to start the season and participate.
The best advice he got during this difficult time was from his parents – everything happens for a reason, you can always find something positive even in the worst of times, and hard work is never meaningless. The impact physical therapy had on getting Connor back to his physical and mental peak was immeasurable. “This injury helped me to finalize my career goals” he said. “The compassion and trusting relationships with my care team made me realize just how much I wanted to be able to do for others.“
Connor Therrien is a Norwell resident pursuing a Masters Degree in Psychology at the University of New Hampshire. His focus is on the social and neurobiological components that drive addictive behavior. He has seen first-hand what addiction looks like. He realizes that our current treatment system is broken and in need of revision. He wants to be on the leading edge of change to help create a more effective, affordable, innovative way to treat addiction.
“I would like to open a combination inpatient/outpatient facility that offers biological treatment, various forms of talk therapy, and intensive aftercare programs that will benefit the individual seeking treatment in the long term,“ he said. Connor also plans to travel the world and provide therapy options for all those in need.
As if that’s not enough, he would like to author books to help create a new social perspective about the approach of analyzing the attitudes and attributions that addicts use. “My overall personal goal is to help people live their best lives”, he states.
Emily Kelcourse is a life-long Weymouth resident who came to South Shore Health in 2022 after completing two years at Massasoit Community College. Working since then as a VNA rehab team scheduler, her manager, Lisa Johnston, says of Emily, “She works in multiple platforms in all skill disciplines and has a relationship with the clinicians built on trust.” VNA rehab team leader, Erin Campbell says of Emily, “She is a team player and adapts to changes as they come. She has been able to experience the fast-paced environment of healthcare by working at the VNA.”
Emily has been given the opportunity to shadow a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a radiology tech. Watching and learning the daily work of her clinical colleagues was very rewarding, and the time spent with the radiology tech brought back a childhood memory of coming to the emergency at South Shore Hospital when she slammed her thumb in a car door. She felt that the care and compassion the technicians showed her helped mitigate what was a very traumatic experience for a 7-year-old.
This experience along with an early desire to help people and put a smile on their face has been Emily’s motivation to follow a career in healthcare and says, “I am grateful to be a part of the South Shore Health family.” She will begin her radiology program certification at Quincy College this year.
Quincy resident Devin Youngclaus wanted to find a career where he could exercise his people skills. He began considering a path outside of the restaurants and bar industry and that is and that is when he landed on the patient access coordinator in South Shore Health’s Emergency Department at South Shore Hospital. Devin conveys pride in his position partly based on the fact that all of his siblings have been or are currently employed at the hospital. After all, it is where they were all born.
He also feels gratitude towards the healthcare workers at South Shore Hospital who provided exemplary care to his grandparents during their final days.
His supervisor views him as a valued employee and spoke highly of him, saying “Devin has a way about him that puts the patients at ease during stressful situations. Devin is always willing to help wherever and whenever he is needed.”
In the future, Devin hopes to advocate for at-risk and struggling LGBTQ youth. In his current role, he has observed a high number of pediatric patients seeking mental health care and struggling with suicidal thoughts. Devin notes his personal difficulties with mental health issues are similar to those of the struggling youth he has seen. Devin emphasizes with many of his patients, having personally experienced mental health challenges that caused him to leave college the first time around.
Ten years later, Devin is proud to be pursuing his Bachelor Degree in Psychology at UMASS Boston. With this colleague scholarship, Devin plans to immerse himself in. Instead, he plans to immerse himself with the numerous educational and research opportunities that the Department of Psychology at UMASS Boston provides.
Hanover resident Heather Najarian was born at South Shore Hospital 51 years ago and has been employed as a nurse here for 29 years. Starting as a registered nurse in the medical surgical unit, Heather’s varied experience spans the health system, including roles in the emergency department, cath lab, critical care unit, endoscopy and interventional radiology.
A born leader, Heather became their first clinical nurse coordinator to the Cardiac Cath Lab in 2013. She was then offered a position as the first clinical nurse educator and, as she shifted her priorities from bedside nursing to this new role, Heather realized her love for sharing her knowledge.
As a single mom, Heather has made it a priority to be a role model to her three children and guide them in their academic and career pursuits. With her first semester pursuing her master’s degree in nursing education at Curry College now completed, Heather’s goal is to identify and prioritize her area’s educational needs as she supports and encourages each RN to advance in their specialties for their own benefit and that of our patients. Heather states, “When I walk throughout hallways, I feel an overwhelming sense of community and I am so proud to be part of the South Shore Health team.”
