This area is for members only. You can log in to access this area. If you want to become a member click here to learn how.

2009 Oregon Diabetes Educators Outstanding Diabetes Educator of the Year Award

Jacque Corey, RN, MPH, CNS, CDE, CPT

Dear ODE Nominating Committee;

As a long time member of the Oregon Diabetes Educators Association, combined with over twenty years in the field of diabetes education, I am honored to nominate Jacque Corey as ODE 2009 Diabetes Educator of the year.

Jacque and I have partnered over the past six years to fight diabetes and educate those with the disease.  I have found Jacque to be well versed in the various aspects of diabetes management including a thirst for knowledge and a level of enthusiasm that seems to be untouchable. 

Jacque has been in the medical field for over twenty-five years with the last six years dedicated to diabetes education.  Through out these six years Jacque has served for the ODE organization as a “Member at Large” (filling in wherever needed), “Fill In Secretary”, “President-Elect”, “President”, “Past President” and “Corporate Membership Liaison”.  Those of you that have had the pleasure to work with Jacque would agree that she is most deserving of this award for her past and continuing hard work and dedication as diabetes educator as well as the time she has allocated to our ODE organization over the past years. 

Various patients, physicians, peers and field representatives commented about Jacques skill as a diabetes educator and her dedication to the field:

• “She is a tremendous motivator.  I overcame all challenges with her encouragement.” 
• “She does the best job with understanding how it is to be living in our shoes, because she puts those shoes on.  She wears the pump…”
• A patient of Jacques who has had the disease for over twenty five years said “Jacque is the first to finally help me manage my diabetes” 
• “I consistently recommend my diabetic friends to Jacque.  She is by far the best, most effective, most personable, most engaging diabetic educator I have ever had the privilege of interacting with!
• “She can always see the forest through the trees”
• “She is a valuable and trusted resource for my patients with diabetes.”
• “She has been very helpful to me in clinical decisions making about the various therapies available to treat diabetes”  
• “She is awesome”
• “Thanks for being so good at what you do.  I suspect Betty is only one of many people who will have a better quality of life because of your care.”
• “She advocates for exceptional care for all of her patients, recognizing that diabetes care can be complicated and frequently requires attention to emotional, psychological, social issues”
• “She is such a valuable resource for the diabetic community and you are lucky and privileged to have her on your staff.”
• “Jacque is always looking for new products, information or techniques that will assist her in helping her patients manage their diabetes”
• “her strong desire to learn, share, inspire, and appreciate the situation”
• “…creates environment of optimism and success.”
• In our clinic, the warmth she shows to the poorest of our patients inspires me to “always be a little kinder than necessary.”

I believe that Jacque deserves the ODE 2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year award for the many contribution she has provided for our organization, as well as for her consistent fight for those with diabetes and her unwavering support and encouragement for those fighting this chronic disease.  As Jacques work place peers and patients have indicated, Jacque combines the traits of dedication, commitment to serve others, working in a team oriented approach and exhibits compassion that we strive for individually and collectively as a group.  Jacque deserves 2009 ODE Diabetes Educator of the Year.

Thank you for your consideration;  Kirsten Gram, RD, CDE

Valerie Katz, RN, CDE

Thank you for the opportunity to nominate Valerie Katz RN, CDE for ODE educator of the year.  I would like to begin with a bit of background information. I have been an RN in a acute care hospital setting for 25 plus years. As you can well imagine I have worked with a plethora of nursing styles and calipers, from mediocre to excellent. Val easily fits in the category of excellent. We met 10 years ago working on the Medical-Surgical unit of Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, also know as the “trenches”. Bedside nursing can be a challenge, but for Val it-direct patient care-was what made her career choice appealing.  To quote her “patients feed my soul”. I knew from our first encounter that she was special. With Val it was and is all about excellence in patient care.  We worked together for 5 years before she accepted a position with our hospital’s Diabetes Care Center. I was lucky enough to follow in her footsteps 3 years later.

Never a day goes by that I am not in awe of Val’s sincere desire to serve and to advocate for her patients. She has been presented with some of the most incredibly difficult patient challenges/situations that I have witnessed in my nursing career. I have yet to see her give any less than 100%. She always remains focused, empathetic, kind, respectful and non-judgmental. (Empathy and respect are the two words that come to mind when I think of Val.)

Professionally speaking Val has revamped and expanded our hospital system’s Diabetes Resource Nurse/Pharmacist program. A monumental task for sure. This program has energized the participants. We now witness these trained nurses and pharmacists actively advocating for better in patient glycemic control. Val is also responsible for providing diabetes training and orientation for all newly hired nursing personnel for 2 community hospitals.

Personally speaking, she is probably one of the most health-conscious and committed people I have yet to meet. Her diet is impeccable and before coming to work she often “hits the gym”. As educators we all tout the benefits of a “healthy lifestyle” to our patients, but you see Val “walks the walk”. She is truly an outstanding role model.

In ending I must say that I work with a group of amazing, top-notch CDEs. I really do feel they all deserve this nomination. I choose Val as I have known, respected and honored her un-faltering dedication to patient care for many years. It is my sincere wish that you will chose to honor her with ODE Diabetes Educator of the year.

Thank you for the opportunity to nominate Valerie Katz RN, CDE for ODE educator of the year.  I would like to begin with a bit of background information. I have been an RN in a acute care hospital setting for 25 plus years. As you can well imagine I have worked with a plethora of nursing styles and calipers, from mediocre to excellent. Val easily fits in the category of excellent. We met 10 years ago working on the Medical-Surgical unit of Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, also know as the “trenches”. Bedside nursing can be a challenge, but for Val it-direct patient care-was what made her career choice appealing.  To quote her “patients feed my soul”. I knew from our first encounter that she was special. With Val it was and is all about excellence in patient care.  We worked together for 5 years before she accepted a position with our hospital’s Diabetes Care Center. I was lucky enough to follow in her footsteps 3 years later.

Never a day goes by that I am not in awe of Val’s sincere desire to serve and to advocate for her patients. She has been presented with some of the most incredibly difficult patient challenges/situations that I have witnessed in my nursing career. I have yet to see her give any less than 100%. She always remains focused, empathetic, kind, respectful and non-judgmental. (Empathy and respect are the two words that come to mind when I think of Val.)

Professionally speaking Val has revamped and expanded our hospital system’s Diabetes Resource Nurse/Pharmacist program. A monumental task for sure. This program has energized the participants. We now witness these trained nurses and pharmacists actively advocating for better in patient glycemic control. Val is also responsible for providing diabetes training and orientation for all newly hired nursing personnel for 2 community hospitals.

Personally speaking, she is probably one of the most health-conscious and committed people I have yet to meet. Her diet is impeccable and before coming to work she often “hits the gym”. As educators we all tout the benefits of a “healthy lifestyle” to our patients, but you see Val “walks the walk”. She is truly an outstanding role model.

In ending I must say that I work with a group of amazing, top-notch CDEs. I really do feel they all deserve this nomination. I choose Val as I have known, respected and honored her un-faltering dedication to patient care for many years. It is my sincere wish that you will chose to honor her with ODE Diabetes Educator of the year.