Employees honored at 2020 virtual VIA event

This year’s Annual VIA ceremony was what you would expect from 2020 — a virtual event full of gratitude, tears and a few minor technical glitches.

Five Asante employees were honored on Nov. 3 via WebEx for exemplifying Asante’s Values of excellence, honesty, service, respect and teamwork.

They are:

• Zoe Abel, a nurse in AACH’s Intensive Care Unit
• Jini Danis, director of ARRMC Laboratory
• Megan Frost, a physician with General Surgery in Grants Pass and lead of Asante COVID contact tracing
• Amalia Kieley, director of Nursing, AACH Nursing Administration
• Kristi Lambert, nurse navigator, ARRMC Utilization Management

As in past years, the honorees invited family members and colleagues to attend the event, which was hosted by HR Vice President Robert Begg.

“This year we’ve had a year like we’ve never seen,” he said. “Yet we have held tight to our Values as we navigate these times.”

As each winner was lauded on Tuesday, co-workers, managers and family members cheered them on through the online chat function. Stories of the winners’ remarkable dedication and service will be told individually in Asante News in the coming weeks.

Each honoree will receive the annual VIA award, flowers, a gift card, a charcuterie board in place of the catered lunch,  and a special badge backer.

Begg reminded attendees that celebrating Asante’s Values in Action goes back more than 20 years. Since then employees and patients have given out nearly 139,500 VIAs.

Winners of the annual VIA — Asante’s highest honor — are nominated by their peers and then selected by Asante’s VIA committee, which is made up of representatives from ARRMC, ATRMC, AACH, APP and the Contact Center.

Also present at Tuesday’s event were Asante’s senior leaders, including President and CEO Scott Kelly and board members Steve Roe and Peter Angstadt.

Kelly thanked the five winners, noting their contribution to Asante.

“We don’t get on the Forbes list as a best place to work without you. Thank you to each of the winners and to our more than 6,000 caregivers. You make a difference.”