Jennie Lyons of Lake City wins Haven award
L-R: Haven team members Jennie Lyons, Sarah Murnahan and Nooriel Nolan accepted awards at the FHPCA’s 39th Forum. Awards are given to hospice and palliative care employees statewide who promote excellence in hospice and palliative care. -Photo: Submitted
By Tami Stevenson
LAKE CITY, FLA., – Three Haven Hospice employees were awarded with Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) Awards of Excellence at the 2024 FHPCA 39th Forum in Orlando, Florida, recently.
Of the three employees, Haven Lead Lake City Social Worker, Jennie Lyons, was awarded the Barbara Janosko Excellence in Leadership Award.
The award recognizes a manager whose work has promoted the advancement of hospice and palliative care and demonstrates exceptional service, creativity and leadership in their own hospice program as well as interorganizational relationships.
Lyons was nominated for her personal leadership by her manager, Haven Vice President of Clinical Operations Chris Russell.
Lyons, based in Lake City, is involved in company-wide initiatives including Haven’s Dementia Care Program committee; Camp Safe Haven (Haven’s grief camp for children and families); Haven’s internal We Honor Veterans committee; and the Make a Difference Fund committee, which reviews employee-funded “wishes” for patients and families.
Lyons is a United States Air Force veteran and is very involved in Haven’s veteran programs, conducting veteran recognition ceremonies in the Lake City area and advising on how hospice organizations can better serve veteran patients. She is especially skilled in supporting veteran patient needs at the end of life.
Haven serves an 18-county area. When Lyons became the lead social worker, she immediately developed a program to empower every Haven social worker to become licensed. In addition to her regular workload, she met with every social worker across Haven’s 18-county service area, wrote their endorsement letters, completed check-ins and offered herself as a resource throughout the licensure process.
Two other awards were also given, Haven Clinical Educator Sarah Murnahan was awarded the Catalyst Award, which recognizes a hospice and palliative care employee who consistently demonstrates leadership in forging the collaboration that makes hospice unique.
Haven Bereavement Coordinator Nooriel Nolan was awarded the Rising Leader Award, which recognizes an individual who has been working in hospice for less than five years and exhibits exemplary professional accomplishments and a commitment to hospice.
“We are incredibly proud of our FHPCA award recipients and are honored to have them on our team,” said Haven President Pauline Taylor. “In each of their roles, Jennie, Sarah and Nooriel go above and beyond to provide a high-quality, compassionate hospice experience for the patients and families Haven serves and we are thankful to the FHPCA for recognizing their dedication.”
