InterAct for Change Announces Annual Nursing Scholars

William T. Lecher, Susan Rivers-Payne receive Awards of Excellence for distinguished careers

April 2, 2009 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Five students and two distinguished nurses received recognition at the annual nursing scholarship event presented by InterAct for Change.

"We've all come in contact with a nurse, in the community, our schools or at the hospital," said Don Hoffman, President and CEO of Interact for Change."Though we certainly value them, nurses are very rarely recognized and seldom thanked for the lives they touch every day. These awards and scholarships give us the chance to do just that."

The Nursing Excellence Award honors individuals who demonstrate outstanding contributions to nursing in Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana. These awards went to William T. Lecher, Senior Clinical Director Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Susan Rivers-Payne, Nurse Practitioner, Consumer Wellness, The HealthCare Connection.

Lecher is a registered nurse with more than 20 years of clinical and administrative health care experience, encompassing pediatric, adult hospital and homecare settings. He received his nursing degree from the University of Wisconsin and went on to earn graduate degrees in nursing and his MBA from the University of Illinois. In his current role as Senior Clinical Director in the Specialty Resource Unit of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the nursing staff and oversees 350 employees. For the last three years, Lecher has served as chair of the Health Careers Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati. This collaborative includes Children's, The Health Alliance and Great Oaks along with other community organizations that work to alleviate occupational shortages in health care while providing career opportunities for low-skill individuals.

Rivers-Payne has practiced nursing for over 35 years. She worked as a staff nurse at Holmes Hospital, served as a faculty member at several area nursing programs and universities, worked as a wound care specialist, and beginning in 2000 started her career as a nurse practitioner. She worked in a variety of sites including the VA, Dixie Pike Family Health Center, Northern Kentucky Women's Health Center, and Summit Behavioral Healthcare. Previously, Rivers-Payne served as the primary care provider for more than 600 clients with severe mental illness. Since 2000, Rivers-Payne has established five medical clinics staffed by nurse practitioners in collaboration with physicians from Summit Behavioral Healthcare.

Five students received nursing scholarships ranging from $1000-$2,000. "With critical nursing shortages at nearly every health care facility in the region, we are excited to award five scholarships this year to help students achieve their dream of a career in nursing," said Hoffman.

Emily Casey, an honor student at The College of Mount St. Joseph, has been selected to receive the Anna M. Drake Scholarship. The scholarship is named for a public health nurse and founder of District 8 (now known as the Southwestern Ohio Nurses Association) of the Ohio Nurses Association. Emily plans to work in an intensive care unit and is applying for the Critical Care internship at Good Samaritan Hospital.

The Ida W. Casey Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Katie Pohlman, a student at the top of her class in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Nursing Master Program. This scholarship recognizes the founder of the department of nursing at Edgecliff University (now Xavier) of Nursing and Health. After completing the 27 month program, Pohlman plans to work in a teaching hospital as a Certified Nurse anesthetist.

Jenna Wilkening received the Laura Rosnagle Memorial Scholarship, named for the first Dean of University of Cincinnati's College of Nursing and Health. Jenna is currently working as a psychiatric staff nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital and plans to continue her nursing education.

Tiyanna Obilor and Abby Reagh will each receive a scholarship from the Clinton and Blanche Harden Fund. Obilor is a senior at Xavier University working on completing her BSN along with a double minor in psychology and Spanish. Reagh is completing her associate’s degree in nursing at Miami University Middletown and will use this scholarship to help earn her BSN. Created by Lynn Harden, this scholarship honors her parents' commitment to education. The scholarship is open to currently enrolled LPN, ADN, or BSN students.

InterAct for Change, the home for active giving, is a full-service philanthropic organization that engages and assists individuals, families, private foundations and nonprofit organizations to achieve measurable results through charitable giving and venture philanthropy. Its mission is to inspire, lead, and support active philanthropy by creating innovative philanthropic solutions. For more information, visit www.interactforchange.org or call 513-458-6680.