Melissa accepted the role as department director for 8QB/BMT almost two years ago. She was assistant director before that and was a strong leader in BMT for many years prior. She has accepted the challenge of running a nursing unit head on. She meets with her staff one on one, she rounds on off shifts (often coming in on Sunday nights and staying well beyond midnight) in order to have a leadership presence for those team members who work outside of routine business hours. She has had to maneuver through staffing challenges not experienced on the hem/onc floor in a very long time. While interviewing, hiring, and ensuring new staff have appropriate orientation, she also conducts parent rounds, employee rounds, patient meetings, leadership meetings, and a host of other "leader" responsibilities. She does this with the greatest of ease. She makes it look easy and seems to really enjoy her job as a leader at COA. One thing that stands out with Melissa is the fact that she makes an intentional effort to ensure her team is cared for and that their needs are met (to the best of her ability). She really shines as a nursing leader at COA!