We are honored to enthusiastically nominate Mila Goldstein for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership as Memorial Hermann Pearland’s Director of Surgical Services and Cardiac Services.

Our team is incredibly fortunate to have Mila as our leader. Leadership means rising to meet the ever-evolving demands and expectations of our community, and Mila does so with grace, integrity, and strength. She consistently exemplifies Memorial Hermann’s Service Standards, leading positive change every single day.

Mila has a remarkable gift for building meaningful, personal connections—with patients, families, surgeons, staff, and students alike. Our surgeons often commend her for being approachable, dedicated, and highly engaged. Under her leadership, she takes the initiative to ensure their needs are met and their requests are carried out efficiently. During the October 2024 EPIC Go-Live, Mila played a critical role in coordinating education and support to help our surgeons transition smoothly. One of her most notable accomplishments was her collaboration with system leadership to introduce the Da Vinci Robot to our OR—a major milestone that strengthened our hospital’s capabilities to serve the community.

Leading multiple departments is no small task, especially given the weight of countless responsibilities. Yet Mila approaches her role with passion and commitment, working tirelessly to ensure her teams deliver safe, personalized, compassionate, and efficient patient care. She is always present—offering guidance, solving problems, and providing consistent support. Mila leads with calmness and clarity, even amidst rapid change and high-pressure situations. Her expertise and problem-solving skills enable us to navigate challenges with confidence. Time and again, she has led us through difficult times, and because of her unwavering presence, she has become our rock—we deeply admire her and continue to learn from her every day.

Mila’s impact extends far beyond her own departments. She actively supports her fellow leaders and colleagues, promoting strong collaboration throughout the hospital. She has partnered with Operations Administrators, Imaging, Medical-Surgical, IMU, and the Emergency Room to implement improvements and strengthen cross-departmental teamwork.

Thanks to Mila’s enduring leadership, our team has received numerous recognitions for excellence in patient care. We were honored with the Zero Retained Foreign Objects Award for 2020–2021 and 2022–2023 and recognized by ACS NSQIP for achieving “Meritorious” status in delivering high-reliability care. In addition, we received accolades for excellence in Surgical Site Infection outcomes in both 2023 and 2024.

Mila is deeply committed to mentoring and developing her leaders and teams. She empowers them to grow, make independent decisions, and lead with confidence. She instills trust and is always ready to share her knowledge and resources to help others succeed. Mila supports her team—day and night, through sunshine and storms—and is always the first to volunteer to stay overnight when needed.

Thank you for the opportunity to nominate Mila Goldstein for this prestigious award.