Leadership Academy 2013-14 LeadingAge New York Feb. 2014 | Page 24

Nancy McKiernan
Marketing and Development Associate
Baptist Health System

Building Memories
1

How would you describe your Action Learning Project and the difference you hope it will make to
advance your organization’s mission (or the field) and benefit the individuals you serve?

My Action Learning Project is to take the lead on planning and implementing a Memorial Garden on the Baptist Health
System campus.
Our mission is “To serve all persons with quality care in a loving and compassionate environment.” I believe that it’s important for
us as an organization to set aside a space that will allow us to more fully acknowledge the people in our care who have passed. The
garden will provide a place for staff, residents and family members to pay their respects and, if they wish, to place something in the
garden which would honor their loved ones. The garden would serve as a peaceful and beautiful space for all to enjoy.
The garden would also be utilized in future fundraising efforts, offering an opportunity for our constituents to purchase brick pavers,
rose bushes or other plants, or benches engraved with their loved one’s name.
Lastly, the project would provide an opportunity for residents at Baptist Health, volunteers from the community and our own staff to
work together to create and maintain the garden.

2

How have the relationships you’ve developed as part of your project (with mentors, partners,
stakeholders, etc.) influenced this direction and you as a leader?

My relationships with residents and their families, as well as other staff members, have shown me how strong the bonds are that
develop over time in this organization. These relationships have influenced me as a leader by making me want to do more to help
improve the quality of life for everyone.

3

What have been important turning points for you, in your own learning, as you’ve engaged with
the action learning process (you might consider a surprise, insight, setback, or challenge)?

As this project is currently still in the pre-planning stage, it will be interesting to see what turning points or challenges lie ahead as it
progresses. My learning from Leadership Academy has shown me powerful ways of dealing with potential problems that I think will
be very useful as we move forward.

4

How do you hope your project might unfold in the months and years ahead and what impact do
you hope it will have on the field at large?

I would love for the Memorial Garden project to continue to grow and develop over the years as Baptist Health System expands, as
an entity that will be enjoyed for generations to come. I know that it will have a positive impact on our campus, both aesthetically
and emotionally. I hope that it impacts the field by serving as an example of how an organization such as ours can join with residents,
constituents and the community to create something mutually beneficial.

5

How has the action learning process in the context of the Leadership Academy experience
contributed to your growth as a leader?

Having a project like this to organize and plan will give me the opportunity to practice and reinforce many of the principles that I
learned during the Leadership Academy.

LeadingAge New York

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