UP Health System – Marquette Announces Recipients of the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award
June 3, 2021
Amanda Bivins, LPN, Employee Health Nurse, has received the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award. In addition, Alyson Sundberg, Director of Risk Management & Compliance, has received the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Leadership Award.
The Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award is a new quarterly award at UP Health System — Marquette. The award recognizes exemplary employees of the support and ancillary departments of the hospital who clearly see their purpose and importance in supporting the care of our patients and our community.
Fellow employees nominated Amanda Bivins for the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award in recognition of her work as the Employee Health Nurse, especially during the pandemic.
Amanda is not only a fantastic Employee Health Nurse and resource, she’s also refreshingly honest, intelligent, compassionate and witty. Even when her workload evolved to focus on COVID-19, she was there to help fellow employees navigate the scary, new landscape that is the pandemic.
— Excerpt from Amanda’s nomination
Employees also nominated Alyson Sundberg, Director of Risk Management & Compliance, for the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Leadership Award in recognition of her commitment to safety. For over a year now, she has led the COVID-19 Command Center, which makes decisions regarding the safety of staff and patients alike.
Whether there could be an outbreak of infectious disease, an ice storm, or a power failure, Alyson has thought through all the possible outcomes. She has a plan for everything, but most importantly she builds these plans with others in the field. She leads alongside and empowers people to contribute their knowledge, and we all truly benefit as a result.”
— Excerpt from Alyson’s nomination
About the Dr. Julianne Kirkham Award
Named in honor of Dr. Julianne Kirkham, this award pays tribute to those who, just as Dr. Kirkham did, believe that our own lives become better as we help others’ lives become better. Every individual patient mattered to Dr. Kirkham, and she touched countless lives throughout her career. She was a true educator to patients, families, and fellow medical colleagues. She was intellectually curious and had a deep love for helping others. Her warmth, knowledgeable compassion, sense of justice, and fierce advocacy for her patients during their darkest times gave them hope and direction. Her sense of humor was brilliant, helping to put her patients at ease. Dr. Kirkham lived her life with a greater purpose to help others.
Sadly, Dr. Kirkham passed away unexpectedly in 2020. She was courageous, generous, and inspiring, with an unrelenting desire to create a ripple effect of positive change in the people and the world around us. In honor of Dr. Kirkham’s memory, UP Health System — Marquette created this award to recognize those who follow in her footsteps.
Recipients of this award are chosen by a hospital committee on a quarterly basis based on nominations submitted by staff.