Children’s Minnesota is thrilled to announce the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (MSPBJ) selected four of our Kid Experts as 2023 Health Care Heroes. This award honors those in the Twin Cities health care industry who use innovation, care, dedication and compassion to improve the human condition, according to the magazine.
The winners from Children’s Minnesota in their respective categories are:
Health Care Executive: Jennifer Olson, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Children’s Minnesota
Jennifer has a vision for operational and strategic direction that keeps the focus on providing expert care to kids. Jennifer served as an executive sponsor for the expansion of Children’s Minnesota’s mental health services, including the opening of the organization’s first inpatient mental health unit for kids and adolescents last year.
Jennifer also helped launch, and serves as the senior executive sponsor of, the Military and Veterans Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Children’s Minnesota. She also continues to lead efforts to enhance both clinical and non-clinical programs throughout Children’s Minnesota.
Read more about Jennifer.
Health Care Innovator: Brenda Beckwith, senior director of Perioperative Services at Children’s Minnesota
Brenda led the team that brought North America’s first hybrid intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) neurosurgery suite of its kind to Children’s Minnesota.
Learn more about our new iMRI neurosurgery suite.
Health Care Staff Member, Nonclinical: Seth Kanne, Star Studio program manager
Seth first used his passion and creativity to help launch Star Studio – our in-house TV station – 15 years ago.
He’s since helped it grow into what it is today – a fan-favorite among our patient families.
Read more about Star Studio.
Health Care Practitioner, Nonphysician: Zaundra Smith, RN
Zaundra has shown her dedication to our patient families, her coworkers and the entire Children’s Minnesota organization for over 20 years while serving in our neuroscience unit.
She is also a vice chair of our Nurses of Color (NOC) Employee Resource Group (ERG). The NOC ERG is led by a core group of nurses and offers a supportive space for nurses of color to grow in their career by sharing their experiences, insights and knowledge.
Congratulations to all of Children’s Minnesota’s 2023 Health Care Heroes! The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal will host an awards ceremony for this year’s winners on June 15, 2023.
You can read the full list of the 2023 Health Care Heroes here with a subscription to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
