University Executive Leadership Awardees
Melissa Gilliam, MD, MPH, Executive Vice President & Provost, Office of Academic Affairs
As a physician, Dr. Gilliam understands the importance of wellness throughout her career. Given our current times, she makes it a priority to be physically active at home and in the office. Within OAA, she supports the efforts of the BWIs in their Wellness Culture Committee, which provide staff members the opportunities to engage in wellness throughout the workday. Recently, Dr. Gilliam incorporated wellness into the Academic Plan to help faculty, staff and students be at their best at Ohio State.
Mary Ranz Calhoun, President and CEO, The Ohio State University Alumni Association
Molly has supported initiatives to enhance the wellness of Ohio State Alumni. She helped to promote Stay Calm and Well throughout her alumni communication to help alumni be resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She continues to support the BWIs within Alumni Relations to promote wellness in the workplace. These BWIs developed the S.H.I.N.E. (Support, Health, Inspiration, Nutrition, Exercise) framework that aligns their wellness initiatives throughout the workplace and the Buckeye community.
University and Medical Center Manager/Supervisor Awardees
Stacie Gecse, MBOE RHIA - Director, Wexner Medical Center, Health Information Systems
Stacie, nominated by Jennifer Smith, encourages HW in her department through various modes. Staff have mental health buddies assigned to each other, and they check in with each other week. Many meetings are encouraged to be outside, which includes walking meetings, of course. The group has team initiatives/events, which are all included in discussions pertaining to team goals. Stacie helps staff feel like they are important, that they matter, and that their well-being is important. Additionally, Stacie grants requests for flex work arrangements and/or allows telecommuting. She promotes flexible work arrangement policies and/or allows for flexible workday start/end times. Overall, Stacie encourages a healthy work-life balance.
Beth Gilbert, BSN, RN - Assistant Manager, James Cancer Hospital
Beth, nominated by Amy Rettig, pays attention to and cares for the professional development of people in their first job. She supports financial well-being and wellness team approaches. Beth respects "first-job" staff and their learning needs for professional development. Beth supports emotional well-being care and creates opportunities for compassionate care among team members. Beth is supportive of her staff involved in YP4H challenges, EAP, and the B.E.S.T program.
Gina Nicholson Kramer - Program Director, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Center for Foodborne Illness and Prevention
Gina, nominated by Ashley Cellar, often checks in on the mental health of staff and students, always willing to support staff and students with professional development, goal setting, job search, and deciding career direction. They even coordinated donations for a student who needed help. Gina shows genuine interest in what is going on in our lives outside of work. She includes staff in the Management Team decisions and encourages ideas and discussions about how to best run the team. Gina encourages meeting breaks, often brings in food for staff and encourages socializing while on meeting breaks. Gina empowers staff and makes everyone feel seen and heard.
Sara Waugh - Director, Office of Academic Affairs - Admissions Systems and Document Imaging
Sara, nominated by Kris Dalton, walks the talk, actively participating by taking walks and playing tennis, encouraging others to join her. Sara has always been a BIG proponent of Health and Wellness, making it a safe place to bring up my own concerns to better my health. She not only gives space to have those discussions and helps me make better choices but promotes and encourages the programs OSU offers. Sara is a wonderful advocate, and I (Kris) am in better health because of her!
Buckeye Wellness Innovators of the Year
Mary Wightman
Mary's role as a BWI primarily supports the well-being efforts of approximately 56 individuals across East Hospital, from administrative leaders to clinical care teams. She leads weekly on-site wellness walks and donations to the Long Street Little Pantry. Mary supports OSUWMC’s veteran ERG donations requests, creates YP4H challenges and coordinates water happy hours & on-site lunches. Additionally, she highlights BESA volunteer opportunities, establishes teams and serves as team captain for local walks/runs, leads an annual green thumb plant exchange and constructs a curated list of wellness challenges that reflect all ten dimensions of wellness.
Office of Administration and Planning Buckeye Wellness Innovator Team
The Office of Administration and Planning Buckeye Wellness Innovator (BWI) team highlights department BWI’s, goals, resources, and initiatives on their A&P website, in department emails, newsletters, digital signage and meetings to create awareness, excitement and interest in well-being, while promoting a culture of care for staff. They partner with multiple areas, including A&P Diversity Council, Office of Student Life, College of Engineering, and others on wellness events and activities to foster connections across campus. Individual A&P departments also schedule activities that support multiple dimensions of wellness. Whether it’s hopping on the Buckeye Wellness blender bike to make healthy smoothies, participating in the team standing or walking meetings, demonstrating proper breathing techniques, creating a wellness garden for staff to enjoy, joining a community walk or run together and more, A&P BWIs bring creative ideas and energy to the table to tailor activities for their departmental needs.
