First “Living Our Values” Colleagues Award Recipients in Region

The best part of Mercy Health is our people. We routinely go above and beyond the call to create a patient experience that’s second to none. In celebration of those who set the standard, eight colleagues, four from Mercy Health Muskegon and four from Mercy Health Grand Rapids each quarter will be selected to receive the new Living Our Values Colleagues Awards.

Highlights from the first seven nomination forms are below:

Alison Aubry, Nurse Practitioner, Geriatrics


In the THRIVE program, we have the sacred opportunity to be welcomed into patients’ homes to provide care. Because of this, we get to know our patients very well. Alison exemplifies reverence and respect in every interaction she has with patients and their families.

She pulls in important family members to her home visits and uses them as resources for the sake of the patient. She calls community resources, such as Area Agency on Aging, for families and then explains these calls in a way that families understand. She is our Health Ambassador and encourages all of us to use our time wisely and to practice a good work/life balance.

Misty Carr, Clerical Assistant Lead for PCN Oncology


Misty is amazing with our patients. As a mission-driven colleague, she always puts patients and her colleagues at the center of her work. She has completed the course on Crucial Conversations and uses it daily to resolve problems or to help another coworker.

She is continuously going above and beyond to find resources for our patients when we have difficulty getting a referral for patients. Misty is always supportive of her colleagues when they are needing help or are having a rough day.

Grant Depies, radiation therapist, Johnson Family Cancer Center

Of the 60 or so patients undergoing radiation treatment for cancer at any given time, no fewer than 20 usually call him “Smiley” instead of Grant. Grant will always go out of his way to make a patient or family member comfortable, (getting them a blanket, taking extra time to explain processes and procedures).

Reverence: This value is probably his greatest strength. All radiation therapists keep people at the center of all they do, but Grant takes it to another level. Grant casts judgement on no one and will always take time to listen and understand.

Michelle Gravlin, manager, Quality Care & Transformation

Michelle has connected with her staff in a way that we feel completely comfortable going to her about anything and everything. She has a plaque in her office that reads “Work Hard and Be Nice to People.” This is a spot-on description of Michelle, who spends part of her morning checking in with us (her staff) and asking us how we are doing; truly listening and caring.

I feel she has healthy and trusting relationships with not just her employees, but with others she collaborates with on a daily basis.

Kathleen Gray, PA-C, Mercy Health Specialists in Hospital Medicine


Kathleen has a servant’s heart. She spends a lot of time with staff and patients building confidence and holding each other accountable.

One day, Kathy went to several different stores buying diapers and necessities for her patient’s daughter. The patient and daughter were homeless. Our case management was helping with the housing situation, but the patient did not have clothes or diapers to put on her child. Kathleen asked the patient what size her daughter wore and during her lunch break bought the necessities they needed. Kathleen’s service to others is inspiring. Her grace and willingness to help others is demonstrated on a daily basis.

Karyn Honig, Social Worker, Mercy Health Kidney Transplant Center


Karyn spent nearly two hours with a patient’s family member I’ll call Sandra, who has a cognitive impairment. Sandra was completely overwhelmed by all the medical discussion during the patient’s assessment and was crying alone in our waiting room. She opened up to Karyn about her fear that the patient might die and how people in her life have talked down to her because of her cognitive impairment. Karyn listened compassionately, put herself in Sandra’s shoes, and provided resources to help Sandra cope with these challenges.

By taking this time to hear a lonely family member’s story, Karyn went above and beyond in showing reverence for the value of every human life, showing special care for the most vulnerable.

Sheila Pearsall, Environmentalist, Environmental Services

Sheila consistently provides exceptional care to patients, visitors and even her fellow colleagues. It’s difficult to catch Sheila without a smile on her face and a joyful word for whoever is passing by. She embraces AIDET and educates the patient and family as to who she is and what services she provides to make their stay safer and healthier.

Not a day goes by that Sheila is not encouraging or thanking those around her. I once heard her say, ‘What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?’ … and she lives this value out in her daily life by thanking patients for the privilege to serve them.