In her 43 years at Akron Children’s, Vice President of Nursing Informatics Pam Baker has achieved an impressive list of accomplishments. She’s paved the way in everything from patient care to professional advancement, becoming the first chief nursing information officer in the organization. Pam was also the inaugural recipient of the hospital’s DAISY Lifetime Achievement […]
Akron Children’s earns Beacon Award for Excellence in three units
Three units at Akron Children’s—the Burn Center, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and 7 Surgical—earned the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), a national recognition for hospital units that distinguish themselves by providing high-quality patient care in a healthy work environment. “I’m so proud of the teams working on […]
Hematology-Oncology Nurse Charlene Maxen reflects on 50 years of service at Akron Children’s
Charlene Maxen began her nursing career at Akron Children’s in 1974. Now, after an incredible 50 years of service with the hospital, she plans to retire in March. “When I graduated nursing school, I knew I wanted to go into pediatrics. I’m not even sure why. I was just drawn to it,” Charlene recalled. “Once […]
For Kathy Tomayko, working at Akron Children’s is a family affair
When Peer Review Technician Kathy Tomayko started at Akron Children’s back in 1991, she couldn’t have predicted the pivotal role it would play in her life. In a twist of fate worthy of the big screen, Kathy met her husband Tim, a former facilities project manager who retired in 2020, while both were working here. […]
Service with heart: Long-time employee Barb Allen retires
Barbara Allen began her career at Akron Children’s 21 years ago, cleaning toys. After COVID halted the toy cleaning program, Barb transitioned to housekeeping. She’s been an important member of the Environmental Services support staff here at Akron Children’s. “I’ve known Barb a long time,” said Crystal Cline, administrative secretary for Environmental Services. “She’s great! […]
As he looks forward to retirement, Dr. John Pope relishes the privilege of taking care of kids
Since joining Akron Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in 1998, John Pope, MD, has held additional roles that enabled him to make a bigger impact on our organization and our patient families. These other responsibilities allowed him to explore interests in areas such as medical ethics, teaching and global health. Yet he found his […]
