GCVHCS Recognizes First Recipient of Organization's Upward Mobility Award

GCVHCS Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Specialist Priscilla Walker received the organization's inaugural Upward Mobility Award, an initiative recognizing both individual career achievement and contribution to the organization.

"This award recognizes employees who started their career at the GCVHCS in an entry-level position but have advanced into a higher professional or managerial position through personal initiative or through a VA upward mobility program," said GCHVCS Public Relations Specialist Camille Weston, the organization's Rewards and Recognition Chair "With more than three decades of experience here, Walker's organizational knowledge, capabilities and desire to better the organization have significantly contributed to our capability of providing top-notch care to our Gulf Coast-area Veterans."

Walker, who began her Veterans Affairs (VA) career as a General Schedule (GS)-3 transcriptionist in 1990, has moved through a variety of roles within the organization, progressively accepting more professionally challenging positions aligning with her skillsets and developing an unparalleled corporate knowledge. While serving as an administrative assistant to the Nurse Executive - a position later designated as Administrative Assistant to the Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Nurse Executive (ADPCS/NE) - is when Walker's current supervisor believes her talent, desire to improve the organization and capability of accepting additional responsibilities became evident.

"In this position, Walker showed of what she was capable - self-motivated, commitment-driven, and always lending a helping hand to others," said GCVHCS Equal Employment Opportunity Manager Anita Urquhart, Walker's current supervisor. "She took advantage of training opportunities, volunteered for assignments, and participated in workgroups and committees to build a working knowledge of the organization. She has proven that her self-driven abilities and work ethics are an asset to the organization."

Urquhart added that Walker is a graduate of the first Emerging VA Leaders (EVAL) class where she was awarded the High-Performance Development Model plaque. She also said that Walker additionally serves as a member of VHA Equal Employment Opportunity Newsletter Editorial Workgroup; the VHA Special Emphasis Program Advisory Committee; Resource Management Committee; the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 16 Education Committee; the VISN 16 Workforce Development Advisory Committee; the Workforce Succession Strategic Plan, Education, and Training Advisory Committee; and the organization's GoalSharing teams.

   Weston added that the GCVHCS hosts numerous internal and VA-wide initiatives for qualified employees interested in advancing their VA careers, including mentoring and career development programs designed to provide opportunities for entry-level employees to advance into professional or managerial positions.

"The GCVHCS is full of opportunities for individuals who are working hard for the organization," she said. "In our efforts toward becoming a high-reliability organization (HRO), we have always recognized our staff's individual talent and contribution to our mission, and taking advantage of the opportunities we can offer starts with a conversation with your supervisor."

The GCVHCS, comprised of the Biloxi VA Medical Center; the Joint Ambulatory Care Center (JACC) in Pensacola, Florida, and the Mobile, Alabama, and Eglin and Panama City Beach Community-based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS), provide a variety of health care services to more than 82,000 Veterans.