Nurses United of the National Capital Region

Elected officers/executive staff 2010

Nurses United Board of Directors/Executive Committee

Dorothy (Dottie) Hararas, 5F, 202-877-6561- President (2009 – 2011)

Patricia (Patty) Ronayne, 2G – 202-877-7121 - Vice President (2008-2010)

Stephen Frum, 4H – 202-494-8083 - Chief Shop (2008 -2010)

Ruth (Betsy) Cerullo, Float/5F – 202-877-6561 - Treasurer (2009 – 2011)

Mary Smith, RN, - Corresponding Secretary NICU/5AICN 202-877-6510 - Corresponding Secretary (2009 - 2011)

Marie Edelen, 2G – 202-877- 7121 - Recording Secretary (2009 – 2011)

Geri Lee – L&D – 202-877-6512 - Board Member (2008 – 2010)

Lori Marlowe -Board Member (2008-2010)

Josephine Owusu, 2NE-IMC – 202-877- 9140 - Board Member (2008 – 2010)

Nurses United Elected Officials

	Dottie Hararas, R.N. President Dottie served as District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA's) President in the 1980's and was President of their Economic and General Welfare Council in the late 70's and early 80's as well serving as a volunteer in other DCNA official elected capacities during the 1970's, 80', and 90's. She was a past President of the WHC Staff Nurses Association and one of its Cofounders. She is the recipient of many nurse leadership awards, including being one of the nurses nominated for the first Washington D.C. Nurse of the Year Awards. She formed the first nurses union at WHC in 1976. From 1976 to 1978, she helped negotiate the first Collective Bargaining Agreement for staff nurses by and between the Union and the Hospital. This work culminated in the signing of the first contract for hospital Staff Nurses in June 1978. She continued to serve on subsequent negotiating teams over the ensuing years. She has been a guest panelist at the American Nurses Association (ANA) level reporting on "How to Conduct a Successful Strike". For several years she was an elected Delegate to the ANA national Conventions. Dottie has worked as a Staff Nurse at WHC since graduating from there in 1967. Her most recent position was on the High Risk Antepartum unit, 5F, WIN A to P shift. On November 1, 2006, she was granted an extended Leave of Absence from her nurse position at the hospital and became the first full time paid employee for the nurses' union, Nurses United of the National Capital Region which she co-founded in 2003. Dottie has devoted four decades of volunteer work for nursing advocacy through her involvement in the nurses' union. Her contributions to Staff Nurse Empowerment locally, regionally, and nationally is historic. back to top
	Patty Ronayne, R.N. Vice President Patty, a nurse on WHC's 2G ICU nursing unit, brings a rich and lengthy history of nursing employment and union involvement to the Nurses United cause. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing. She started her career as a nurse at WHC in 1978. In just a few years, beginning in the early 80's, she became involved in the union effort at WHC. Patty was first a union Shop Steward, then Treasurer, and then was elected President of the WHC Staff Nurses Association. She has dedicated many volunteer hours of intense work as a member of several of the union negotiating teams, advocating for the positive advancement of nurses in the work setting. Patty is very well known within our WHC nurses community and brings a wealth of experience to Nurses United. back to top
	Marie Edelen, R.N. Recording Secretary Marie has been in the nursing profession for twenty seven years. She started as a Staff Nurse at WHC, in 1978, the same year that WHC Staff Nurses won their very first Union contract. Marie has served as a Union Shop Steward for eight years and has worked diligently within WHC as a key leader in the "in-house" organizational team, during the periods of contract renegotiations over the past years. She is well known throughout the hospital by many nurses, RN's as well as LPN's. She has developed a fine network of unit contacts and is proud of her Union work. In Marie's own words she has this to say, "I have had a taste of what work environments and work life is like with and without a union. I enjoy my work with other Nurses United leaders. I respect the Mission and Vision of Nurses United and have utmost faith in WHC's nurses as they make the right decision to gather within Nurses United's ethical, respected and accountable Union efforts." Marie works the evening shift (3-11) on 2G ICU. back to top
	Mary Smith Corresponding Secretary Mary Smith has worked as a Registered Nurse at Washington Hospital Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery unit (NICU) since October, 1982. Her entire nursing career has been on that unit. She received her Associates Degree in Nursing in 1982 from Charles County Community College (presently the College of Southern Maryland). Her first degree was a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University in 1974. Prior to becoming a nurse, Mary taught elementary school education. Her Union activity volunteerism began in 2002 with her participation on the Quality Patient Care Committee, a joint committee of union and management members which reviews all submitted Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) forms submitted by nurses and develops trends, direction, and solutions for improvement to patient care, staffing, and other work environment issues. She also serves as a NU Shop Steward and has been appointed as an Officer on the Nurses United Executive Committee/Board of Directors as its Corresponding Secretary. She functions as the Unions' officially appointed liaison to the hospital on matters dealing with Shared Governance and is one the Shared Governance team members. She is also the Union's official representative on the hospital's Magnet Steering Committee as the hospital and union explore the right path for a journey toward Magnet status. She also participates on the joint Labor Management Consultation Committee where matters that can not otherwise be resolved through regular channels in the hospital are discussed with resolution of problems being its primary goal. Mary was a member of the 2007 Nurses United Negotiation Team. "I am a nurse advocate and believe in the power of our collective voice. In my union volunteerism activities, I am able to do what I really enjoy, which is representational work and advocating for the clinical nurses at WHC. I look forward to continuing my work as an RN in the NICU and working diligently with Nurses United in all of its endeavors." back to top
	Ruth (Betsy) Cerullo, R.N. Treasurer Betsy graduated from the Geisinger Medical Center School of Nursing, Danville, PA in 1974. Her first job was at Mercy Hospital Wilkes-Barre, Pa where she was a member of Local 1199 Union and learned how belonging to a union can benefit hours of work, wages, and working conditions for nurses. She has held subsequent nursing positions at UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH; Rancocas Valley Hospital, Willingboro, NJ; St. Louis Comprehensive Health Center, St. Louis, MO; and PRIMUS Health Care Center, Woodbridge, VA. While at Rancocas Valley Hospital, Willingboro, NJ, Betsy helped to organize a union there and participated on the negotiating team for the first contract between the hospital and JNESO (New Jersey State Nurses Association). She actively supported a two and a half month strike and was instrumental in assisting in attaining their first successful contract. She is currently employed as a Labor and Delivery nurse at INOVA Alexandria Hospital for the last 16 years and concurrently holds a 110 position at WHC since April 2001. At INOVA Alexandria Hospital, she was recently promoted to a Clinical Nurse IV through their Advance Clinical Ladder for the INOVA System. Betsy is a certified RNC in Inpatient Obstetrics thru AHONN. "As Treasurer of Nurses United, I plan to meet the goals of fiscal responsibility and to be accountable to all of Nurses United's members." Betsy is single and the very proud mother of one son who is now a 2nd Lt. In the United States Army, currently stationed at Ft. Benning, GA. while completing Ranger School. back to top
	Stephen Frum, R.N. Chief Shop Steward Stephen Frum, RN, works on 4H (Burn/Surgical ICU) and is very proud of the work done by the staff of that unit. He was born at the Washington Hospital Center. Representing nurses and fighting for justice on the job are his passions. "I have been privileged to be a part of four negotiating teams and look forward to serving the Union in the future." Recognizing that a Union is only as strong as its active members, he works to recruit and promote new leaders. "Please consider getting involved in making your Union as strong as it can be." Stephen lives in Washington D.C. back to top
	Geri Lee R.N. Geri began her career as a Registered Nurse at Washington Hospital Center 27 years ago after graduating from The American University’s Lucy Webb Hayes School of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science degree. She began work at WHC on 1D (hematology/oncology) then moved on to ICU/Burn nursing from 1980 – 1983. Currently, she is working in Labor and Delivery which handles many of the areas most complicated Obstetrical cases. Geri was active in the previous nurse union – DCNA - as a Shop Steward. Since the creation of Nurses United, she has served as a Shop Steward for the past two years. She was the team leader of NU’s first arbitration case and proved herself an extremely skilled leader, steward, and witness in that case. That experience brought with it a wealth of knowledge to better represent and support the membership of Nurses United. Geri is a firm believer in recruiting members to be active, especially with the upcoming negotiation year. “Always remember, there is strength in numbers, and we- Nurses United – are strong”. Geri lives in Silver Spring and has two sons. She is an avid fitness and health advocate consultant back to top
	Josephine Owusu, R.N. Executive Board Member Josephine Owusu is one of the international nurses from Ghana, West Africa. She graduated from Howard University in 1995 and joined WHC in 1997. In 1998, she was elected to serve as a shop steward with the former union, DCNA, and was a member of three committees, including the Assignment Despite Objection (ADO) committee. Josephine is well known in the hospital due to her dedication and enthusiasm in union activities. Many of the staff nurses will remember the active role that Josephine played during the 2000 strike. In fact, she was one of the three nurses who fasted for three days until the hospital and the union gained a fair contract. Currently, she works in the critical care area, 2NEIMC and occasionally floats to ICU and CCU. Josephine remains active in the Nurses United union at WHC and is presently an Executive Committee Board Member. She welcomes every staff nurse and looks forward to representing nurses from any nursing unit regardless of race, ethnic group, or nationality. back to top
	Lori Marlowe Executive Board Member Lori Marlowe, RN, graduated from Howard University in Washington DC with a BSN in 1998. She started working at Washington Hospital Center in April of 1999 and successfully completed the hospital's Cardiac Fellowship program and currently works on one of the Medical Cardiac units on the WIN shift, P's to A's. Lori has demonstrated an interest in union solidarity and activism having walked the picket line during the former union's work stoppage of clinical RN's at the hospital in the Fall of 2000. She then volunteered to become a Shop Steward after Nurses United was recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for clinical nurses at WHC in 2003. Lori was selected by Nurses United's Executive Committee to be an official member of NU's Negotiation Team for the 2007 Negotiation talks with the hospital after she attended and participated in all of the planned NU Negotiation Committee meetings from June to December in 2006. Lori says with conviction, "We are very strong in Nurses United, working together to continue to maintain the improved working condition, wages, and improved hours of work achieved over the years of Union involvement by the clinical nurses at WHC." In the past month, Lori was appointed by NU's President to a position on the Board of Directors to serve out the term vacated by a former NU Board member. In addition, she has been appointed to serve as member of the important Labor Management Consultation Committee. Lori has also been a past recipient of her unit's Nurse of the Year award. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two young children. back to top

President of Nurses United outline of major activities/responsibilities