Hospital Week is dedicated to celebrating the individuals whose leadership, compassion, dedication, and service strengthen our mission as a healthcare organization and those who leave a lasting impact on our patients, staff, and community every single day.
It is with great pride that we announce Donica Conseen as the recipient of the 2026 Hayes Award for Quality and Safety.
The Hayes Award represents one of the highest honors within CIHA. It recognizes an employee who has significantly contributed to risk mitigation, improved safety, or quality enhancement within our organization. This award acknowledges the critical importance of maintaining high standards in healthcare, recognizing those who lead or facilitate vital changes in systems or processes to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients. Although the annual award serves as an individual recognition, its purpose is intended to reflect the values and standards we strive to uphold as an organization.
As Behavioral Health Operations Manager, Donica has demonstrated exceptional leadership across outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community-based behavioral health services. Her work has focused not only on daily operations, but on strengthening systems of care, improving quality outcomes, and ensuring services remain culturally responsive to the needs of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Donica has combined professional expertise with trusted community relationships to lead impactful mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. Her leadership of the Darkness into Hope events helped bring together CIHA departments, PHHS, emergency services, community organizations, volunteers, and families in an intentional effort to increase awareness, promote safety, and connect individuals to resources and support.
Within Behavioral Health, Donica has helped advance quality improvement efforts focused on access to care, workflow development, accountability, and operational consistency. She has also played an important role in advancing initiatives related to child mental health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities services, helping strengthen coordination and pathways of care for patients and families.
Her leadership has also been reflected through multiple successful Joint Commission surveys for Behavioral Health and the Opioid Treatment Program, as well as her willingness to step forward during periods of staffing and operational challenges to help ensure continuity of care for both patients and staff.
What makes the Hayes Award especially meaningful is that it recognizes individuals whose impact extends far beyond their job description. Donica’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community, supporting her colleagues, and strengthening CIHA’s mission through risk mitigation and quality enhancement embodies the spirit of this award and the values that define our organization.
Please join us in congratulating Donica Conseen on this well-deserved recognition as the 2026 Hayes Award recipient.
To learn more about all 2026 Hayes Award nominees, click here.