BREMERTON, Wash. –
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility honored 24 Employee Resource Group co-leads with Special Achievement Awards Oct. 11 for their support of command goals and employees.
The co-leads were joined by their supervisors, during a ceremony in the shipyard auditorium, as they received their awards and a heartfelt thank you from Capt. JD Crinklaw, commander, PSNS & IMF.
“The ERGs are helping with the realization of command goals as they practice the Command Guiding Principles and cause me to reflect regarding my own alignment to those principles,” said Rob Gorman, director, Code 100PI, Lean Transformation and Change Management Office, and emcee for the event. “It has shown me that it isn't just a question of whether or not I'm living the principles, rather [it's] an expansion of living those principles with the perspective I gain from people different than me, [who are] engaged in the same critical mission. Further, and not surprising, my personal life and experiences are enriched and my relationships strengthened with the diversity of talent, experience and thought the people I've met through the ERGs have brought.”
The ERG co-leads also work with each other to knowledge share and collaborate to support events such as Juneteenth, hiring fairs, and Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Employee Resource Groups contribute substantial benefits to the command in increasing communication to deck plate employees, building employee engagement, innovative problem solving for issues impacting command employees. All these and more, help to improve recruitment and retention of key talent.
Among those honored were:
• Tiera Beauchamp, Asian American & Pacific Islander ERG
• Viliamu Kuaea, Asian American & Pacific Islander ERG
• Allan Pajimula, Asian American & Pacific Islander ERG
• Ashley Jackson, Black, Indigenous and People of Color ERG
• Taylor Lindbom, Black, Indigenous and People of Color ERG
• Michael Wessen, Black, Indigenous and People of Color ERG
• Matt Fassel, CrossAbilities ERG
• Linda Karrmann, CrossAbilities ERG
• Chris McKay, CrossAbilities Spectrum of Unique and Neurodiverse Sub-Group
• Jacqueline Rase, CrossAbilities Spectrum of Unique and Neurodiverse Sub-Group
• Merritt Boggess, Employee Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Team
• Patricia Ordway, Employee Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Team
• Nolle Pritchard, Employee Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Team
• Erin Wells, Family Matters ERG
• Nina Cole, Hispanic Employee Resource Organization
• Joe Maez (ret), Hispanic Employee Resource Organization
• Dana Honstain, PRIDE LGBTQ+ ERG
• Sylvia Pryne, PRIDE LGBTQ+ ERG
• Kendra Schaff, PRIDE LGBTQ+ ERG
• Adrienne Cappa, Puget Women’s Employee Networking Group
• Jenny Farley, Puget Women’s Employee Networking Group
• Monika Westerfield, Puget Women’s Employee Networking Group
• Rob Gainer, Veterans ERG
• Robin Lee, Veterans ERG
Employee Resource Groups are open to all employees no matter their age, race, gender or position within the command. A job order number is available for employee attendance beyond the lunch hour as workload permits.
“I would choose to encourage the managers and supervisors of our command to find a way to support their folks to engage with the ERGs,” said Gorman. “Make yourself and them aware of the opportunity. Provide time for them to attend and participate. Go yourself. You'll learn things you didn't know you needed and your team will be better for the engagement.”