Heather Bowers
honored as 2020 Employee of the Year
Heather Bowers stepped into the role of infection prevention coordinator at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in 2019; less than a year later, the COVID-19 pandemic erupted. The former operating room nurse rose to the challenge, becoming a critical leader in Montage Health’s efforts to ensure the safety of patients, staff, visitors, and the community as a whole — and earning her selection as the 2020 Employee of the Year at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
Working side-by-side, Bowers and Dr. Martha Blum, medical director of infection prevention, guided implementation of evidence-based practices organization-wide, often as those protocols were evolving from the Centers for Disease Control and others.
“As evidenced by the fact that Heather received six nominations as Employee of the Year, she accepted the challenges brought by COVID-19 with grace, diligence, and the application of evidence,” says David Wood, director of Quality Management and Bowers’ supervisor.
“Heather quickly became recognized as a critical resource across the Montage Health enterprise, whether that involves returning a call from a worried patient, meeting in‐person with a group of employees to assuage their concerns, answering questions for the media, or updating protocols for the organization,” Woods says. “Heather represents the epitome of professionalism and professional excellence.”
Bowers joined Community Hospital in 2016 as a nurse in the main operating room. She became infection prevention coordinator in 2019.
Blum called her “irreplaceable” in Montage Health’s COVID-19 efforts. “I feel like I can hardly begin to describe all that she has done to prepare and protect our hospital and our community from COVID-19,” she says.
Bowers was among 10 finalists for the honor of Employee of the Year, along with Tim Bates, Health Information Technology, Bernie Castaneda, Facilities Planning and Properties, Kindra Castor, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlene English, Short Stay Unit, Daniel McKernan, Safety, Paola Ruiz, Health Information Technology, Melvia Salvant, Nutrition Services, Allison Smith, Communication and Marketing, and Sandra Vazquez, Administration.
