🌱 Rooted in Purpose, Driven by People: Lakesha Drew When Lakesha Drew left her lifelong home in Miami to start fresh in Tallahassee, it wasn’t just about a new city—it was about a new chapter. Reconnecting with her high school sweetheart and now husband, Leandro Garcia, Lakesha knew one thing was non-negotiable: she needed a job that aligned with her purpose. That’s when she found her home at TMH. Lakesha's journey with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is one of growth, leadership and passion. With 20 years of nursing experience, Lakesha now serves as Director of Nursing Engagement and Patient Experience, where she’s shaping the future of care, engagement and mentorship. 💙 “TMH is more than a workplace—it’s a family,” she shares, reflecting on her rewarding experiences. Thanks to the TMH Foundation Clinical Scholarship Fund, Lakesha is pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Health Systems Leadership, transforming her leadership approach and the care we provide. Her story is just one of many that shows how the support of the TMH Foundation’s Clinical Scholarship Fund helps nurture nurse leaders like Lakesha and strengthen our community’s healthcare system. 🩺 Support Nurses Like Lakesha This TMH Day 🩺 🎓 By giving to the TMH Foundation, you’re empowering the next generation of healthcare leaders, driving innovation in patient care and lifting up nurses who make a difference every day. 🔗 Donate today at TMHDay.org! Every gift matters! Together, we can shape the future of healthcare in our community. #TMHDay #TMHFoundation (fb)

Happy National Trauma Awareness Month! This #TraumaTuesday, to help illustrate all the different areas throughout our organization touched by trauma care, we’re highlighting someone who has done it all, Kara Linder, BSN, RN. Kara began her healthcare journey right out of high school as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH). At the time, she wasn’t exactly sure where the road would lead, but she quickly realized she had a passion for helping people and a knack for staying calm in high-pressure situations. She later made her way to the Bixler Trauma & Emergency Center as an emergency care technician, where she found her love for emergency and trauma medicine. Something about the fast-paced environment and teamwork just clicked for her. Wanting to learn more about what happens before patients ever make it to the ER, Kara went through EMT and paramedic school and worked for a local EMS agency, giving her a new perspective and more appreciation for pre-hospital care. Eventually, she bridged over to nursing and has been an RN for more than 8 years. Along the way, she traveled the country as a nurse, gaining experience in all types of emergency departments—from small-town hospitals to large trauma centers. She’s seen a little bit of everything, and it has helped her to gain more skills and knowledge about patient care. After years as a travel nurse, Kara decided it was time to come home, start a family and return to the place where it all began. She’s now back at TMH, working in Bixler and caring for patients and helping new nurses find their footing in the ER. Kara is a Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) Instructor and is working toward becoming an Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) Instructor. She also helps train EMT and paramedic students and somehow still finds time to work as a flight nurse/paramedic for Air Methods, a local air medical helicopter service, because sitting still just isn’t Kara’s thing. For Kara, emergency medicine has never been just a job. It’s a career built on compassion, teamwork and showing up when it matters most. And, she’s still just as passionate about it as the day she started. (fb)