Christian Meisner: Opening Message
Build skills and grow your career
Looking for career growth or change? Join our second Workforce Development Week, February 1 to 3. During this event, open to all Kaiser Permanente employees, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a series of virtual webinars and activities led by featured speakers and career experts.
The sessions will focus on steps you can take to:
For managers, find resources to strengthen your team and help employees develop their careers and adapt to changes in health care.
Each morning of the event, National Workforce Planning and Development will release a set number of sessions on this website. Go to the Schedule section to view the sessions that interest you at any time, as your schedule allows, even after the week is over. Most sessions will be prerecorded and less than 15 minutes. One live session is planned and will be recorded.
Register now for Workforce Development Week!
Meet the workforce planning and development leads at the national level and in each region by clicking the links to the left. This team of experts is here to help you navigate resources and support employee and management education and training needs.
Find your supporting cast now.
Our workforce planning and development committee aims a mile high to support Colorado team members and managers with education and training. Let us know how we can help you!
UFCW Local 7 Steward
SEIU Local 105 Steward
HR Business Partner
Lead Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
Our workforce planning and development structure is embedded deeply within our regional Labor Management Partnership work and our utilization rates consistently crush the other regions. Let us know how we can help you crush your career goals!
Director, Learning & Organizational Effectiveness
LPN, UFCW Local 1996
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
The National Workforce Planning and Development team has decades of experience supporting labor and management to understand, analyze and address skill gaps to prepare employees for tomorrow’s jobs. Email us if we can help you!
Director, National Workforce Development, Alliance of Health Care Unions; Co-director, Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust
National Program Coordinator, Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
Senior Director, National Workforce Planning and Development; Co-director, Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust
Senior Workforce Planning Consultant
(Mid-Atlantic
States, Northwest, Washington)
Senior Workforce Planning Consultant
Career
Development (Hawaii, Southern California)
Senior Workforce Planning Consultant
(Colorado,
Georgia, Northern California)
Lead Workforce Planning Consultant
Workforce
of the Future
Aloha! Our workforce planning and development committee loves helping team members grow as we transform our organization. Let us know how we can help you!
Alliance Partnership Representative, HNHP 2nd Vice President
Assistant Administrator, Hospital Operations and Support Services
Director, Workforce Planning and Development
Director, Operations and Nursing Professional Practice
Our region juggles a lot and the workforce planning and development committee is no different. We engage and empower team members to align career goals with operational needs. Let us know how we can help you!
Director, Performance Improvement, LMP
Union Liaison, OPEIU Local 2
Lead Nurse, UFCW Local 400 Contract Liaison UFCW L400 Contract Liaison
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
Our workforce planning and development committee strives to build bridges that can help our workforce become more resilient and prepared for workforce changes. Let us know how we can help develop the warrior in you.
Director, Workforce Planning and Analytics
SEIU-UHW Contract Specialist
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
We take workforce planning and development seriously and have serious fun doing it. We seek to align our work to help teams meet organizational strategy. Let us know how we can help you!
Senior Workforce Planning Consultant
Alliance Partnership Representative
SEIU Local 49 Labor Liaison
Lead Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist (Interim)
We may be a newly formed team, but we are making strides to help the workforce adapt to the future of health care and changes within Kaiser Permanente. Let us know how we can help you!
Lead Organizer, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
Ultrasound Tech, UFCW Local 21
Workforce Strategy Manager
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
Jobs of the future began in our region, and we continue to help teams rise to the challenges of our changing health care landscape. Let us know how we can help you!
Director, Workforce Planning and Development
SEIU-UHW
Director, Southern California, Alliance of Health Care Unions
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
Workforce of the Future Implementation Specialist
Education Trusts
Learning, Mentoring and Business Resource Groups
View the sessions that interest you at any time, as your schedule allows, even after the week is over. Most sessions are prerecorded and less than 15 minutes.
Labor Management Partnership and workforce development leaders invite you to find out what career development resources are available and explore your opportunities during Workforce Development Week. Learn how enhancing skills and building career resilience can help you adapt to change and prepare for tomorrow's jobs.
Kaiser Permanente encourages lifelong learning and offers employees a suite of workforce development programs and educational resources. The chief human resources officer shares why it's important to continue learning and build your career.
How do we stay resilient during such challenging times? Emotional intelligence expert DB Bedford offers tips and strategies for strengthening our resilience. The recording of Bedford’s live February 1 presentation is no longer available, but you can still download his digital workbook “The Science of Emotion.” You can hear more from Bedford in our Ask an Expert podcast with him, “Managing Your Emotions and Staying Resilient". Bedford also has written a new book, “30 Days to Emotional Wellness Healthcare Edition".
Beverly Kaye, author of "Up is Not the Only Way: Rethinking Career Mobility," and senior workforce planning consultant Nedra Daugherty discuss the importance of considering your interests, skills and values when choosing to enrich your career or make a change.
Listen here (22:09).
BEVERLY KAYE ~ AUTHOR
NEDRA DAUGHERTY ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Have you ever considered using your tuition reimbursement benefit but didn't know how to get started? Get tips from Tuition Reimbursement's Tenisha Cook with senior workforce planning consultant Nicole Green.
TENISHA COOK ~ TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
NICOLE GREEN ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
The SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund provides fully funded certificate and degree career pathway programs that can accelerate careers in health care. Meet Nakia Blythe, pediatric licensed practical nurse, who joins Rachel Lupole, the Ed Fund's career advice director, to discuss how she battled health issues, managed a full workload and took courses to further her education at the same time.
Listen here (13:12).
NAKIA BLYTHE ~ LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE
RACHEL LUPOLE ~ SEIU UHW-WEST & JOINT EMPLOYER EDUCATION FUND
Equity-centered design (ECD) takes human-centered design (HCD) to the next level. This is ideal for those who manage, lead or facilitate teams. Hosts Michelle Linares and Barbara Obena with National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity introduce us to this holistic approach to problem-solving. Learn more on the Health Equity Portal.
People who do great work deserve great support. What do you need the most help with?
Search kpcareerplanning.org to learn about career development resources and find hidden gems to map your goals. Invest in yourself and move up the leaderboard to earn a prize.
the hunt has ended
Exploring career paths is a key step for developing your career. The career paths tool — available to all Kaiser Permanente employees — is interactive and personalized to help you find your direction.
Explore the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust’s Manager Site, a resource for managers to boost your team’s career development. Learn more about the skill-building opportunities and full suite of education benefits available to fuel career growth for eligible union employees.
manager siteKaiser Permanente aspires to be a digital-first organization by 2025. How will we get there? Meet the KP Digital team driving this goal and find out more about our digital strategy and what it means for employees and customers. Visit the KP Digital SharePoint site.
KP Digital SharePoint siteTake time to thrive. Counteract physical and emotional stress and fatigue by investing in holistic personal and professional health and wellness.
Enhance the in-demand skills needed for a successful career with Kaiser Permanente’s Skillsoft e-learning library of more than 2,800 instructional web-based courses and videos on KP Learn. Get ready to leverage opportunities to learn through interactive videos and practical simulations, designed to meet you where you are to ehance your skillset, knowledge and digital power. For IT professional employees, see also the complementary IT Academy for technical skills training.
As demand rises for mental health services, so too does the need for mental health professionals. The executive director for National Mental Health and Wellness shares his career story and discusses job opportunities at Kaiser Permanente and why you might consider a career in mental health. Explore mental health career opportunities.
PETER NIXON ~ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ALLYNE BEACH ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Find out what 3 employees are doing to build their careers at Kaiser Permanente, and how you can tap into the same resources to build yours.
Angel Vargas, vice president for Care at Home in Southern California and Hawaii, shares his personal and professional passion for this growing career segment. Vargas explores the variety of career opportunities in home health with project manager Raquel Soto Garcia.
Listen here (12:41).
Angel Vargas ~ CARE AT HOME
RAQUEL SOTO GARCIA ~ SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Finding ways to maintain your physical health is important. Get tips from kpfit's Nick Beam in a session hosted by senior workforce planning consultant Danielle Pollard.
Listen here (17:22).
NICK BEAM ~ KPFIT
DANIELLE POLLARD ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
A new Georgia Primary Care Registered Nurse Residency program with the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust recently graduated 5 licensed practical nurses and has plans for another graduating cohort soon. Meet Jessica Johnson and Monea Taylor-Sears, who join senior workforce planning consultant Danielle Pollard to discuss the program's origin and plans for continuing to support the nursing profession pipeline.
Listen here (15:46).
JESSICA JOHNSON ~ HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
MONEA TAYLOR-SEARS ~ REGISTERED NURSE
DANIELLE POLLARD ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Kaiser Permanente’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are chartered groups of employees and physicians with a
common interest and/or affinity. Since 1989, they’ve been a key source for cultural expertise, community
advocacy and diverse leadership. BRGs support the business with tactics and solutions to advance equity
in our workforce, care delivery and communities. Membership to each BRG is open to all employees and
physicians. If you’d like to partner with the BRGs, please contact National Equity, Inclusion, and
Diversity at natl-equityinclusiondiversity@kp.org.
Business Resource Groups:
Whether you work in a clinical, technical or business role at Kaiser Permanente, you can learn from the career paths and experiences of KP’s leaders. In partnership with National Workforce Planning and Development, the genKP business resource group launched National Career Story Month in April. View a session featuring Executive Vice President Arthur Southam, MD, and Senior Vice President Michelle Gaskill-Hames.
When you think about managing your career at Kaiser Permanente, where do you go first for more information?
Spin the Wheel of the Future to learn about the Workforce of the Future and why it matters to you.
Workforce of the Future Examples of New Technology Critical Skills+Take your career growth to the next level with mentoring. Learn more about KP Mentoring in this video that highlights the mentoring journey.
Participate in and promote an authentic environment where everyone is valued, treated fairly and has a sense of belonging. In support of Kaiser Permanente’s mission and work for greater equity and inclusion within the organization, please go to the Belong@KP website to begin your journey
It’s been a challenging year. Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever. As we continue to try to heal and recover, we all find ourselves in different places mentally and emotionally. Visit Kaiser Permanente’s Rise&Renew webpage for easily accessible tools and resources to support mental health for yourself, for your team and for your colleagues.
Resources spotlighted on Rise&Renew include:
Take time to thrive. Counteract physical and emotional stress and fatigue by investing in holistic personal and professional health and wellness.
Explore the future of workforce learning with Priscilla Gill and Dawn Nelson of Mayo Clinic. “The future of work is about learning,” says Gill, who discusses efforts to create a learning environment.
Behavioral health professionals provide mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment and crisis intervention services for adults and children. Find out more about the education, training and skills needed for this field, along with the work environment, emerging opportunities and outlook.
Managers are leveraging workforce development programs to strengthen their teams and ensure they're delivering quality care to our patients and communities. Hear stories from 3 managers and then take action to emulate their successes.
Monica Morris, senior director of National Workforce Planning and Development, and Beverly Kaye, author, speaker and thought leader, discuss engagement and retention strategies for leaders. Kaye highlghts concepts from her book "Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay."
Listen here (22:35).
BEVERLY KAYE ~ AUTHOR
MONICA MORRIS ~ NATIONAL WORKFORCE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
The SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Multi-Employer Training Fund supports about 2,500 health care workers in Washington eligible for education benefits. Outreach coordinator Danielle Chastaine talks with Candace Humphrey, a licensed practical nurse who recently completed her Bachelor of Science in nursing program.
Listen here (14:14).
CANDACE HUMPHREY ~ LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE
DANIELLE CHASTAINE ~ SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW MULTI-EMPLOYER TRAINING FUND
Looking to elevate your career? Get tips from Kaiser Permanente Mentorship Week , hosted July 19 to 23 by the genKP business resource group and HR Talent and Organizational Performance. View a chat with 3 organization leaders outlining their career experiences, including mentorship, learning to lead and the importance of diversity in leadership.
Would you like assistance in determining a career path and accessing the education/training needed to achieve your goals?
Meet the times with clarity, energy and resilience. This self-paced modular course will take you on a journey of self-discovery and can empower you to stand up even stronger in the face of career challenges.
START YOUR QUEST
Learning about the critical skills for the future of health care can help you adapt as new care models, technology and other trends change the health care landscape. Partnership union members can use education trust services to learn more about digital fluency, consumer focus, performance improvement, collaboration, telehealth and other relevant topics.
Telehealth will continue to grow in use and popularity and new opportunities for professional growth and employee satisfaction are emerging. Using telehealth effectively to engage patient populations requires additional skills and training. Take this hourlong introductory course, available on KP Learn in partnership with the SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund, for information on the foundations of telehealth, skills needed for success and patient engagement.
KP LearnTake time to thrive. Counteract physical and emotional stress and fatigue by investing in holistic personal and professional health and wellness.
Skills, not just experience, will increasingly play an important role for employees and employers, says Debbie Hughes of Markle Foundation's Rework America Alliance. Learn why digital skills are becoming fundamental.
Clinical laboratory professionals use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and technology, as well as highly skilled manual techniques, to support physicians in making medical diagnoses. Find out more about the education, training and skills needed for this field, along with the work environment, emerging opportunities and outlook.
Meet our professionals
Founder/CEO, iNeverWorry Consulting
Director, National Workforce Development, Alliance of Health Care Unions; Co-director, Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust
Author, Speaker, Thought Leader
National Coordinator, Workforce Planning and Development, Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer
Senior Director, National Workforce Planning and Development; Co-director, Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust
Executive Director, National Mental Health and Wellness
Vice President, Labor Management Partnership and Labor Relations, The Permanente Federation
Executive Director, Alliance of Health Care Unions
Senior Vice President, National Labor Relations and Office of Labor Management Partnership
Vice President, Care at Home, Southern California and Hawaii
National Director, Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
Get inspired. Listen to career success stories from employees and managers and learn about resources available to develop your career.
What does it take to build your career at Kaiser Permanente? Employees share success stories in a panel discussion moderated by equity, inclusion and diversity workplace consultant Troy Stone.
Child Psychologist, Mid-Atlantic States
Dr. Chenere Evans is a child psychologist in Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, where she screens children and adolescents to determine whether they are on the autism spectrum. She’s doing the work she’s dreamed of since being in her high school Advanced Placement psychology class and becoming fascinated with the notion that you could help people for a living. Throughout her career, she has incorporated an integrated care model, evidence-based and trauma-informed psychotherapy approaches, and early childhood mental health and intervention initiatives in her work. Dr. Evans is a member of UFCW Local 400.
Charge Nurse Level III, Southern California
Dante Laghetto is a charge nurse level III for urgent care in San Diego with Kaiser Permanente Southern California. As a UNAC/UHCP member, he uses Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust resources to further his educational goals from an associate degree in nursing to pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice in executive leadership. Also, BHMT supports his lifelong learning and career development through career and academic counseling, job interview and resume tips, and a resilience program.
Family Nurse Practitioner, Colorado
Inspired by her Uncle Bucky (a pediatrician) and Aunt Joan (a nurse), Racheal Philman is a family nurse practitioner in dermatology. She’s used resources from the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust to support her on her journey from licensed practical nurse to registered nurse and now to nurse practitioner in a wide variety of departments including primary care, urgent care and pediatrics. Philman is a member of UFCW Local 7 in Kaiser Permanente Colorado.
Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Workplace Consultant, Colorado
Facilitator Troy Stone is an equity, inclusion and diversity workplace consultant in Kaiser Permanente Colorado. He has more than 18 years of experience in this work as well as strategic planning, professional development, and strategic partnerships in local government and health care (including in Kaiser Permanente Northwest).
Managers play a key role in workforce development. Three managers share how they have supported career growth for their team members and how that benefits the organization in a panel discussion moderated by Vice President Deanna Dudley
Director, Regional Food Service Operations, Northwest
Michelle Kerr is regional director for food service operations in Kaiser Permanente Northwest, where she started her KP career 18 years ago on the front line as a diet aide, handing out snacks to patients – a job that earned her the nickname “the Jell-O girl.” Kerr is certified as a dietary manager and a food protection professional. As a manager, she helps her employees discover and use training opportunities available through the SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund.
Health Services Manager, Virtual Care Delivery, Georgia
E. Joy Nails is health services manager for the Virtual Care Delivery department in Kaiser Permanente Georgia, a new department that was already in the works but expedited in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. During her own 21 years at KP, she’s used resources from the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust to power her journey from medical assistant to registered nurse and beyond. In her new role, she’s leveraging those resources to build digital fluency among her employees to prepare them for new ways of working.
Director, Sterile Processing, Southern California
Marjorie Wall is director of sterile processing at Downey Medical Center in Kaiser Permanente Southern California, where she leverages workforce development resources to recruit existing KP employees to her department and get them the training and support they need to succeed. She’s pursuing an executive doctorate in business administration and is president-elect of her professional association, the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management.
Vice President, Human Resources, Northwest
Facilitator Deanna Dudley is vice president for Human Resources in Kaiser Permanente Northwest. The Portland Business Journal recently bestowed one of its HR leadership awards on her. Previously, she held leadership positions in Labor Relations and the Office of the Labor Management Partnership at KP and at the University of California Office of the President. Dudley earned a JD at the UC Hastings College of the Law and an MBA from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Comments from the 2020 Workforce Development Week survey
