PNA-NY Presidential Excellence Awards

Leonila Navarro-Mariazeta, MA, MEd., CCRN, BC

Mrs. Leonila Mariazeta has served two terms as a Board of Director from 2002 – 2006. She’s being recognized for her distinguished contribution to PNA-NY as an appointed Chair of the Education Committee.

Leonie as she’s fondly called has further the efforts of the association to offer quality educational sessions designed to assist members fulfill career goals. She has coordinated several evening programs held in different New York City area hospitals where open exchange of information took place to address issues relevant of nursing practice, education, and research.

She is also instrumental in securing educational grants to be able to keep this project on- going. The evening programs provided free educational contact hours, sumptuous dinner, raffles and great opportunities to meet new friends and network with other members and health care professionals.Our association has gained more visibility, recruited new members, and initiated partnership with other professional organization through our educational offerings.

Leonie, we applaud your efforts and commitment to uphold the image of the PNA-NY. Thank you for making a difference.

Ester T. Taclob-Suelto, BSN, RN, C

Ester T. Taclob-Suelto, RN,C has been an active member of PNA-NY, Inc. since 1988 and has served as the treasurer since 2000. She currently works as a Nursing Supervisor at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Through her active leadership, she has arranged some PNA activities to be held at the VAMC and successfully made PNA-NY more visible to the Filipino American nurses in her facility. She recruited many nurses to become members of the association and it is no exaggeration that she has single-handedly recruited 50% of PNA membership from the VAMC.

As the treasurer for the last six years, Ester has done a remarkable and outstanding task in handling the financial coffers for years. She has been meticulous in keeping the organization's financial records, overseeing the financial accounts, monitoring the earnings and expenditures, and providing timely financial report to the board. She has self-learned her way through creating spreadsheets for PNA-NY's financial records through the years. She has shown commitment, professionalism and integrity in her capacity as the treasurer.

A strong believer in the core values and staunch supporter of the vision and mission of PNA-NY, Ester has made great contribution to the progress of the association and truly gives an extra mile in carrying the torch of excellence and professionalism as PNA-NY moves forward. Thank you, Ester for your excellent service!

Vernie Bacolot, RN, BC, MA(C)

Vernie Bacolot is PNA-NY's auditor for 2004-2006. She is a certified Nurse Educator and Chemotherapy Nurse at St. BarnabasHospital in the Bronx. She has worked and grown at the same place for the past 20 years.

Vernie is a Bachelor of Science graduate of Cebu Velez College of Nursing in Cebu City, Philippines. She is currently pursuing her graduate studies from the College of New Rochelle in New York. She is a BCLS Instructor and an Advanced Life Support (ACLS) provider.

Vernie has been very supportive of PNA-NY activities and is instrumental to implementation of numerous key projects. For the past 2 years, she has been devoted and reliable. She actively participated in educational programs, fundraising events, and other socio-civic functions. With her passion for entertainment and dancing, she assumes added responsibility as PNA-NY's social director and choreographer. Her social skills has brought PNA-NY more fame and visibility. It is very fortunate to have someone like Vernie in the PNA, for all the years she served in different capacities. Vernie is one dedicated individual who gets her assignments, performs her duties very well and knows exactly what to do until they are done.

Araceli T. Mendoza, RN, BSN, CNN, MBA, MSN (C)

Cely, as she is fondly called by family and friends, is an Administrative Nurse Manager at the Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein (Weiler) Hospital. She is currently a PNA-NY Board Member. She has worked as a staff nurse in hemodialysis and emergency department at St. Barnabas Hospital prior to assuming an administrative role. She takes pride in being an active member of Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE), and Entrepreneurial Society of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

In spite of her hectic work schedule, this dynamic and personable lady is a very active leader in the Filipino-American community, as well as in various professional and cultural organizations. She finds some respite only whenever she can get away from work and travels around the world with her family and friends.

Cely has been an active member of the PNA-NY for several years. While sitting on the Board, she introduced innovative ideas on fund-raising, on improving the organization’s financial viability to fund projects, programs and events. She has helped improve the organization's visibility by attending meetings to different professional and community organizations and acting as ambassador of PNA-NY in culture events through dance presentations. Thank you for your many worthwhile contributions to PNA-NY.