Contact: Cameron Potts, 952-924-5465

EDINA, Minn. (April 4, 2006) — A former part-time housekeeping aide received Fairview Health Services highest honor on Tuesday, March 21, when Katherene Anderson was named the 2006 Carl N. Platou Courageous Leadership award winner. The Carl N. Platou Courageous Leadership award recognizes a Fairview leader who moves us in new directions, a leader who has created lasting, positive results and a leader who creates a legacy.

Called a bold, honest and reserved leader by her peers, Anderson is only the second woman and first African-American to win the Courageous Leadership award. Anderson holds herself with a quiet confidence, and has been described as always “a lady” by her peers, a trait instilled on her in childhood.

“I was always told how to be lady-like when I was little. I learned a lot from my relatives who raised me,” she said.

Born in Vicksburg, Miss., in 1953 the youngest of seven children, Anderson endeared a tragic youth that included her father’s murder when she was only two weeks old, and her mother’s death when she was nine. Raised by relatives, Anderson learned early on the virtues of hard work and dedication.

At age 19, Anderson moved from Mississippi to Minneapolis, reuniting with two of her six brothers. After giving birth to her second son, Curtis, Anderson took a friend’s advice and applied for a job at St. Mary’s hospital in downtown Minneapolis. Working 32 hours a week as a housekeeping aide, Anderson remembers working a lot of overtime.

“They always called me for overtime because I would always do it. It helped me become full-time,” she recalled.

Learning and growing and listening to the mentorship of her supervisor, Anderson was promoted to lead aide in 1990. Working her way up the ranks to lead supervisor at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, she was eventually tapped to become director of environmental services at Fairview Southdale Hospital, a position she currently holds.

“Kathy Anderson instills hope in others by reaching our and being a visible leader. She isn’t boisterous and she doesn’t need to draw attention to herself,” said David Page, chief executive officer of Fairview Health Services. “She leads by example and seeks to help the people around her reach their full potential. She is brave, resolute and strong-hearted — characteristics of a courageous leader.”

For more than five years, she has actively sponsored the English at Work Program, both at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and now at Fairview Southdale Hospital. A leader on the Fairview Diversity Council, she has led two groundbreaking audits of our welcoming practices and presented results and recommendations across the system. She has also championed inclusive, multi-faith commemorations of winter holidays, so all patients, family members and employees would feel welcome in our facilities.

“Kathy is a highly respected leader, both by her peers, but also by her staff, and her contributions have made Fairview Southdale Hospital a better place for our customers to receive care,” said Brad Beard, president of Fairview Southdale Hospital.

In accepting the award, Anderson challenged others to be courageous leaders as well. “Courageous leadership doesn’t mean waking up each morning with more courage than anyone else — it means waking up and being willing to carry on,” she said. “Being willing to stick with it — to keep working to create the world and the workplace you really want to be in.”
 
Kathy also shared her core principles: show up, show respect, show your core beliefs and show others the way. “I truly don’t think we can go wrong is we hold our principles dear and hold one another dear,” she said.

“After winning this award, it seems like I can help more people find their way. If that can happen, that would mean a lot to me,” Anderson said.