AM24-ST-03-O: The Importance of Mentors...or The Long and Winding Road (presented by LeeAnn Walker, Sally Frank Memorial Award recipient) (Enduring)

Role models and mentors can set the stage for the next generation of Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine professionals to step up and move our profession forward. In this session, we will examine the benefits of mentoring new employees and students as they begin their careers and throughout the years as they move into various positions. The speaker will share ways that mentoring has shaped her career of almost 50 years, as well as how she, as an educator, has mentored students to grow as laboratory professionals.

Award Citation: In grateful recognition for her strong leadership and influence on the field of blood banking. LeeAnn Walker has dedicated her career to advancing the field and has been a vital leader in providing education to younger generations. She has passionately shared her expertise and enthusiasm with hundreds of students, passing on knowledge and ensuring the future success of the field; many of her students have gone on to have influential careers as well.