Allison Ong, assistant vice president of Clinical Operations and Space Planning for Loma Linda University Medical Center, has been selected as a Young Professional Voices honoree by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). The award program recognizes nurse leaders who show considerable promise as health care leaders and illustrate outstanding leadership within their organization, community, and nursing profession.

“It is an honor and privilege to support nurses’ focus on doing what they love most: caring for patients,” Ong said. “My vision for nursing leadership is to allow nurses to lead in how excellence in care is determined.”

Ong is one of 20 people selected nationally for the award, which is based on exemplary leadership proven through innovation, influence, and inclusion.

In 2021, Ong exhibited these values in her role as executive director of the Campus Transformation Project. She oversaw all aspects involved in moving from the outdated hospital into the Dennis and Carol Troesh Medical Campus. Her innovative team selection — choosing individuals new to project management and operations — served the project well by bringing open-mindedness to every undertaking. Ong proved instrumental in keeping her team’s spirits high through the many challenges of the two-year project that raised a state-of-the-art acute care adult and children’s hospital.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have Allison on our leadership team and am so thankful to have her intellect, character, and work ethic applied to our team and work at Loma Linda University Health,” Helen Staples-Evans, Loma Linda University Health’s chief nursing officer, said.

Ong has served in various nurse leadership roles since 2013. As a nurse leadership resident at Loma Linda University Health, she led several major projects before being named project manager at Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC). In that role, one of Ong’s significant contributions was serving as a nursing champion for the Sepsis Initiative.

In 2016, Ong became the director of the Patient Placement and Transfer Center at LLUMC. Then, in 2019 she became the executive director of the Campus Transformation Project Transition Plan/Patient Placement. In each of these roles, Ong oversaw patient flow and provided strategic oversight for patient placement.

Now, in her current role, Ong facilitates moves, remodels, and staff/office relocations while collaborating with hospital leadership on strategic improvements to enhance excellence in care.

“Allison’s commitment and sense of ownership over her responsibilities are second to none,” Staples-Evans said. “She continually impresses me in her ability to display this mentality and find ways to project her ‘ownership culture’ to others through strong organizational and communication skills in a way that translates to tangible progress and outcomes.”

Along with her fellows, Ong will be recognized at the AONL 2022 Annual Conference in April.

The original version of this story was posted by Loma Linda University Health.