Heartfelt Dedication to our Promise

Balloons, bubbles, and bursts of cheers filled a hallway to celebrate a special patient milestone following a successful surgery.

This celebration reflects the impact of the dedication, compassion, and teamwork that takes place every day here at Cook Children's. Every department plays a role in creating outcomes worthy of applause. This story is a testament to what we can achieve together.

Read more and see the video on CookNet. 

You must be on Cook Children's network to view this story. 

Reminders on Changes for Health Benefits 

Our new plan year is right around the corner, including the transition of medical coverage to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) starting Oct. 1. Here’s what you need to know:  

• Look for new ID cards arriving in the mail at your home address. 

• Register your Blue Access for Members account using the member ID printed on your card. Download the BCBSTX app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• If you’re enrolled in a Meritain Health medical plan, you have until Sept. 30 to buy over-the-counter CVS health care products with your final $25 quarterly health allowance. Order online at https://www.cvs.com/benefits or download the OTC Health Solutions app.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards issued by HealthEquity can be used as of Oct. 1. Continue to use your current Navia card through Sept. 30. Plan designs aren’t changing – only the administrator.  

Why are we making the move to BCBSTX? More in-network provider options. Improved contract rates to help manage out-of-pocket costs. And a simplified experience for all your medical plan questions. 

Visit the BCBSTX / Cook Children’s Transition Support Website to learn more. Or contact the Benefits team at askbenefits@cookchildrens.org. 

Stop by the Wellness Zone Open House 

Join us the at Wellness Zone to explore the facility open to you!  Stop by between 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 901 7th Avenue, 2nd Floor. 

What's in store?

• Tour the facility
• Snacks and refreshments
• Door PRIZES! - $50 value
• Zumba dance party
• Complimentary chair massages between 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

For more information about the Wellness Zone, visit their CookNet site. 

Enter to Win Diamond Heart Pendant courtesy of Collections Fine Jewelry

One Cook Children’s employee will win a stunning piece of fine jewelry to wear or share with a loved one. Created by Collections Fine Jewelry, this diamond and 14kt white gold pendant was designed to honor our health care heroes who give their hearts to Cook Children's patients every day.

Raffle tickets are available to Cook Children's employees only and are available for $10 each or three for $25. Raffle tickets may be purchased online via the QR code above or in person at Camelot Light Court at Medical Center-Fort Worth throughout September. A drawing will be held on Oct. 5 to choose a winner.

For more than 70 years, Jewel Charity Members have raised essential funds to support uncompensated care at Cook Children's. Funds raised through this exclusive raffle will directly support the most immediate needs of our patients and their families!

Click here to purchase raffle tickets or visit jewelcharity.org to learn more about Jewel Charity's mission.

Retirement Announcement

Join us in congratulating a staff member who is retiring from Cook Children's: 

• Wanda Cargile, Insurance Specialist North Denton PC, is retiring after 27 years on Sept. 30.

To read more about Wanda along with other recent retirees please visit the Retirement CookNet page. 

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website. 

Good afternoon Prosper family,

As we welcome the fall season, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your continued hard work, dedication, and commitment to our team and the patients we serve. Fall brings a season of change, growth, and opportunities to connect with one another, and we are excited about the events planned in the coming weeks.

Please consider joining your colleagues in donating to Lovepacs, This initiative specifically supports local children in Prosper, Gunter and Celina who are currently struggling with food insecurities.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and enjoyable fall season!

Your Prosper Leadership Team

Sent with Care: Share Your Nursing Story

In celebration of Pediatric Nurses Week this October, Cook Children’s invites you to participate in Sent with Care, a unique storytelling project designed to highlight the compassion, connection and meaningful moments that shape nursing across our organization. Inspired by the "Dear Data" project, this storytelling project encourages nurses to track a meaningful or challenging moment from everyday practice and transform it into a simple, hand-drawn postcard. No artistic talent is required. This project relies solely on your curiosity, reflection and willingness to share your unique perspective. The blank side of the postcard serves as your canvas, while the reverse side allows you to explain the personal significance of your artwork.

How to participate:

• Gather materials: Pick up a blank postcard, instructions and colored pencils from the gray baskets in any nurse breakroom.
• Return artwork: Drop your completed postcard into the large blue basket at the first-floor information desk by Sept. 30.

Participating nurses will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the Art Tooth gallery in the South Main Micro Park this October.

Click here for topic ideas, visual examples and full project details.

State Fair Menu at Over the Moon Cafe

Join us on Thursday, Sept. 24 for a menu featuring items from The State Fair of Texas. The menu includes the following:

• Smoked Turkey legs
• Foot long Chili Cheese dogs
• Foot long corn dogs
• Sausage on a Stick
• Chili Cheese Curly Fries
• Fried Pickles & Jalapeno Poppers
• Buttered Corn on the Cob
• Onion Rings
• Hamburgers
• Ground Beef Nachos
• Pizza
• Jumbo Pretzel
• Cotton Candy
• Fried Oreos
• Funnel cake with strawberries and whipped cream

Onsite Flu Fair

Protecting our patients, families, fellow employees and community remains one of the most important ways we live Our Promise. Annual influenza vaccination is an important part of that commitment and helps reduce the spread of a serious seasonal illness. 

All employees are required to complete the annual influenza vaccination process and receive their flu vaccine by Oct. 23, 2026.

Medical Center - Prosper will hold an onsite Flu Fair from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Sept. 29, in Classroom 3332/3333.

To see the full information about employee flu vaccinations this year, click here.

Medical Center - Prosper Now Accepting Food Donations

Working with Lovepacs, Medical Center-Prosper is accepting food donations, focusing on the greatest needs that week. If you wish to donate, please review the schedule below detailing the appropriate donation for that week.

Sepsis Day Escape Room Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Sepsis Day Escape Room and making this celebration of the day a success. The two winning teams are:

Best participation: Lab

Fastest clear time: Rehab/Clinical Therapy

Fall Community Relations Volunteer Opportunities

It may not feel like autumn yet but our fall events for Community Relations are around the corner. As we go out into our communities in our north market, we have something for everyone this year. Look at the events and volunteer to come represent Cook and share help us share our story about the services we provide to the community. If you have a teenager in your life that needs volunteers these are great events for them to come serve with us. Bring your families for some fall fun.

• DFW Fall Fest in Frisco
  • Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
  • Frisco Fresh Market, 9215 John W. Elliott Dr, Frisco 75033
  • Register Here
• Anna Boo Bash
  • Oct. 17 from 12 - 4 p.m.
  • Slayter Creek Park at 425 W. Rosamond Parkway, Anna 75409
  • Register Here
• McKinney Trick or Treat Trail
  • Oct. 17 from 3 - 6 p.m.
  • Bonnie Wenk Park, 2996 Virginia Parkway
  • Register Here
• Celebrate Prosper Fall Festival
  • Oct. 17 from 4 - 8 p.m.
  • Frontier Park – 1551 Frontier Parkway
  • Register Here
• Beware of the Square Celina
  • Oct. 24 from 2 - 9 p.m.
  • On the downtown square in Celina – 302 W. Walnut St., Celina 75009
  • Register Here
• Nightmare Over Little Elm Halloween Event
  • Oct. 30 from 5 - 10 p.m.
  • 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm
  • Register Here
• Diwali Mela at Kaleidoscope Park – India Festival of Lights
  • Nov. 1 from 3:30 - 10 p.m.
  • Kaleidoscope Park, 6635 Warren Parkway, Frisco 75034
  • Register Here
• Melissa Fall Fest
  • Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Melissa High School football stadium area, 3030 Milrany Lane, Melissa
  • Register Here

Please reach out to Paige Mayfield if you have any questions.

Prosper Halloween

Your department is invited to participate in our Prosper Halloween event. Fill out and return the application below by Friday, Oct. 16.

In Case You Missed It

The MOB Invites You to Participate this Season: Sunshine Committee Holiday Fun Calendars

Based on feedback from previous years, we're excited to provide all three holiday fun calendars (October, November and December) in advance. Our purpose is to ensure everyone has plenty of time to plan ahead, gather any needed items, and coordinate if they'd like to join in.

As you'll see, there are quite a few fun activities, dress-up days, celebrations and team spirit events throughout the next few months. Please don't feel like you need to participate in every event. The calendars are simply meant to provide options so you can join in on the days that sound fun, meaningful or manageable for you. Participation is always encouraged, but never required.

Our goal is to create opportunities to:

• Spread kindness
• Build team spirit
• Celebrate together
• Have fun
• Bring a little extra joy to our workplace during the holiday season

Whether you participate in one event or twenty, we're glad you're part of our team and appreciate all that you do for our patients, families and each other. Thank you for helping make our workplace such a positive and supportive place.

Have fun and Happy Holidays!

-Your Sunshine Committee

Erase Kid Cancer Dress Up Calendar

Volunteer Opportunities

This is a reminder that we have some great opportunities to give back this fall. Please click the link here to see available options and times. Once you sign up, a coordinator will be in touch with more information about the event.

There is something for everyone, whether you are passionate about gun safety, safe sleep or any of our other injury prevention topic areas. We have streamlined the sign-up process with Signup Genius so you can see what is available in real time. If you have any questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact Jillian Mitchell, CPST or anyone on the Community health team. As always, we appreciate your time and passion for educating families to keep children safe.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Karen Love Retires After Eight Years Leading Cook Children's Health Plan

A remarkable chapter is coming to a close as Karen Love, MHA, retires after eight years as President of Cook Children's Health Plan.

Under Karen's leadership, the Health Plan experienced significant growth while staying true to its mission of improving the lives of children and families.

To read about Karen's legacy of advocacy, service and creating healthier communities across Texas, visit Connect Newsroom.

Acknowledge Your Performance Conversation in Workday

As managers wrap up Performance & Development (P&D) discussions with employees by Sept. 28, don’t forget to log in to Workday to acknowledge that you and your manager reviewed your annual performance evaluation and calculated rating together.

You must complete this P&D task by Oct. 5. Here are the steps:

1. Go to your Workday inbox

2. Select the “To Do” – Acknowledge Performance Review Check-In

3. Click “Get Started”

4. Select the appropriate acknowledgement statement in the “Status” field

5. Add comments, if desired

6. Click submit

Step 4 gives team members the choice between two statements:

• “I acknowledge that I have had a conversation regarding the review with my manager.”
• “I acknowledge the review meeting has been held, and I would like to request further discussion.”

If you choose the second option, your manager and the manager’s leader will be notified in Workday. You and your manager will have five business days to discuss the matter further. Learn more at the P&D page on CookNet.

Information Services News

ServiceNow, Epic and Workday Requests Are Getting Easier

What's Changing?

Requests for ServiceNow, Epic and Workday will no longer be submitted through Optimization categories.

Instead, go to the Employee Center and search for:

• ServiceNow Enhancements
• Epic Enhancement Request
• Workday Request

Select the option that best matches your need, and your request will be sent to the right team automatically.

To learn more about the changes on the Idea Portal and how it will be easier to track your requests, visit Connect Newsroom.

ServiceNow Incident Reporting Update: Identifying Patient Care Impact

What is Changing?

A new question is now available when reporting an issue through Epic "Something is Broken/Epic Report an Issue" or the ServiceNow Employee Center:

Question: Is there an impact to patient care?

Select the option that best describes the impact only when the issue is:

• Preventing Patient Care – Patient Present Right Now
• Preventing Scheduled Patient Visit
• Preventing Documentation or Result Entry

Selecting one of these options elevates the incident for expedited assessment by the appropriate Information Services support team. Please include a clear description of the issue and your callback information so the on-call responder can contact you if additional details are needed.

Appropriate use of these options helps the IS team prioritize incidents that may directly affect patient care.

Kids' Place has Openings for Ages 2+

There are currently spaces are available at Kids Place for the 2-year-old and preschool age groups.

To learn more, please visit Kids' Place registration.

Please note the infant age group is currently on a waitlist and members of Kids' Place will reach out directly to you if you are on the waitlist and a spot becomes available.

Sign Up for Employees Care

It’s not too late to sign up for Employees Care 2026. Stop by one of the Employees Care events occurring now until the end of the month to make a donation and grab your thank you gift(s).

Can’t make it to one of our events but still want to make a difference in the lives of patients, families, and colleagues? Click here to sign up.

Because of you, we’re able to go above and beyond for those under our blue peaks. Click here to see a few of the recently funded Employees Care projects that help create moments of magic for patients across our healthcare system. Contact EmployeesCare@cookchildrens.org with any questions.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Join the Fun at This Year's Halloween Hoopla

Halloween Hoopla is returning this October. Get ready for creative costumes, spirited skits, friendly competition and plenty of Halloween fun. Gather your team, bring your best ideas and join us for one of our favorite employee traditions. There are opportunities to join in on festivities no matter where you work.

• Fort Worth Medical Center (live-streamed): Friday, Oct. 30, 2–3 p.m. | Live costume and skit contests. The last day to record a skit is Oct. 15.
• Prosper Medical Center: Friday, Oct. 30 | Campus contests and activities
• Calmont Office Building: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 12–1 p.m. | Live costume contest and virtual contest
• Virtual Hoopla: Open to ALL employees, no matter where you work. Enter the individual or group costume contests by submitting a photo.

Please review the Participant Guidelines before registering, as well as the Recording Studio Guidelines if your team plans to record a skit in Sparklefly Studio.

Ready to participate? Visit the Team Experience CookNet page for event details, registration information, deadlines and participant guidelines.

Today is North Texas Giving Day; Help us have a record-breaking year

Today is one of our biggest fundraising days of the year – North Texas Giving Day. Today, our community comes together to make a difference in the lives of patients and families across our entire health care system. These funds help provide the latest equipment, care for unbillable services and so much more. That’s why we need your help! 

Help us spread the word and make a difference by:

1. Click the link below to make a tax-deductible gift. When you donate, your gift will be DOUBLED thanks to Stonelake Capital Partners LLC for their generous one-for-one match up to $20,000.
2. Follow @CookChildrensHealthFoundation on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Re-share posts, tag a friend and help us have our best year yet. 

Cook Children's | North Texas Giving Day 

Thank you for going above and beyond for our patients and families. 

Your Voice Matters Survey – We Did It

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. More than 7,500 employees took the time to share their experiences, ideas, and feedback. Together, your voices are helping us identify our strengths, uncover opportunities for growth, and drive meaningful action that supports our teams, our patients, and our commitment to safety and quality.

What’s Next?
In October, leaders will receive access to the survey results portal and begin reviewing feedback from their teams. Throughout the fall, leaders will meet with their teams to discuss the results, celebrate strengths, and identify opportunities for improvement. Together, each team will select a focus area to sustain or improve. At the same time, executive leaders will review organization-wide feedback to identify key system priorities. Stay tuned for updates as we share survey insights and the actions that will help shape our future together.

The eCards Recognition Program Is Back

Looking for a simple way to brighten someone’s day? The popular eCards Recognition Program is back. These eCards are a quick and meaningful way to show appreciation, celebrate contributions, and help colleagues feel valued for the important work they do to fulfill our Promise every day.

Ready to Recognize Someone?

Visit the Recognition Tools page on CookNet. Scroll down to the section for eCards to see all your options for cards.

When you have someone in mind, select the “click here to send an eCard” button. The link takes you to the eCard builder with instructions on how to select a card, add your recipient(s) and a personal message. You’ll receive confirmation on the screen when your eCard is sent. Also, be sure to favorite this site (Modern Card) so it’s easy to return to send more cards.

Please note: If it’s your first time sending an eCard, you’ll be prompted to accept the Power Apps permissions. You’ll only need to do this once then you’re ready to start recognizing your colleagues. 

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website. 

Good morning Prosper family,

Welcome to fall (minus the weather!) and football!  We are headed right into flu season; be sure you get your consent and vaccine and/or exemption by the Oct. 23 deadline. We have definitely entered the back-to-school sick season. As volumes have increased across the board, hang on as we head into our winter season. 

Thank you for all you do for our patients and our community.

Your Prosper Leadership Team

Behavioral Health Champion of the Month

Please join us in congratulating Jonathon Lafollett, ED ACT, on being named our August Behavioral Health Champion.

Jonathon is a valued member of the Behavioral Health team who consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to caring for this patient population while embodying Cook Children’s Promise. His dedication extends beyond his daily responsibilities, as evidenced by his recent initiative to create and lead an interactive educational game focused on patient elopement prevention. Through this engaging learning opportunity, Jonathon helped strengthen knowledge and preparedness across the Prosper campus.

Known for his positive attitude, teamwork and passion for behavioral health, Jonathon continuously seeks ways to support both patients and colleagues while promoting a safe, compassionate care environment. His leadership and commitment to education make a meaningful impact on our teams and the families we serve.

Thank you, Jonathon, for going above and beyond and for your ongoing dedication to behavioral health care at Prosper.

Parking Reminder: Front Spaces Intended for Patient Families

In our effort to make sure our patients and their families can park up front; the GREEN areas of the parking map below indicate where employees should be parking. Please keep the parking spots closest to the buildings available for our patients and families. Thank you for all you do to take care of our families. Continued non-compliance could lead to further disciplinary steps.

Zero Harm Coach Training

Our next Zero Harm Coach Training will be livestreamed in Prosper Classroom 1621/1622. If you have an interest in attending, please email Hannah Miller.

Onsite Flu Fair

Protecting our patients, families, fellow employees and community remains one of the most important ways we live Our Promise. Annual influenza vaccination is an important part of that commitment and helps reduce the spread of a serious seasonal illness. 💉

All employees are required to complete the annual influenza vaccination process and receive their flu vaccine by Oct. 23, 2026.

Medical Center - Prosper will hold their onsite Flu Fair from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Sept. 29, in Classroom 3332/3333.

To see the full information about employee flu vaccinations this year, click here.

The MOB Invites You to Participate this Season: Sunshine Committee Holiday Fun Calendars

Based on feedback from previous years, we're excited to provide all three holiday calendars (October, November and December) in advance. Our purpose is to ensure everyone has plenty of time to plan ahead, gather any needed items, and coordinate if they'd like to join in.

As you'll see, there are quite a few fun activities, dress-up days, celebrations and team spirit events throughout the next few months. Please don't feel like you need to participate in every event. The calendars are simply meant to provide options so you can join in on the days that sound fun, meaningful or manageable for you. Participation is always encouraged, but never required.

Our goal is to create opportunities to:

• Spread kindness
• Build team spirit
• Celebrate together
• Have fun
• Bring a little extra joy to our workplace during the holiday season

Whether you participate in one event or twenty, we're glad you're part of our team and appreciate all that you do for our patients, families and each other. Thank you for helping make our workplace such a positive and supportive place.

Have fun and Happy Holidays!

-Your Sunshine Committee

Prosper Halloween

Your department is invited to participate in our Prosper Halloween event. Fill out and return the application below by Friday, Oct. 16.

NFL Kickoff: Jersey Days Recap

Thank you to all those who participated in our NFL Kickoff Jersey Days by wearing their favorite team's gear!

Fall Community Relations Volunteer Opportunities

It may not feel like fall yet but our fall events for Community Relations are around the corner. As we go out into our communities in our north market, we have something for everyone this year. Look at the events and volunteer to come represent Cook and share help us share our story about the services we provide to the community. If you have a teenager in your life that needs volunteers these are great events for them to come serve with us. Bring your families for some fall fun.

• DFW Fall Fest in Frisco
  • Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
  • Frisco Fresh Market, 9215 John W. Elliott Dr, Frisco 75033
  • Register Here
• Anna Boo Bash
  • Oct. 17 from 12 - 4 p.m.
  • Slayter Creek Park at 425 W. Rosamond Parkway, Anna 75409
  • Register Here
• McKinney Trick or Treat Trail
  • Oct. 17 from 3 - 6 p.m.
  • Bonnie Wenk Park, 2996 Virginia Parkway
  • Register Here
• Celebrate Prosper Fall Festival
  • Oct. 17 from 4 - 8 p.m.
  • Frontier Park – 1551 Frontier Parkway
  • Register Here
• Beware of the Square Celina
  • Oct. 24 from 2 - 9 p.m.
  • On the downtown square in Celina – 302 W. Walnut St., Celina 75009
  • Register Here
• Nightmare Over Little Elm Halloween Event
  • Oct. 30 from 5 - 10 p.m.
  • 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm
  • Register Here
• Diwali Mela at Kaleidoscope Park – India Festival of Lights
  • Nov. 1 from 3:30 - 10 p.m.
  • Kaleidoscope Park, 6635 Warren Parkway, Frisco 75034
  • Register Here
• Melissa Fall Fest
  • Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Melissa High School football stadium area, 3030 Milrany Lane, Melissa
  • Register Here

Please reach out to Paige Mayfield if you have any questions.

In Case You Missed It

Sepsis Conference 2026

Join us for this year's Sepsis conference, on Oct. 22 at the Hurst Conference Center. If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Miller.

Erase Kid Cancer Dress Up Calendar

Volunteer Opportunities

This is a reminder that we have some great opportunities to give back this fall. Please click the link here to see available options and times. Once you sign up, a coordinator will be in touch with more information about the event.

There is something for everyone, whether you are passionate about gun safety, safe sleep or any of our other injury prevention topic areas. We have streamlined the sign-up process with Signup Genius so you can see what is available in real time. If you have any questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact Jillian Mitchell, CPST or anyone on the Community health team. As always, we appreciate your time and passion for educating families to keep children safe.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Five Cook Children's Specialties Earn National Recognition

Thank you to our teams, who work day in and day out to provide exceptional care to our patients. Because of your hard work, Cook Children's Health Care System has earned national recognition in five specialties on the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals list.

The recognition includes the 19th consecutive year that Cook Children's Neurology & Neurosurgery program has been nationally ranked. Notably, the program has appeared in the rankings every year since U.S. News & World Report introduced pediatric specialty rankings in 2008, reflecting nearly two decades of consistent excellence in caring for children and families.

To be the first to read about this news, visit Checkup Newsroom.

Anne Rote Named President of Cook Children’s Health Plan

Please join us in welcoming Anne Rote as President of Cook Children's Health Plan, succeeding Karen Love, who will retire Sept. 30. Anne brings more than 25 years of health care leadership experience and a passion for improving access, quality and outcomes for children and families. She began her new role at our organization on Sept. 8, 2026.

Anne's expertise in health plan operations, strategy and value-based care will help strengthen Cook Children's Health Plan as we continue to meet the evolving needs of our members. She holds a bachelor's degree from Rice University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

“I am honored to join Cook Children’s Health Plan and excited for what we can accomplish together,” Anne said. “Working alongside our members, providers and community partners, we have a vital opportunity to make a lasting difference for families and deliver on Cook Children’s Promise to improve the health of every child in our care and our communities.”

Throughout her career, Anne has led the development, management and operation of government-sponsored health plans, integrated delivery systems and medical groups. She is known for building strong partnerships between providers and payers, creating innovative care models and leading high-performing teams that deliver both exceptional service and sustainable growth.

"Anne brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leading complex healthcare organizations while keeping patients and families at the center of every decision," said Rick W. Merrill, Cook Children’s President and CEO. “Her expertise in health plan operations, partnership development and innovative care models will help position Cook Children's Health Plan for continued success. We are excited to welcome Anne and look forward to the impact she will make for the children and families we serve.”

Flu Vaccines 2026: Visit an Onsite Flu Fair

All employees are required to complete the annual influenza vaccination process and receive their flu vaccine by Oct. 23, 2026.

To get started you must complete the electronic influenza consent form on Enterprise Health Portal. Then, attend one of the various onsite flu fairs or upload your flu vaccine you received from a non-Cook Children's provider, such as a physician's office or pharmacy, through the My Medical tab in the Enterprise Health Employee Portal.

Visit Connect Newsroom to learn more about flu fairs and other important information including exemptions, compliance, and how to pick up flu vaccines for department events.

Get Ready for Performance Review Check-In Conversations

As we wrap up annual performance reviews, managers are reaching out to schedule time one-on-one to discuss the outcome of each team member’s evaluation and their overall calculated rating.

These conversations pave the way for continued improvement and professional development. The goal is to provide constructive feedback that empowers everyone to thrive and flourish in their careers.

A few tips for a productive conversation with your manager:

• Prepare: Take time beforehand to reflect on your achievements, how you’ve demonstrated Cook Children’s values, and any work challenges you navigated since the start of the performance year on Oct. 1, 2025. You may want to have your self-evaluation handy.

• Listen actively to your manager’s feedback and suggestions.

• Ask questions if you need clarification.

• Share your honest perspective. Your input can connect the dots to help your manager make specific and impactful recommendations.

After you’ve completed the performance discussion with your manager, you must acknowledge that the conversation took place by Oct. 5. Follow these steps:

1. Go to your Workday inbox
2. Select the “To Do” – Acknowledge Performance Review Check-In
3. Click “Get Started”
4. Select the appropriate acknowledgement statement in the “Status” field
5. Add comments, if desired
6. Click submit

Learn more at the Performance & Development page on CookNet.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Major Construction Update: 7th and Terrell Intersection Closure

Effective this Monday, Sept. 14, the intersection of 7th and Terrell Avenues will close to vehicular traffic through early January. Review the map for details on new traffic patterns and the best routes to your destination. Please note your commute to the garage will look different, but the Terrell Garage is open.

Commute & Traffic

Allow extra time for your commute to accommodate traffic congestion and ensure you arrive safely and on time. Remain alert for vehicles and pedestrians navigating the campus. The Terrell Garage is open and staff who are assigned to it must park there.

Pedestrian Routes

The mid-block crosswalk on Terrell Avenue will close. Employees entering the Medical Center from the Terrell Garage or the south side of campus must use these alternative routes:

• Basement level: Enter through the South Tower entrance (badge access required).
• 3rd floor: Use the skybridge over Terrell Avenue (badge access required) to reach the 2nd floor of the Medical Center.
• Street level: Walk east to 6th Avenue.

Safety Reminders

• No jaywalking: Crossing mid-block on Terrell Avenue is hazardous. Please set a safe example for patients, families, and visitors. To cross Terrell Avenue, use only the skybridge or the crosswalk at the intersection of Terrell and 6th Avenues.
• Emergency Department: Do not use the ED entrance as a walk-through to access the hospital.

Upcoming Milestones

• Sidewalk closures: Sidewalks at the 7th and Terrell intersection close on Oct. 5. Further details will follow soon.
• Reopening: Terrell Avenue (from 7th Avenue to the South Tower) is scheduled to reopen to vehicles and pedestrians in early January.

Shuttles: Parking Services is providing a staff shuttle service solely for employees impacted by the closure of the 8th and Terrell Garage. These employees have each been reassigned to a specific exterior lot. This shuttle service is not available to other staff, patients, families, or visitors. Click here for more information.

Thank you for your patience during our West Tower construction project. Read more about completed phases and upcoming work in the Connect article: Construction Progress: Milestones Reached and What's Ahead

Flu Vaccines 2026: Onsite Flu Fairs Begin Sept. 15

All employees are required to complete the annual influenza vaccination process and receive their flu vaccine by Oct. 23, 2026.

To get started you must complete the electronic influenza consent form on Enterprise Health Portal by Sept. 15. Then, attend one of the various onsite flu fairs or upload your flu vaccine you received from a non-Cook Children's provider, such as a physician's office or pharmacy, through the My Medical tab in the Enterprise Health Employee Portal.

Visit Connect Newsroom to learn more about flu fairs and other important information including exemptions, compliance, and how to pick up flu vaccines for department events.

Into the Silent Sky: Teddy Bear Transport’s Lifesaving Flight After Sept. 11, 2001

By Tracey Stephens, RN, former employee and wife of Todd Stephens

Editor's note: Patient-specific details have been removed to protect privacy.

In the dark, uncertain hours following Sept. 11, 2001, the United States was under an unprecedented, total military lockdown. Civilian aviation had vanished. Air traffic control screens were completely blank, commercial tarmacs were dark, and the sky belonged exclusively to heavily armed military fighter jets.

Yet hundreds of miles away, a critically ill infant needed specialized care available at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. A ground ambulance would take hours, making air transport essential. It was a literal matter of life or death, requiring a miracle just to get off the ground.

While the rest of the nation held its breath, the dispatchers and command at Cook Children’s waged a frantic battle on the phones, coordinating directly with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and military command. Recognizing the stakes, authorities granted the Teddy Bear Transport crew a historic, highly exclusive emergency waiver.

Approximately 48 hours after the nation was attacked, pilots Todd Stephens and Ray Crain stepped into the cockpit of the King Air 200 along with the Neonatal Critical Care Team. When they advanced the throttles and lifted off into the North Texas night, they became one of the only civilian flight crews permitted into United States airspace.

The crew flew into a historical vacuum. Surrounded by eerie, echoing silence on the radio, looking down at completely dark, abandoned commercial runways, and flying with the watchful eyes of NORAD tracking their every move, Todd and Ray pressed onward through the empty sky.

As they neared their destination, the true magnitude of their mission became visually striking. Out of the darkness, two military fighter jets scrambled from a nearby base and dropped into formation, flanking the Teddy Bear Transport plane. Escorted closely by the roaring, heavily armed fighters through a locked-down sky, Todd and Ray piloted the medical aircraft safely to its destination under the protective watch of the United States military.

They flew not out of comfort, but out of a profound duty to a child they had never met. Because of their courage, skill, and willingness to fly when the world was gripped by fear, they safely retrieved that newborn. They delivered the baby to the intensive care unit in Fort Worth and gave a family a lifetime of birthdays.

As we mark the 25th observance of 9/11, we honor the crew of that flight. Todd Stephens, Ray Crain and Cook Children’s stand as a shining reminder that even in humanity’s darkest and quietest moments, heroes will always find a way to bring light, hope and life back into the sky.

Retirements

Join us in congratulating staff members who are retiring from Cook Children's:

• Ginny Ciriot, Burleson Pediatrics NP/PA, retired after 50 years on Sept. 5.
• Ceci Brown, Senior Nurse Informaticist, is retiring after 32 years on Oct. 2. Please join us for a retirement celebration from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30 in the South Tower Classroom 1163 at Medical Center-Fort Worth.

To read more about Ginny and Ceci, along with other recent retiree please visit the Retirement CookNet page.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Flu Vaccines 2026: Onsite Flu Fairs Begin Sept. 15

All employees are required to complete the annual influenza vaccination process and receive their flu vaccine by Oct. 23, 2026.

To get started you must complete the electronic influenza consent form on Enterprise Health Portal by Sept. 15. Then, attend one of the various onsite flu fairs or upload your flu vaccine you received from a non-Cook Children's provider, such as a physician's office or pharmacy, through the My Medical tab in the Enterprise Health Employee Portal.

Visit Connect Newsroom to learn more about flu fairs and other important information including exemptions, compliance and how to pick up flu vaccines for department events.

Get Ready for Year-End P&D Conversations

Your manager will be reaching out to schedule performance conversations during September as we enter the home stretch of our year-end Performance & Development activities.

These one-on-one sessions provide you and your manager with a scheduled block of time to discuss your performance over the past year, paving the way for continued improvement and professional development in the coming year. The goal is to provide constructive feedback that empowers everyone to thrive and flourish in their careers.

A few tips for a productive conversation:

• Prepare: Take time beforehand to reflect on your achievements, the Cook Children’s values you demonstrated, and any work challenges you navigated since the start of the performance year on Oct. 1, 2025.

• Listen actively to your manager’s feedback and suggestions.

• Ask questions if you need clarification.

• Share your honest perspective. Your input can connect the dots to help your manager make specific and impactful recommendations.

Learn more at the P&D page on CookNet.

Watch Now: A Conversation with Matthew Carroll at the Summer 2026 Town Hall

If you were unable to attend the Aug. 13 Town Hall or would like to revisit the topics discussed, recordings of individual segments will be available to watch on demand over the next few newsletters.

This featured segment includes a conversation with our new Chief Quality Officer, Matthew Carroll, M.D., MHA, MSHQS about the high-quality care we strive for at Cook Children's.

Watch the segment to revisit these important Town Hall highlights.

NFL Kickoff: Jersey Days

Wear your favorite NFL jersey on Sept. 10-13 to kick off the upcoming football season! Show off your football pride and send a photo to team.experience@cookchildrens.org.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Good afternoon Prosper family,

We have made it through back-to-school time and headed into cooler weather, we hope😊. Thank you to all of you who participated in the employee survey. We look forward to hearing your feedback and getting better together. Hopefully you got to enjoy Well-being Month and were able to find some tips to keeping yourself healthy. We are headed into football season and fall -- yay for pumpkins!

Thank you for all you do, it takes a village to take care of the community, and we are so proud each of you are on the team.

Your Prosper Leadership Team

Cross Country Cooling

We are proud to support our local student-athletes right here in Prosper! Cook Children’s recently donated cooling towels and essential first aid supplies to the Prosper Eagles Cross Country team as they prepare for their upcoming season. The team shared the photo below, expressing their appreciation for our investment in keeping young runners cool, safe and ready to compete. Thank you to our Prosper team members for continuing to champion our community partnerships outside our Medical Center walls.

Sent with Care: Share Your Nursing Story

In celebration of Pediatric Nurses Week this October, Cook Children’s invites you to participate in Sent with Care, a unique storytelling project designed to highlight the compassion, connection and meaningful moments that shape nursing across our organization. Inspired by the "Dear Data" project, this storytelling project encourages nurses to track a meaningful or challenging moment from everyday practice and transform it into a simple, hand-drawn postcard. No artistic talent is required. This project relies solely on your curiosity, reflection and willingness to share your unique perspective. The blank side of the postcard serves as your canvas, while the reverse side allows you to explain the personal significance of your artwork.

How to participate:

• Gather materials: Pick up a blank postcard, instructions and colored pencils from the gray baskets in any nurse breakroom.
• Return artwork: Drop your completed postcard into the large blue basket at the first-floor information desk by Sept. 30.

Participating nurses will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the Art Tooth gallery in the South Main Micro Park this October.

Click here for topic ideas, visual examples and full project details.

Behavioral Health Champion of the Month

Please join us in congratulating Amina Morehead, a PCT on 4 Main, on being named our Behavioral Health Champion of the Month. She consistently demonstrates remarkable teamwork and collaboration alongside exceptional skill in de-escalation, reflecting a profound dedication to patient safety. We are incredibly grateful for her unwavering commitment and compassionate approach to the care of our behavioral health population.

Prosper Halloween

Your department is invited to participate in our Prosper Halloween event. Fill out and return the application below by Friday, Oct. 16.

NFL Kickoff: Jersey Days

Wear your favorite NFL jersey on Sept. 10-13 to kick off the upcoming football season! Show off your football pride and send a photo to team.experience@cookchildrens.org.

In Case You Missed It

Nursing Leadership Academy

Advance your nursing career through Cook Children's Nursing Leadership Academy. Join this six-month program to enhance your leadership career skills. Applicants are required to have enrolled in or completed a Professional Development Program, have a BSN or higher nursing degree, and a minimum of two years of experience working at Cook Children's Medical Center. Applications are open until Sept. 30, 2026, for the January 2027 Cohort. There will be two opportunities to join a Q&A session, on Sept. 3 or Sept. 15, via Teams.

Sepsis Day Escape Room

World Sepsis Day is coming on Sept. 13. Join us for an interactive Sepsis Escape Room on the 5th floor between Sept. 9 and 11. Details are in the image below. If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Miller.

Sepsis Conference 2026

Join us for this year's Sepsis conference, on Oct. 22 at the Hurst Conference Center. If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Miller.

Erase Kid Cancer Dress Up Calendar

Volunteer Opportunities

Good afternoon volunteers!

This is a reminder that we have some great opportunities to give back this fall. Please click the link here to see the available options and times. Once you sign up, a coordinator will be in touch with more information about the event.

There is something for everyone, whether you are passionate about gun safety, safe sleep or any of our other injury prevention topic areas. We have streamlined the sign-up process with Signup Genius so you can see what is available in real time. If you have any questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact Jillian Mitchell, CPST or anyone on the community health team. As always, we appreciate your time and passion for educating families to keep children safe.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Final Day to Complete the Your Voice Matters Survey: Open now through 11:59 p.m.

This is the last day to complete the Your Voice Matters Survey, closing at 11:59 p.m. tonight. We are currently at 71% for employee participation, but our goal is to reach more than 75%. It is important for us to hear from you about your work experience. Your survey input helps to drive real improvements that enhance our team, patient and safety/quality experiences at Cook Children’s.

It’s easy to take the survey: See the email you received from Press Ganey today – or click here to take the survey. You can also go to the CookNet homepage scroll and click the banner to go directly to the survey. Use your employee identification number as your password.

Tip: add a leading zero(s) if your identification number is fewer than six digits. (For example: 9999 = 009999.)

Questions about the Your Voice Matters survey? Visit the CookNet survey page or email teamexperience@cookchildrens.org.

TB Questionnaire and Respiratory Mask Fit Requirements

Requirement reminders for Performance & Development: Managers, as you complete Performance & Development (P&D) evaluations, please verify that employees are compliant with both the annual Tuberculosis (TB) Questionnaire requirement by asking them to complete the form in Enterprise Health and any required Respiratory Mask Fit Testing obligations.

TB Questionnaires: Employees who completed the TB Questionnaire during the August 2025 campaign remain current in the Enterprise Health portal until the day after the annual due date of Sept. 14, 2026. Employees who have completed the TB Questionnaire during the current campaign will remain current until the day after Sept. 14, 2027.

Respiratory Mask Fit Testing: Employees who are currently late on their required Respiratory Mask Fit testing have been granted a final extension and must complete the requirement by Dec. 11, 2026. Please schedule your Respiratory Mask Fit test with Occupational Health as soon as possible. Appointments are filling up fast.

Please click here for more information about actions required. Thank you for your partnership in maintaining a safe, healthy, and compliant environment for our patients, families, and team members.

Building Our Future: Celebrating West Tower Milestones and What to Expect Next

Construction across the Fort Worth campus continues to move forward, and we're beginning to reach important milestones. From completing major infrastructure work to progress on the future West Tower, each step brings us closer to expanding capacity and creating more space for the children and families we serve.

Take a look at the latest construction updates, key milestones, upcoming projects and what team members can expect next.

Click here to learn more about what's happening across the Medical Center-Fort Worth campus and view drone footage of the West Tower construction site!

Reminder about Parking: 8th and Terrell Parking Garage is Closed

The 8th and Terrell Parking Garage is closed completely for parking. The sidewalk along Terrell Avenue between 8^th and 7^th avenues is closed to pedestrians.

If you previously parked in this garage, please check for an email sent from Parking Services to see your new parking assignment. You may NOT park in other lots or garages, per policy MC 252.

Please contact Parking Services by phone at 682-885-7492 or by email ParkingServices@cookchildrens.orgwith questions.

Watch Now: Merridth Simpson's Summer 2026 Town Hall Benefits and HR Updates

If you were unable to attend the Aug. 13 Town Hall or would like to revisit the topics discussed, recordings of individual segments will be available to watch on demand over the next few newsletters.

This featured segment includes updates from Merridth Simpson, SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer about our benefit plans starting in October, important Human Resources reminders and news about Care Share.

Watch the segment to revisit these important Town Hall highlights.

Enter to Win Diamond Heart Pendant courtesy of Collections Fine Jewelry

One Cook Children’s employee will win a stunning piece of fine jewelry to wear or share with a loved one. Created by Collections Fine Jewelry, this diamond and 14kt white gold pendant was designed to honor our health care heroes who give their hearts to Cook Children's patients every day.

Raffle tickets are available to Cook Children's employees only and are available for $10 each or three for $25. Raffle tickets may be purchased online via the QR code above or in person at Camelot Light Court throughout September. A drawing will be held on Oct. 5, 2026, to choose a winner.

For more than 70 years, Jewel Charity Members have raised essential funds to support uncompensated care at Cook Children's. Funds raised through this exclusive raffle will directly support the most immediate needs of our patients and their families!

Click here to purchase raffle tickets or visit jewelcharity.org to learn more about Jewel Charity's mission.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Occupational Health is Now Team Health

We care about you! As our organization continues to grow and evolve, so does our commitment to supporting the health, safety, and well-being of every employee across the Cook Children's system. To better reflect that commitment and the breadth of services we provide, Occupational Health Services will now be known as Team Health. While the name is changing, our mission remains the same: providing exceptional care and support to every team member every day. The new name reflects a broader vision, one that encompasses the comprehensive health needs of our workforce while emphasizing that every employee is an important part of the Cook Children's family.

Team Health will continue to provide essential services such as work injury and illness management, immunizations, workers' compensation support, return-to-work evaluations, TB testing, respiratory mask fit testing, hazardous material exposure evaluations, workplace accommodations, and ergonomic services. As we move forward, we are always looking at ways we can expand services and enhance access across the Cook Children's system, ensuring that more team members can easily receive the occupational health support they need.

Adding to this exciting new chapter, we welcome a Board-Certified Occupational and Environmental Medicine Physician, Foster Lerner, D.O. who will join the Team Health program on Sept. 1. This addition brings nationally recognized expertise to our organization and further strengthens our ability to provide high-quality occupational health care, consultation, and guidance to employees throughout the system.

Please read more on Connect.

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Cummings, Vice President, Human Resources Operations and Talent Management.

8th and Terrell Parking Garage will be Fully Inaccessible to All Staff, Sept. 1

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 1, the 8^th and Terrell Parking Garage at Medical Center-Fort Worth will be fully inaccessible to all staff due to construction. The sidewalk along Terrell Avenue between 8^th and 7^th avenues will close to pedestrians.

Employees who normally park in this garage have been assigned a new parking lot in one of several exterior lots. Cook Children’s will be offering a Staff Shuttle to help employees get to work safely and on time. The shuttles are white, 25-passenger vans. They will complete a loop to the lots and drop off passengers in front of the Medical Center-Fort Worth. This shuttle is not available to patient families or visitors.

Employees who park in the 8^th and Terrell garage should check their email for a message from Parking Services regarding their new parking location. Please contact ParkingServices@cookchildrens.org with questions. In addition, any employees that have not registered their vehicles with Parking Services must do so.

Cook Children's Alliance and Urgent Care Alliance Closed Due to Power Outage

Due to the storm, Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties (Alliance), Cook Children's Urgent Care (Alliance) and the Outpatient Lab have a power outage and are closed at this time.

Please click here to see updates on when the location will be reopened.

Watch Now: Amy Knight's Summer 2026 Town Hall Marketing and Communications Updates

If you were unable to attend the Aug. 13 Town Hall or would like to revisit the topics discussed, recordings of individual segments will be available to watch on demand over the next few newsletters. Today's segment includes updates from Amy Knight, Chief Administration Officer.

This featured segment includes updates about the Marketing and Communication team and the new multi-year Journey campaign, designed to extend our Cook Children's brand across the region, and two newly launched podcasts, For Kids' Sake and Por Su Bienestar.

Watch the segment to learn more about these Marketing and Communication efforts and what is next on these important Town Hall highlights.

Give to Cook Children’s this North Texas Giving Day

Early Giving for North Texas Giving Day Is Open. North Texas Giving Day is Sept. 17, but the giving (and the impact) starts right now.

Help us spread the word and make an impact for patients and families across our system.

Click here to donate. When you give, your gift will be DOUBLED thanks to Stonelake Capital Partners LLC for their generous one-for-one match up to $20,000.

Follow @CookChildrensHealthFoundation on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Re-share posts, tag a friend and help us have a record-breaking year.

Thank you for helping us maximize this opportunity for more hope, healing and magic under our blue peaks.

Register for Brain Health Symposium

Join the University of Texas at Arlington and Cook Children's in advancing brain health research across the lifespan! The symposium will take place at 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, at UT Arlington and the Hochberger Auditorium respectively.

For the full agenda and registration for the Sept. 10 event at UT Arlington, click here. For the full agenda and registration for the Sept. 11 event at the Hochberger Auditorium, click here

There is still time to submit your abstracts. The deadline to submit is Aug. 28. Click here to submit an abstract.

Retirements

Join us in congratulating staff members who are retiring from Cook Children's this summer:

• Renee Lavelle, Speech Pathologist, is retiring after 25 years of service.
• Lori Goosen, HR Professional Services Consultant, is retiring after 40 years of service. Please join us for a retirement celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 29 in the Rosedale Office Building in room 1102A from 3-5 p.m.

To read more about Renee and Lori, along with other recent retirements, please visit the Retirement CookNet page.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Good afternoon Prosper family,

Time really flies! We hope you had a great Well-Being Month and enjoyed jumping into the activities. Don't forget to send your Bingo cards to Teamexperience@cookchildrens.org by Sept. 4. Our team survey is also coming to an end on Sept. 1—please take a few moments to share your thoughts so we can make sure you have everything you need to succeed.

Huge congratulations to all our Prosper team members celebrated this week during the Peak Performer and DAISY awards! We're so proud of your hard work.

Here’s to cooler fall weather and getting outside to enjoy the season!

Thank you for all you do,

Your Prosper Leadership Team

Parking Reminder: Front Spaces Intended for Patient Families

In our effort to make sure our patients and their families can park up front; the GREEN areas of the parking map below indicate where employees should be parking. Please keep the parking spots closest to the buildings available for our patients and families. Thank you for all you do to take care of our families. Continued non-compliance could lead to further disciplinary steps.

2026 Your Voice Matters System Survey Last Week

If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to help shape your team, Prosper and CCHCS experience. Your voice matters!

A link was sent to your email from “Press Ganey on behalf of Cook Children’s Healthcare System noreply@hxplatform.pressganey.com.”

For those who have completed it – Thank You!

North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council (NCTTRAC) Pediatric Committee Co-Chair

Kelly Stevens, Manager, Trauma Program & Injury Prevention, has been appointed as the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council (NCTTRAC) Pediatric Committee Co-Chair. Beginning in September, Kelly will work toward improving emergency, trauma and critical care services for children across the North Central Texas trauma service area. Please join us in congratulating Kelly on this well-deserved recognition and opportunity!

Peak Performers

Congratulations to our Peak Performers selected for their above and beyond work in patient, team and safety/quality experiences!

Hannah Miller, RN, Quality Improvement

Alvin Palmer, Manager, Food Services

Logan Allen, RN, Staff DU, NICU

Tracy Thomas, Manager, Respiratory Therapy

Leonard Huynh, Pharmacy Tech 1, Retail

Daisy Award Winner

We are proud to announce that Dani Miller, RN, Staff DU of our NICU unit, is our newest DAISY Award recipient. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award for Extraordinary Nurses is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. One notable mention from a patient family showcases exactly how Dani embodies this spirit. “When I try to put in words what my nurse did for me, I can’t. You see, I had depression and I shut down from my babies. My nurse made sure that she made time for me and talked to me about my worries and fears. When I stayed behind the curtain in my room, she would keep checking in with me to be sure I was okay, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I don’t ever tell people I need help, and I don’t have much family support. I’ve always been taught that I need to do everything myself. I didn’t know that I could trust someone to help me. She helped me feel more confident with my babies. She helped me set a plan. She even supported me bringing my older daughter to visit to bond with the babies as well. She seems to really care. I am going to be going home soon with my babies, but I will never forget her. She was an angel, and I was so lucky to have her as a nurse.”

Beat the Heat

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for some shaved ice at our employee Beat the Heat event to celebrate Well-being Month!

Nursing Leadership Academy

Advance your nursing career through Cook Children's Nursing Leadership Academy. Join this six-month program to enhance your leadership career skills. Applicants are required to have enrolled in or completed a Professional Development Program, have a BSN or higher nursing degree, and a minimum of two years of experience working at Cook Children's Medical Center. Applications are open until Sept. 30, 2026, for the January 2027 Cohort. There will be two opportunities to join a Q&A session, on Sept. 3 or Sept. 15, via Teams.

Fresh Fruit Break

Keep an eye out, on Sept. 2, the mobile fruit cart will be stopping by your area between 6:30 - 9 a.m.!

Sepsis Day Escape Room

World Sepsis Day is coming on Sept. 13. Join us for an interactive Sepsis Escape Room on the 5th floor between Sept. 9 and 11. Details are in the image below. If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Miller.

Sepsis Conference 2026

Join us for this year's Sepsis conference, on Oct. 22 at the Hurst Conference Center. If you have any questions, please contact Hannah Miller.

Erase Kid Cancer Dress Up Calendar

Kick Off Football Season in Style

Are you ready for some football? To celebrate the start of the college football season, employees are invited to wear their favorite college football team jersey to work from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Sunday, Aug. 30. 

Show off your team spirit and get ready for a great season!

In Case You Missed It

2026 Nursing Excellence Conference

Join us for the 4^th Annual Nursing Excellence Conference - Beyond the Horizon.

Inspiring innovation and excellence in pediatric nursing through

• Innovative presentations
• Poster showcase
• Networking
• Continuing education credits

Open to nurses, students and healthcare professionals. In-person and virtual attendance options available.

Volunteer Opportunities

Good afternoon volunteers!

This is a reminder that we still have some great opportunities to give back this summer. Please click the link here to see the available options and times. Once you sign up, a coordinator will be in touch with more information about the event.

There is something for everyone, whether you are passionate about gun safety, safe sleep or any of our other injury prevention topic areas. We have streamlined the sign-up process with Signup Genius so you can see what is available in real time. If you have any questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact Jillian Mitchell, CPST or anyone on the community health team. As always, we appreciate your time and passion for educating families to keep children safe.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Labor Day Holiday Does Not Change Payroll Deadlines

As the Labor Day holiday approaches, team members and leaders are reminded that payroll processing deadlines remain unchanged. To ensure employees are paid accurately and on time, all payroll-related submissions, approvals and corrections must be completed by the established deadlines on Payroll Monday, Sept. 7.

Payroll Monday Deadlines: Sept. 7, 2026

10 a.m.

• All adjustment forms, including TCA, PCA and PCX forms, must be submitted.

Noon

• All pending corrections submitted directly through UKG must be reviewed and approved or refused.
• Deadline for timecard approval.

Managers should note that timecards cannot be signed off if they contain pending transactions that have not been reviewed, approved or refused. Any transactions still pending in UKG at noon on Payroll Monday will be denied. Corrections for denied transactions must be submitted using a PCA form and will be processed in the next payroll cycle.

On-demand payments are not issued for late or unapproved transactions in UKG.

Helpful Reminders

To help ensure accurate payroll processing:

• Verify that employee work schedules have been entered in UKG. PTO, jury duty and bereavement requests submitted without a work schedule may result in zero hours being paid.
• Approve exempt employee timecards and PTO requests as early as possible.
• Employees should review their timecards weekly to ensure accuracy.
• Nonexempt employees should enter missed punches as soon as they occur to allow time for review and approval before payroll deadlines.

Meeting these deadlines will help ensure timely and accurate payroll processing during the holiday period.

If you have any questions, please email CPayroll@cookchildrens.org

Last Week to Complete the Your Voice Matters Survey: Open through Sept. 1

This is the last week to complete the Your Voice Matters Survey, closing on Sept. 1. We are currently at 62% of employee participation, but our goal is to reach more than 75% completion. It is important for us to hear from you about your work experience. Your survey input helps to drive real improvements that enhance our team, patient and safety/quality experiences at Cook Children’s.

It’s easy to take the survey: See the email you received from Press Ganey today – or click here to take the survey. You can also go to the CookNet homepage scroll and click the banner to go directly to the survey. Use your employee identification number as your password. Tip: add a leading zero(s) if your identification number is fewer than six digits. (For example: 9999 = 009999.)

Questions about the Your Voice Matters survey? Visit the CookNet survey page or email teamexperience@cookchildrens.org.

Watch Now: Stephen Kimmel's Summer 2026 Town Hall Financial Update

If you were unable to attend the Aug. 13 Town Hall or would like to revisit the topics discussed, recordings of individual segments will be available to watch on demand over the next few newsletters. We'll be sharing these highlights in upcoming editions of the Connect Newsletter, beginning with the opening portion of the program.

This featured segment includes President and CEO Rick W. Merrill's opening remarks, a reflection from Jennifer Hayes, Director of Spiritual Care, and an important financial update from Stephen Kimmel, Executive Vice President, System Finance. Stephen shares insights on Cook Children's financial performance and the health care environment.

Watch the segment to hear Stephen's financial update and revisit these important Town Hall highlights.

Welcome Pat Furr, CTO

Please join us in welcoming Pat Furr, MBA, CBCP, to Cook Children’s as our new Chief Technology Officer.

Pat is a proven technology leader with deep experience in transformation, cybersecurity, infrastructure modernization, and digital innovation across health care and Fortune 500 organizations. More importantly, he is a leader who understands that the true value of technology lies in empowering caregivers and making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.

“I’m excited to join Cook Children’s and lead technology forward - connecting innovation and purpose to advance our mission and transform care for every child and family we serve," Pat said.

Teresa Tonthat, Chief Digital & Information Officer, adds, “As we continue advancing the health and well-being of every child, Pat will help create seamless, connected experiences that better support our caregivers and the children and families who rely on us.”

Kick Off Football Season in Style

Are you ready for some football? To celebrate the start of the college football season, employees are invited to wear their favorite college football team jersey to work from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Sunday, Aug. 30.

Show off your team spirit and get ready for a great season!

Registration Is Still Open for Drug Diversion Symposium on Friday

Registration is still open for the 2026 Drug Diversion Symposium on Friday, August 28. Seats remain available for both the Early Morning Session (6:30 to 7:30 a.m.) and the Full-Day Symposium (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Please note that seating in Hochberger Auditorium will be available a first-come, first-served basis. An overflow room will be available in Pavilion 1 for additional attendees. Breakfast will be provided for all attendees, and lunch will be available for participants attending the full-day symposium.

Registration links:

• Early Morning Session
• Full-Day Symposium

Please click here to watch a video to learn more about the symposium and what to expect.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Overnight AT&T Fiber Maintenance at Cook Children's Medical Center - Fort Worth for Aug. 21

AT&T will conduct fiber maintenance serving Cook Children's Medical Center - Fort Worth from midnight to 4 a.m. Friday, Aug. 21.

During the maintenance window, a limited number of communications services may experience temporary interruptions. The work is being performed overnight to minimize disruption to hospital operations.

Services That May Be Impacted

• Inbound fax services
• Most inbound external phone calls (excluding designated critical numbers)
• Cellular calling in basements, stairwells and elevators
  • Team members who need to make calls in these areas should use Wi-Fi Calling.
• Department radios used by:
  • Facilities
  • Security
  • Operating Room
  • Emergency Department
  • Parking
• SIM Lab services

Services That Will Remain Available

• Internal five-digit dialing
• Outbound phone calls
• Outbound faxing to the public

A campuswide pop-up notification will be sent approximately 10 minutes before maintenance begins as a reminder.

If you have questions or concerns, contact the Service Desk at ext. 5-7999.

Building Psychological Safety Together: A Message from Our Leaders

Psychological safety shapes how we work together every day. It is key to collaboration, innovation, learning and exceptional patient care. Now that over 10,000 employees have completed the Psychological Safety 2026 System Competency in ULearn, we hope you will be more aware of interactions within our teams and speak up when it may be lacking.

As we continue this important journey, we thought it would be valuable to hear perspectives from some of our executive leaders. Matthew Carroll, M.D., Chief Quality Officer, shares:

“Psychological safety is the foundation of patient safety. When every member of the care team feels safe to ask questions, raise concerns, report mistakes, and respectfully challenge the status quo without fear, we create an environment where learning replaces silence, collaboration replaces hierarchy, and risks are identified before they become harm," he said. "A culture where every voice is valued is a culture where every patient is safer, every team is stronger, and excellence in care can thrive.”

Please click here for more information and a link to watch a Leader Message on Psychological Safety to hear additional leaders from across our organization share what psychological safety means to them and why it matters.

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and included in our benefits are various maternity and parental related support.

On the right is a list of Lactation Rooms available for employees to utilize across the system.

Cook Children’s also has a virtual lactation program available for you. This program allows moms to schedule a virtual consultation with a lactation consultant in real time. Connect with a private and secure video from your home laptop, tablet or mobile device.

After your video visit, the summary and care instructions will be available to you via Cook Children’s secure patient portal website. Please know there is a cost associated with this program and insurance will not cover this cost. To see reimbursement options, visit the Maternity Booklet on SharePoint.

If you are pregnant or preparing for motherhood, we have an Early Steps Maternity Program with Quantum Health available for you. This program provides extra support and resources focusing on you and your baby.

For more information about maternity benefits, including parental leave policies, visit Maternity on the Occupational Health SharePoint page.

Well-being Month: Caring for You

August is Well-Being Month, and there’s still plenty of time to participate! Take a moment to focus on your well-being and check out these upcoming opportunities:

Beat the Heat Treat

Wednesday, Aug. 26
1:30–3:30 p.m. at the 750 Building
2-4 p.m. at the Calmont Office Building
Funds provided for all off-site and fully remote teams. Learn more here.

Grand Rounds with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation
Join us Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 8–9 a.m. as CMO Dr. Stef Simmons from the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation will speak on the national movement for the healthcare workforce’s professional wellbeing.

There’s Still Time to Register for a Self-Care Class!
Choose from two upcoming opportunities to pause, recharge and invest in your well-being:

• Gratitude is a Gift – In person at the Prosper Campus on Thursday, Aug. 27
• Vitamin BE: Using Mindfulness and Responding to the Present Moment – Virtual on Friday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m.–noon

Well-bingo
Find a work buddy or invite your team to join the fun with individual or team Well-Bingo during Well-being Month! Complete a variety of well-being activities, explore new ways to support your personal well-being, and earn a chance to win a gift card.

Don’t let Well-Being Month pass you by! Visit the Well-Being Month page to learn more about these opportunities and other resources available to support your well-being.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

Check our CookNet calendar for more system-wide events and to find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.

Good afternoon Prosper family,

The triple digits are still here, please be mindful of the heat and how dangerous it can be. Hydrate, keep cool and lather up with the sunscreen. We have seen the numbers jump here at Prosper with the kiddos only back to school for a couple weeks now. Thank you for all that you do to keep our patients and families feeling the Prosper love!

🍧 Today! (3–7 p.m.): Stop by the back of the MOB for our Prosper Beat the Heat event featuring Mr. B’s Shaved Ice!

💬 Tomorrow (12-3 p.m., 1621/1622): Last chance for a Benefits Q&A! Be sure to drop in if you need assistance.

⏳ Friday: Final deadline to complete your benefit selections.

Please don’t forget your survey!

Thank you for all you do,

Your Prosper Leadership Team

Infection Prevention Newsletter: August 2026

2026 Nursing Excellence Conference

Join us for the 4^th Annual Nursing Excellence Conference - Beyond the Horizon.

Inspiring innovation and excellence in pediatric nursing through

• Innovative presentations
• Poster showcase
• Networking
• Continuing education credits

Open to nurses, students and healthcare professionals. In-person and virtual attendance options available.

In Case You Missed It

Upcoming Fundraiser: Portillos

Register for Drug Diversion Symposium

Drug diversion is a quiet crisis, one that demands awareness, accountability, and action. The System Diversion Committee is proud to host the biennial Drug Diversion Symposium at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Prosper.

This year’s symposium is headlined by keynote speaker Stephen Loyd, M.D., a nationally recognized expert in substance use disorder and a powerful voice in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Dr. Loyd’s lived experience and clinical leadership helped inspire the critically acclaimed series Dopesick, bringing national attention to the realities of addiction and recovery.

Attendees will gain insight into organizational recovery following diversion events, emerging risks across both controlled and non-controlled substances, and the importance of a unified, system-wide approach to prevention, detection, and response. Each session is designed to equip participants with practical strategies that strengthen both individual accountability and organizational resilience.

Whether you are clinical or non-clinical, you will gain the tools needed to recognize risk, respond effectively, and protect our patients, colleagues, and organization.

• Cost: Free
• Date: Aug. 28, 2026
• Location: Prosper (seating for 30 / each session)
• Early Morning Session: Register here
• Full Symposium: Register here

Volunteer Opportunities

Good afternoon volunteers!

This is a reminder that we still have some great opportunities to give back this summer. Please click the link here to see the available options and times. Once you sign up, a coordinator will be in touch with more information about the event.

There is something for everyone, whether you are passionate about gun safety, safe sleep or any of our other injury prevention topic areas. We have streamlined the sign-up process with Signup Genius so you can see what is available in real time. If you have any questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact Jillian Mitchell, CPST or anyone on the community health team. As always, we appreciate your time and passion for educating families to keep children safe.

Share Your Content with Us

Do you have any tips, ideas or content you would like us to know about? We want to hear from you! Please view our SharePoint site and email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org.

To find more content about our employees and news you need to know, bookmark our Connect Newsroom website.