At Medina Memorial, the director of pharmacy is daughter of nurse who ran HR at hospital
Hospital, celebrating 100th anniversary, has many family connections among workforce
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Mary Williams, standing, and her daughter Kate Brauen are two of a long list of relatives who have worked at Medina Memorial Hospital since its founding 100 years ago. Williams was a nurse who retired as vice president of Human Resources. Brauen is director of Pharmacy.
MEDINA – As Medina Memorial Hospital continues celebration of its 100th anniversary, the spotlight is on another pair of relatives who have been employed there.
“Sometimes leadership runs in the family, and that’s certainly true for Mary Williams and her daughter Kate Brauen,” said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach at Orleans Community Health.
Mary Williams, who retired as vice president of Human Resources, worked there a total of 50 years. Her daughter, Kate Brauen, worked there for 12 years as staff pharmacist until taking the job as director in 2015.
“Mary may be retired, but she continues to give back as a member of the OCH board of directors,” Robinson said. “Meanwhile, Kate not only leads her department with dedication, but also jumps in to support community events and wellness clinics at every opportunity.”
Williams started her career as a nursing student in 1971, during which time she worked weekends at the hospital. She became a licensed practical nurse and registered nurse, working in the medical/surgical departments. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she pursued her masters, and then went into administration. Her career also included working in the ICU, until she retired in 2022.
Brauen and her mother were both born at Medina Memorial Hospital.
“I went to college to become a pharmacist,” Brauen said. “I worked during school for Steve Giroux at the drug store in Middleport. I came to Medina hospital as a student to volunteer for the experience.”
She graduated in 2002 from the University of Buffalo with a pharmacy degree.
“At the time, the hospital needed pharmacists real bad, so I came to work here,” Brauen said.
During the time both mother and daughter were employed there, Williams said she never had to discipline Brauen.
“She was a very good employee,” she said.
Although Williams said their jobs really didn’t interact, they often ate lunch together.
“We are a close family,” Williams said.
She also shared another daughter, Suzanne, worked at the hospital per diem as an occupational therapist for a time.
“We’ve been thought lots of ups and downs and a lot of different administrations,” Brauen said.
Some of the more challenging changes were in the computer system, going to electronic medical records and implementing the smart infusion pump.
Brauen said she was also there when the hospital became a critical access hospital, went through renovation and then the pandemic.
“That was a challenging time for the pharmacy and me,” she said. “I managed all the early COVID vaccinations for the staff and North Wing, then the community. There was lots of paperwork for the Federal government and I wrote a lot of protocol.”
Brauen said the influence to go into healthcare came from her mother. She also has an aunt who is a physical therapist and another who was a pediatric nurse. However, Giroux was her mentor, she said. He was on the hospital board when Brauen was 16 and he gave her a job in his pharmacy. She continued to work there through college.
In her position as director of Pharmacy, Brauen manages two full-time pharmacists and four per-diem, who fill in when needed.
“I still work the bench to cover weekends and staff vacations,” Brauen said.
She is a really good pharmacist, her mother said.
Brauen said it is a privilege to take care of people in your community.
“We have to be ready for any critical emergency,” she said.
When all is said and done, “When you get to work alongside your mom, it doesn’t get any better than that,” Brauen said.
