[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 193 (Thursday, November 12, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING ELAINE COUTURE

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 12, 2020

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Elaine Couture, who has served in the health care sector of this 
country for over 40 years. She has outstanding professional 
accomplishments in nursing and has shown dedication to her staff, 
community, and people in need.
  Elaine Suzann Couture was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 18, 1955, 
to parents Quentin and Mildred Bohrer. At a young age, Elaine knew that 
she wanted to be a nurse. She volunteered as a candy striper and went 
straight from high school to college at Montana State University-
Bozeman in 1973.
  Upon graduation, she worked for 10 years at Saint Vincent Hospital in 
Billings, Montana from 1977 to 1987 first as a bedside nurse and a 
flight nurse. Her ability to lead others gave her the opportunity to 
move into management and eventually start a new occupational medicine 
department. In 1987, she started at Saint Mary Medical Center as the 
Employee Health Manager. She was quickly promoted to the Director of 
Quality, and then Chief Nursing Officer.
  She left Saint Mary's in 2002 for Sacred Heart, where she served 
faithfully for nearly a decade. In 2012, she was promoted to the 
Regional Chief Executive for Providence Health & Services for nearly 
eight years before she was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief 
Executive of Eastern Washington & Western Montana. She oversaw 13 
hospitals and over 23,000 medical staff.
  Elaine has served the people of our state, region, and country with a 
strong sense of self, leadership, knowledge, and passion for her work. 
In addition to her responsibilities for Providence, she served on 
numerous national and community boards including the Federal Reserve 
Board, American Hospital Association Rural Task Force, Washington State 
Hospital Association Board of Directors, Greater Spokane Incorporated 
Governing Board, Washington State University Advisory Board and 
Spokane's University District Board.
  Anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing and working with Elaine, 
describes her as nothing but determined, energetic, approachable, and 
compassionate. In addition to all her professional successes, Elaine 
kept her priorities in life as God, Family, Word. Throughout her career 
she has shown dedication and a genuine care for the medical profession 
and those in it. This is exemplified in her willingness to give back to 
the next generation of medical professionals by serving as an adjunct 
professor as Washington State University School of Nursing following 
the completion of her own B.S. in 1977 and her M.B.A. in 1994 from 
Liberty University.
  Most recently, during the Coronavirus outbreak Elaine has again led 
with distinction during challenging and uncertain times. She made it a 
priority to continuously adapt hospital and clinic operations to meet 
the emergent and changing needs of patients, frontline workers, and the 
community.
  Madam Speaker, for her commitment to health care, her exceptional, 
engaging manner and for her lasting impact on the lives of people 
around her, I recognize Elaine Couture.

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