Lana Haecherl, a long-standing associate at Atrium Health Greater Charlotte is the Surgical Services Education and Development Director. In the 1990s, Atrium Health was pivotal in sponsoring immigrants seeking asylum due to the Croatian War of Independence. Haecherl cultivated a safe, calming work environment for refugees affected by the conflict, supporting the success and career advancement they pursued when fleeing to the U.S. As the years passed, she was relentless in ensuring her colleagues’ continued attainment of their goals. She coached them in preparation for their official citizenship exams. She also spent more than 22 years of her career training disabled adults. This year, Haecherl was designated as Atrium Health’s Diversity Champion award recipient. Her steadfast, self-led devotion to creating better opportunities for her contemporaries undoubtedly played a factor in the bestowal of this accolade. The honor identifies and distinguishes teammates who are “boots on ground,” positively influencing and propelling forward diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce.