Honoring the 2025 Sister Andrea Award winners: Donna Mairose, RN and Rainy Atkins

Each year, the PeaceHealth Southwest Foundation presents the Sister Andrea Nenzel Award to recognize individuals whose friendship and dedication to the Foundation go above and beyond. The award honors those who embody the spirit of partnership — advancing our Mission in the community, strengthening connections and helping make possible the resources needed for exceptional care.

This year, we are proud to celebrate two extraordinary leaders whose legacies of service, generosity and compassion have shaped PeaceHealth Southwest in lasting ways: Donna Mairose, RN and Rainy Atkins.

Donna Mairose, RN

For more than four decades, Donna Mairose has been a steady and inspiring force in the Emergency Department (ED) at PeaceHealth Southwest. The daughter and granddaughter of nurses, Donna began as a candy striper before earning her degree at Clark College. Her career took her to Portland, New York City and Las Vegas, but eventually she found her way back home to Southwest Washington Medical Center, now PeaceHealth Southwest, where she’s been making a difference ever since.

Donna has served as an ED nurse, charge nurse and, for many years, department educator. In that role, she trained hundreds of new nurses — preparing them for the intensity of emergency medicine. Through her teaching, mentorship and quiet leadership, Donna’s influence extends far beyond the patients she personally cares for. She’s the kind of nurse who makes you feel like everything’s going to be okay — even when the room is spinning and the stakes are high.

Colleagues describe her as a “north star” — a trusted guide who models integrity, compassion and excellence. Whether encouraging a young nurse after a first mistake or offering calm perspective in a high-stakes moment, Donna communicates with honesty and empathy. One caregiver noted: “She creates a safe, engaging learning environment for nurses in all stages of their career.” Another put it simply: “When I grow up, I want to be like Donna.”

In recognition of her impact, the Donna Mairose Clinical Education Room was recently dedicated in the new Emergency Department, ensuring her legacy of teaching will continue for generations.

With humility and grace, Donna has spent her career lifting others up, embodying the very best of the PeaceHealth Mission. Her selection as a 2025 Sister Andrea Award recipient is a fitting tribute to her lifelong commitment to care.

Rainy Atkins

Rainy Atkins has spent her career — and her retirement years — advancing health and healing in our community. A neonatal and pediatric air transport nurse by training, Rainy held leadership positions in Arizona before joining PeaceHealth Southwest in 2003 as chief administrative officer. Over the next decade, she worked to strengthen the hospital and expand services for patients across the region.

Her leadership was pivotal in the creation of the Kearney Breast Center, construction of the Firstenburg Tower and development of a partnership with OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to bring advanced neonatal care to Clark County. Rainy believes in collaboration, quality care and in the power of community to make a difference.

Even after retiring in 2013, Rainy continued to serve as a volunteer and advocate, including on the Community Health Board and as co-chair of the Healthcare Reimagined campaign. She and her husband, Richard, have also been generous donors supporting projects that strengthen patient care for today and into the future.

Rainy’s dedication has been recognized widely, including her selection as a Clark County Woman of Achievement in 2010. Her peers continue to admire her energy, wisdom and compassion — qualities that have remained constant even as she has faced personal health challenges, including breast cancer.

The Sister Andrea Award is a fitting recognition for Rainy’s decades of leadership and service. She is, in every sense, a force for good; and we are so grateful for the legacy she continues to build. 

Carrying the Mission forward

The Sister Andrea Award honors those who embody the spirit of service, generosity and compassion that defines PeaceHealth. Donna Mairose and Rainy Atkins exemplify these qualities through their careers, their volunteerism and their commitment to exceptional care close to home.

As we honor their achievements, we are reminded of the ripple effect of one person’s dedication. Donna and Rainy show us that when we lead with compassion, we create a healthier, stronger community for all. Their legacies will continue to inspire caregivers, patients and supporters alike — reminding us that together, we carry our Mission forward. 

About PeaceHealth Foundations: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Since 1890, PeaceHealth has been guided by a Mission of healing and compassion. Today, PeaceHealth Foundations carry forward that legacy — powered by philanthropy and grounded in community. As the philanthropic partner to PeaceHealth’s nine medical centers and more than 160 clinics, we help expand access, advance technology and empower caregivers to provide exceptional and compassionate care. Every gift ensures that outstanding care continues to reach families, friends and neighbors throughout the Northwest. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Discover the impact of philanthropy at peacehealth.org/foundation.