Gretchen Souza was recently been promoted from manager to director of education at Olympic Medical Center, OMC representatives said this week.

A 16-year OMC employee, Souza has been manager of education since 2012.

“Gretchen’s promotion to director is a well-deserved acknowledgement of her clinical expertise, educational acumen, depth of knowledge and impressive leadership,” said Jennifer Burkhardt, OMC chief human resources officer and general counsel.

Under her management, the department oversees and manages HealthStream, the organization’s primary online learning tool, and facilitates clinical and medical staff education.

The department also provides training on processes and equipment, contributing to staff and patient safety.

Souza’s previously roles at OMC include bedside nurse on the medical/surgical unit, charge nurse and unit supervisor.

“Under Gretchen’s leadership, the education team has grown and flourished, and taken on greater coordination and collaboration with clinical educators throughout the organization,” Burkhardt said. “She has been a major champion of clinical education, and her ability to inspire and develop others has added needed momentum to OMC’s progress in a number of areas.”