By Teresa Morris, NOVA Director, Advocacy & Government Relations

NOVA welcomed a new member to its legislative committee this year. Contessa (Tess) Ramos, MSNED, RN, NPD-BS is the Chief Nurse of Education at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center.  Her impressive resume and story make her an enthusiastic advocate for NOVA and the VA workforce.

Both her grandmother and mother were nurses - they worked in hospice home care as a team. Her mother would provide live-in hospice care for many of her patients. Tess learned at an early age that advocacy, transparency, and health are all on the same spectrum. Tess has memories of watching her mom use her nursing skills to help the patient as they began their journey.

“As a skilled labor and delivery nurse, she understood every step one particular patient made. I will never forget how she played his favorite music for him and kissed him on the head to say goodbye once he was gone,” said Tess. “The art and profession of nursing is in my blood, and I believe that nurses should be in the seats at decision making tables. I want to ensure I am empowering the profession to hold our leaders accountable.” 

Her grandfather was involved in the civil rights movement in Salt Lake City, a pro-boxer and Veteran fighting for the right to let everyone go to school. He always said, “no one can take away your education.” Tess also remembered how her toughest nursing instructor said, “we don’t train nurses we educate them!” 

NOVA welcomes Tess and her fighting spirit and passion to the NOVA legislative committee.  We are so fortunate to have this extraordinary nurse as an advocate on our team!