Sunday, April 30, 2023
By: W Todd MillerOn April 26, 2023, the Rotary Club of Washington, DC, held its regular weekly meeting in person at the University Club of Washington, D.C. and via Zoom, and welcomed guest speaker, the Honorable Nancy J. Griswold, Deputy Director for the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs at the United States Department of Labor.
President Marilyn Nevy Cruz called the meeting to order at 12:30 PM and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Deputy Secretary Sofia DeMartino introduced the guests and visiting Rotarians.
Sergeant-at-Arms Lola Perez recognized birthdays and anniversaries for the week.
Alphonso Westley shared his Member Moment, noting that he has been a caregiver for most of his life and this is what brought him into Rotary. He spent two years in the AmeriCorps and then was at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston before pursuing a master’s in healthcare administration. He has now shifted into senior living and was excited to be working on a new center in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington. He introduced several of his work colleagues and showed a short presentation on the project.
Sterling Hoffman encouraged everyone to give to the Rotary Foundation and urged everyone to give at least $25 to meet the goal towards “Every Rotarian, Every Year.”
Past President Lynn Holec announced that President Marilyn was being recognized for her joining of the PolioPlus Society and that it was relatively easy for others to also get secure that recognition.
Past President Lynn also announced that the Club received gold recognition at the District Conference, one of only two clubs in the District to receive such recognition in all four areas. The Club was also the leading club in the District for membership growth.
Past President Bill Dent reminded everyone to participate in the Dictionary Project, one of the Club’s signature programs with substantial impact in the community.
Ombudsman David Klaus reminded everyone of the party for major donors to the Club’s own Foundation. The party will be held at Past President Lynn’s apartment on April 27, 2023. He also mentioned the showing of a film at the French Embassy regarding the restoration of the Chartres Cathedral. Details will follow in an email.
President Marilyn noted the Red Line Happy Hour.
May O’Brien said that there would be a briefing about the National Museum for Service immediately after the luncheon.
May O’Brien introduced the speaker, the Honorable Nancy J. Griswold, Deputy Director for the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs at the United States Department of Labor. After serving for 30 years as an Administrative Law Judge in state and federal programs, Judge Griswold took her current appointment at the Department of Labor. Prior to her appointment as Deputy Director, she served as Chief Administrative Law Judge and Agency Head for the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, which is responsible for deciding the third level of appeals for denials of payment for Medicare goods and services.
She began her career as an attorney practicing personal injury law in Shreveport, Louisiana, before accepting a position as a Workers Compensation Judge for the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Administration in 1990. She then served as the Chief Judge there for 3 years, during which she established Louisiana’s Workers’ Compensation Mediation Program.
In 1995, she accepted a position as a U. S. Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration and, over the next 15 years, served in various management positions, first as Hearing Office Chief Judge in Shreveport, Louisiana, then as Regional Chief Judge in Boston, Massachusetts and finally as Deputy Chief Judge in Washington, DC. During her years as Deputy Chief, she served as alter ego to the Chief Judge and assisted in formulating and implementing the Commissioner’s backlog reduction initiatives.
In 2010, Griswold was appointed Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, where she supervised the second largest corps of Administrative Law Judges in federal service. Under her leadership, the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals opened six new offices, established uniform appeals processes, and developed a backlog reduction plan which includes an alternate dispute resolution program designed to assist in handling the increasing workload of Medicare appeals.
Judge Griswold graduated from Louisiana State University in Shreveport with a BA in English and then earned her JD from Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys watercolor, cooking, singing, playing piano and travel.
Judge Griswold spoke about how one can turn almost any role into one of service, citing her own mother as a strong role model. She also discussed the differences between leadership as opposed to management and some of her personal struggles as the Chief Judge attempting to lead other judges.
After a question-and-answer session, President Marilyn presented Judge Griswold with a certificate for the planting of a tree under the Club’s Trees for the Capital program.
Sterling Hoffman conducted the Raffle, which was won by Alphonso Westley, but the Ace of Spades was not drawn.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM. Salvador Farfán was the producer on Zoom, and Pamela Stern-Green the producer in the room. Ardan Demirayak was the greeter and Balraj Gupta provided hospitality.
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