SHELTON, WA – Mason Health consists of more than the providers who treat patients with dignity and respect – it also includes people behind the scenes who work diligently to fulfill the mission, vision and values of the organization. Accounting Specialist LeAnne Powers goes beyond her job description to ensure that everyone at Mason Health understands how their role impacts the organization’s financial resources. Her willingness and grace to share her knowledge and expertise with others is one of the many reasons Mason Health is proud to name her the February Employee of the Month.

Powers has more than 40 years of experience in accounting in various fields, including the automotive industry and for the major national retailer Eddie Bauer. Powers and her husband, Rick, who have been married nearly 37 years, knew they wanted to retire in Mason County. Growing up, Powers had spent her summers on Mason Lake, where her father had built a cabin. When circumstances brought the Powers back to Mason County sooner than they anticipated, they decided to work in the community that they wanted to call home.

“I wanted to get to know my community and work in the community,” she said. “It’s really been a wonderful thing.”

Powers started work at Mason Health four years ago in the Materials Department as a courier. Working as a courier entails bringing mail to and from Mason Health’s various departments and clinics, spread out across the Hospital campus, the Gateway Plaza in Shelton and the clinics in Shelton and Hoodsport. The job introduced Powers to many of the Hospital’s departments, which helps her in her job now.

“I had the chance to meet a lot of people in the year that I was in Materials,” Powers recalled. “It was an excellent way to get to know the Hospital and how it works.” 

When a job opened up in Accounts Payable, Powers jumped at the opportunity, given her background.

“There is a higher level of responsibility and respectability when you work in accounting in health care, compared to other fields,” she said. “We are a public hospital, so we have a responsibility to the public and our patients. This is my passion, and it’s worked out awesome.”

In the last year, the Accounts Payable department has revamped its invoicing and budgeting process, streamlining how Mason Health accounts for every budget line item. Powers’ calming voice, thoughtful consideration, and willingness to help and provide guidance to her coworkers were both major factors that played into her nomination.

Powers loves cats, her children and her three grandsons (and granddaughter on the way). She enjoys boating, gardening and sharing the beauty and fun of Mason Lake with friends and family.

“Jumping in the lake, having fun, that’s the type of thing I love to share,” she said. “We are very, very fortunate to be here.”

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County, is certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. Mason Health now offers 3D Mammography Services. For more information on 3D mammograms or to find a health care provider, visit www.MasonGeneral.com.