Taylor Paul, RDN, Named UP Health System - Portage 2024 Mercy Award Winner
April 30, 2024
UP Health System – Portage (UPHS – Portage) is pleased to announce Taylor Paul, registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), has been recognized as its 2024 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint Health’s facilities who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.
Established in 2001, the Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, Lifepoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.
“At UPHS – Portage, we are committed to advancing Lifepoint’s mission of making communities healthier, and our devoted team members are critical to this work—especially Taylor,” said Ryan Heinonen, chief executive officer, UPHS – Portage. “We are proud to recognize her positive contributions to improving the overall health of our patients, supporting their families and serving our community. Taylor always goes the extra mile to meet any need that may arise and is a true champion of our caring culture.”
Taylor has been with UPHS – Portage for two years as an RDN, covering dietetic services for inpatient, outpatient and dialysis. She also provides services to student-athletes through a newly established community partnership and athletic contract with Michigan Technological University (MTU).
Her nomination for the Mercy Award by her peers came as no surprise. Both in and out of her role, she is caring, knowledgeable, genuine and determined. Taylor's focus is clear—to serve and support her patients, her coworkers, her family and her community as best as she can.
Taylor hit the ground running at UPHS – Portage through her involvement in several projects that have expanded services and improved patient care, including improving allergy identification/alerts and the implementation of a safety initiative that better serves patients with swallowing issues. She is always a staunch advocate for her patients, ensuring their best interest is at the center of their care.
Taylor also takes every opportunity to share her knowledge outside the hospital walls through community outreach. She is always willing (and eager) to participate in public presentations and events focused on wellness, and has also written several articles on focused topics that can benefit anyone looking to improve their diet and lead a healthier lifestyle through nutrition. Taylor truly embraces and fulfills UP Health System’s mission of making communities healthier.
In addition to being a mom of twins, Taylor volunteers her time by serving on the Hancock School Board, supporting the youth of our community by creating a positive learning environment. She also is a volunteer coach for ninth-grade girls’ volleyball, where she “is an inspiration to those athletes by treating them with respect and motivating them to shine.”
Thank you, Taylor, for demonstrating compassion and unwavering commitment to helping others.
Today, we celebrated Taylor and 11 other 2024 Mercy Award nominees, who are also deserving of recognition for the hard work and dedication they show each and every day. Please join us in congratulating nominees Kevin Keranen, Robin Ranta, Danielle Sutherland, Donna McMullen, Christopher Sochay, Sarah Niemela, Nancy Kauppila, Bethanne Cadeau, Elizabeth Miller, Patricia Van Dusen and Ray McLennan.
Each facility winner, including Taylor, will be considered for Lifepoint’s 2024 companywide Mercy Award. The companywide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, TN, in August.