McCay

JOHN DAY — The Blue Mountain Hospital Board of Directors has appointed Rebecca McCay to fill the open seat on the board.

McCay was selected by a unanimous vote at the board’s April 24 meeting and will be sworn in at the board’s May meeting.

McCay, a registered nurse who lives in Grant County and works as an assistant professor of nursing for Oregon Health & Science University, was recommended for the position by a subcommittee of the board formed to review applications for the position.

“We had two really good candidates,” said subcommittee member Shawna Clark.

The other applicant was Paul Smith, a retired educator and former John Day City Council member.

McCay succeeds Linda Ladd, who stepped down from her seat on the board in February for personal reasons. McCay will fill out the remainder of Ladd’s term, which expires at the end of June 2025.

McCay holds a doctorate in nursing and health innovation from Arizona State University, a master’s degree in nursing from Sacred Heart University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from OHSU, according to her LinkedIn profile online.

Her resume includes stints as a staff nurse at Kennewick General Hospital in Kennewick, Washington, an emergency room nurse at Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande, and a union representative and vice president with the National Federation of Nurses before joining OHSU.

The Blue Mountain Hospital District is a taxpayer-supported public health district that serves Grant County. The district operates Blue Mountain Hospital, Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic, Blue Mountain Care Center and other entities that employ about 250 people.