Mission Award for Collaboration and Overall: Dustin Daniel

This community health specialist at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center advocates for patients in Vancouver.

For Dustin Daniel, earning a patient's trust starts with something simple: showing up.

Dustin is a community health specialist at the Community Health Hub at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

A refusal to give up on anyone

His approach to caregiving rests on a foundation of patience, consistency and a refusal to give up on anyone. Growing up with parents who worked as nurses, Dustin learned early the value of meeting people where they are. He understands that the backstory behind someone's struggles is crucial to effective care.

Dustin's first role was working with underserved youth in 2015. Here, he built a relationship with a student who was hard to reach. But by showing up every day and consistently reaching out, he earned her trust. Years later, that student credited Dustin with inspiring her decision to pursue a career in social work.

Advocate for people in need without judgment

Today, Dustin brings that same philosophy of consistency to the Community Health Hub. At the Hub, he and his team advocate for people in need without judgment. They meet patients where they are in their journey and stay present until they're ready to accept help.

"Dustin really exemplifies and lives out his values by showing up every day, not giving up on people, but really figuring out where the barriers are and making sure that we're fulfilling our Mission," says Heather McEvoy, director of philanthropy at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Foundation.

Hard work is also heart work

Dustin's caregiving work is guided by the simple truth that people can tell when someone genuinely cares.

"This is hard work, but it's also 'heart work,'" Dustin says. "Our folks who are in the Hub realize when someone truly, genuinely cares about them. And your heart really must be in it to come across as genuine and authentic."

For his dedication to helping some of the community's most vulnerable residents, Dustin is the recipient of PeaceHealth's 2026 Systemwide Mission and Values Award for Collaboration and Overall.

• Respect: Antonio Mejia, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend
• Social Justice: Michelle Kennedy, RN, PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center
• Stewardship: Amanda Jamision, Amanda Christianson, Mehnaaz Khan and Kimberly Minkel, PeaceHealth United General Medical Center