Meet Robin Walicki -
Showcasing options for students in Allied Health The women in Robin Walicki's family are known for helping others.
Robin represents the fourth generation of her family in the nursing profession.
Her mom was an OB nurse and director of nursing at West Shore Hospital in Manistee. Her maternal grandmother was a nurse at Oceana Hospital in Hart and her maternal great-grandmother was a nurse in Boulder, Colo.
Robin is an Allied Health Instructor in the ESD's CTE Allied Health program and uses her nursing background to help high school students consider and pursue careers of their own in healthcare.
Besides exploring potential careers in nursing, Robin's classes help students explore careers in -
- Veterinary science
- Dental
- Optical
- Physical therapy
- Sports medicine
After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Michigan, Robin worked as a RN in a hospital and long-term care setting.
Robin has spent the bulk of her 25-year career working for District Health Dept. No. 10.
She worked in Health Promotions and Public Health Nursing as a supervisor in the Immunization and Communicable Disease programs.
As one of the health district's primary spokespersons during the Covid-19 pandemic, Robin offered on-air information on TV news programs, was interviewed by newspapers and radio stations, and gave many public presentations to share vital information.
Her extensive career in healthcare included stints at Ludington Hospital's med/surgical floor and Obstetrics unit.
Robin also worked as supervisor at Oceana County Medical Care Facility, helping train CNAs. "I've always had a passion for teaching people about healthcare and getting them excited about it," she said.
Robin's background as a nurse positioned her perfectly for her entry into education field long before she even officially became a CTE teacher.
Not only did she follow in her mom's footsteps in public health, she followed her dad into CTE education as well, as he taught vocational clerical classes for the Manistee ISD.
"I guess you could say I was introduced to the world of CTE at a very young age," she said.
Robin and her husband, Jim, have been married 30 years and reside in Oceana County. They have a daughter, son-in-law, and a grand-dog.
Robin is also very active in the Pentwater Jr. Women's Club. "I love being the Allied Health CTE instructor because I get to help students learn about healthcare in a very hands-on way," she said. "And then I get to watch them grow into well-rounded future healthcare professionals. It is beyond rewarding."