WHEREAS, after many years of service as a visionary leader in the health care industry, Nathaniel L. Bishop retired as the senior vice president of administration and chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Carilion Clinic; and

WHEREAS, Nathaniel "NL" Bishop made history as the first Black member of the Christiansburg Police Department, then rose through the ranks to become a detective and had aspired to become chief before he decided to change careers; and

WHEREAS, NL Bishop was licensed as a long-term care administrator and joined the Carilion Clinic system in 1997 as executive director of the Burrell Nursing Center in Roanoke; five years later, he was named vice president and administrator of Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital; and

WHEREAS, NL Bishop next served as president of the Jefferson College of Health Sciences from 2010 until its integration with Radford University in 2019, then was named as the senior vice president of administration for the Carilion Clinic; and

WHEREAS, NL Bishop was subsequently selected as the senior associate dean for diversity, inclusion, and student vitality at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and assumed a similar leadership role for the Carilion Clinic in 2021; and

WHEREAS, in these roles, NL Bishop emphasized the importance of having health care professionals who understand a patient's background and have an appreciation for each patient's unique needs; and

WHEREAS, NL Bishop also provided opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to see themselves in the health care field, inspiring countless young people to pursue careers as nurses, physicians, health care administrators, or technicians; and

WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NL Bishop worked with trusted local leaders like pastors and civil service employees to raise awareness and provide information about vaccinations, particularly among underserved communities; and

WHEREAS, NL Bishop holds degrees from New River Community College, Radford University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the Wesleyan Theological Seminary of the United Methodist Church, and his diverse educational and professional background have served him well as he enhanced health outcomes for patients of the Carilion Clinic and strengthened representation and equity in the health care field; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Nathaniel L. Bishop hereby be commended on the occasion of his retirement as the senior vice president of administration and chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Carilion Clinic; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Nathaniel L. Bishop as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his contributions to health and wellness in the Commonwealth.