Bresnahan to bring Regional Hospital nurse to State of the Union

U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan selects Lisa Chervanka, a nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton, as his guest for the State of the Union address.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-8, Dallas Twp., announced that Lisa Chervanka, a nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton, will be his guest for the State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Chervanka has worked as a nurse for over 25 years, starting at Mid Valley Hospital in 1994 and later moving to Regional Hospital of Scranton, where she now serves as the clinical lead for interventional radiology.

Why it matters

Bresnahan's decision to bring Chervanka as his guest highlights the important role that nurses play in healthcare, especially in communities like Northeastern Pennsylvania. Chervanka's dedication to her patients and her community is representative of the hard work and compassion that healthcare workers demonstrate every day.

The details

Chervanka started her nursing career at Mid Valley Hospital in 1994, working as an emergency room registered nurse and later becoming the chief nursing officer. When Mid Valley Hospital closed in 2014, she moved to Regional Hospital of Scranton as the emergency nurse manager and was named clinical manager of the year in 2016. She now serves as the clinical lead for interventional radiology at Regional Hospital of Scranton.

  • Chervanka started her nursing career at Mid Valley Hospital in 1994.
  • Mid Valley Hospital closed in 2014, and Chervanka moved to Regional Hospital of Scranton.
  • Chervanka was named clinical manager of the year at Regional Hospital of Scranton in 2016.
  • Chervanka's husband, John, is an Air Force veteran and retired Pennsylvania State Trooper and fire marshal.
  • Chervanka's son, who is currently serving in the Air Force, will be celebrating his 1-year anniversary in the Air Force on Tuesday.

The players

Rep. Rob Bresnahan

A Republican U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district, who announced that he will be bringing Lisa Chervanka as his guest to the State of the Union address.

Lisa Chervanka

A nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton, who has worked in healthcare for over 25 years, starting at Mid Valley Hospital and later moving to Regional Hospital of Scranton, where she now serves as the clinical lead for interventional radiology.

John Chervanka

Lisa Chervanka's husband, who is an Air Force veteran and retired Pennsylvania State Trooper and fire marshal.

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What they’re saying

“Lisa represents the very best of Northeastern Pennsylvania. For decades, she has shown up for our community as a nurse, caring for patients when they are at their most vulnerable and making sure families get the care they deserve. Her commitment to service does not stop at the hospital doors, it extends through her entire family's dedication to our country and our Commonwealth. I am proud to welcome Lisa to Washington for the State of the Union and to recognize her lifelong service to our community.”

— Rep. Rob Bresnahan (thetimes-tribune.com)

“I am very excited to join Rep. Bresnahan for the State of the Union in Washington, D.C. As a nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton, I'm incredibly grateful for Rep. Bresnahan and his work to keep our hospital open, as well as everything he has done in Washington to advocate for working families like mine. Keeping our doors open means our patients get the care they need, and people like me get to keep doing the work we love for our community.”

— Lisa Chervanka, Nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton (thetimes-tribune.com)

What’s next

Chervanka's son, who is currently serving in the Air Force, will be celebrating his 1-year anniversary in the Air Force on Tuesday, the same day as the State of the Union address.

The takeaway

This story highlights the important role that nurses like Lisa Chervanka play in their communities, providing compassionate care to patients and advocating for the healthcare needs of their communities. Bresnahan's decision to bring Chervanka as his guest to the State of the Union address recognizes the vital contributions of healthcare workers and the impact they have on the lives of their patients and their communities.