With deep sadness, Altshuler Berzon LLP mourns the loss of Colleen Borges, President of the Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement (CRONA), the union representing Nurses at Stanford Health Care and Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Colleen served as CRONA’s President for the last 13 years. She passed away today, following a brave battle with cancer.
Under Colleen’s leadership, CRONA has grown from representing around 2,800 Nurses at both hospitals to representing nearly 7,000 Nurses in 2026. Colleen worked energetically and tirelessly to engage Nurses from all reaches of the hospitals as the hospitals expanded, making sure Nurses in new locations such as Emeryville, San Jose, and Redwood City were connected to Nurses at the main campus and connected to CRONA. The appeal of CRONA’s strong advocacy for Nurses drew attention from non-represented Nurses at Stanford and Packard. Beginning in 2021, groups of previously non-represented Nurses approached CRONA to ask CRONA to represent them, and under Colleen’s leadership, CRONA rose to this new challenge. Hundreds of Nurses gained Union representation during Colleen’s presidency.
Colleen participated in every CRONA contract negotiation from 2007 forward, and as President she negotiated ground-breaking contracts for CRONA Nurses in 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025. Colleen led CRONA’s response to COVID. In 2022, she led the Union in its first strike in two decades. Under Colleen’s leadership, CRONA won contract language on safe staffing, workplace violence, reduced commitments, and use of new technology. This language became a model for other healthcare unions and workplaces.
Altshuler Berzon LLP has proudly represented CRONA for decades, including throughout all of Colleen’s tenure as President. Colleen was an outstanding Nurse, union leader, and friend. She will be deeply missed.
Colleen Borges (holding sign) with Altshuler Berzon LLP attorneys
BJ Chisholm, Amanda Lynch, and Matt Murray