Floreine Turlington, PMP, MPA
Floreine Turlington, PMP, MPA, is a multifaceted professional and artist whose career spans over two decades in adult learning, workforce development, and organizational training, including 10 years in the nuclear industry. Currently serving as the Engineering Training and Qualification Coordinator at Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C), she has developed and expanded a unique training qualification role for engineers and vendors, overseeing high-quality programs that align with corporate objectives. A certified Project Management Professional, Floreine is recognized for her ability to build high-performing teams, manage multi-vendor programs, and drive operational excellence through continuous learning, change management, and cross-functional collaboration.
Floreine’s journey as an artist began in college while studying philosophy, inspired by her mother’s business and a friend who introduced her to jewelry making. After earning her master’s degree, she taught philosophy in the Philippines while maintaining her jewelry craft and even running a wedding planning business. Upon returning to the United States, she honed her skills in seed-beading using traditional American Indian techniques, establishing ReineCrafts, a business with gallery-quality pieces displayed in Seattle and commissions across the country. She now also mentors aspiring jewelry entrepreneurs, teaching classes and sharing her expertise on design and business strategy.
Beyond her professional and creative pursuits, Floreine has dedicated over a decade to the Red Cross as a field specialist, teaching first aid, CPR, emergency childbirth, and humanitarian response. She combines this commitment to service with her artistic and technical roles, believing deeply in empowering people and fostering resilient learning cultures. Whether guiding engineers through complex training programs, mentoring jewelry entrepreneurs, or creating award-winning quilts, Floreine blends precision, creativity, and inspiration, embodying a unique balance of analytical rigor and artistic vision.
• Professional Certifications in Emergency Preparedness & Instruction
• Certified Manager
• PMP
• Stanford University
• Saint Louis University- Bachelor's
• Bataan Peninsula State University- Master's
• Special awards and other awards for quilts in exhibitions
• Volunteer of the Year for Safety Services
• Volunteer of the Year - Service to the Armed Forces
• Jewelry Artist & Designer Community
• Project Management Institute
• New Louisian Philosophical Society
• American Red Cross
• Hanford History Project
• International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC
What do you attribute your success to?
My most special and pivotal moment that I will never forget was when I was with the Red Cross. Working in the field is a thankless job, really. I taught first aid, CPR, and disseminated information about the law of war. One day, my colleagues were invited to a very small town that I couldn't attend because I was teaching at the university. They sent us a video of what happened - when they arrived, there was a big banner welcoming us by name, with my name on it saying 'Welcome Floreine Turlington.' That's when I realized, wow, this is something! Before that, I took my work for granted. I used to teach emergency childbirth to far-flung areas because of the high mortality rate of women and babies who didn't make it to the hospital because their area was so far. It was one of my most dreaded jobs because it was really far - you had to travel far, the food was not good, the restrooms were not good. But when I saw that video and realized you are warmly welcomed in a place like that, I felt like that was the peak of my career. When people that you don't even know recognize you and know your worth and importance, I think that's the best one. That moment made me realize how important the work was and the real impact it had on reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in those remote communities.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the most significant challenges has been balancing multiple identities at once. By day, my role as a training coordinator demands structure, precision, and accountability. By night, my work as a jewelry artist calls for patience, creativity, and the freedom to experiment. Maintaining both worlds—while also teaching workshops, consulting with startups, and nurturing a small creative business—has required discipline and careful time management.
There were also moments of uncertainty when pursuing art alongside a full professional career felt risky. Creative work often grows quietly and slowly, and it can take years before others fully recognize its value. Continuing to invest in that passion, even when time was limited or progress felt incremental, demanded persistence and faith in the process.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I believe Sunday is a rest day for myself. If I can make Monday as a rest day, I will do it, but I can't. I hate Monday, but Sunday is a rest day. I think what makes me calmer now that I'm in my 40s is that when I was young, I was never satisfied or very impatient. But now there are a lot of avenues - you know what you want, you know what you want to do. When I feel antsy about why I'm not traveling yet, because I love to travel, but with my job and my commitment now, my traveling time is very limited, I do my art. Sometimes jewelry designing feels like work or a job and it's not enjoyable, so I have another outlet, which is quilting. For me, that's more of a hobby. I also believe that artists have something that's not just talent - it's coming from somewhere, from a higher being. You call it spirit, you call it whatever you call it. For me, it's more supernatural. As an artist, your fulfillment really is when you create something new, or something like, wow, I can't believe that I did that. I'm a millennial, I think, and I cannot stay in one job for such a long time. I always want to explore. I want it fast. The only job that lasted with me is the Red Cross - I lasted with them for 10 years because it's always exciting, challenging, and you learn a lot of things.