3 Central Ohioans invited to 2022 State of the Union Address

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Three Central Ohioans have been invited to attend Tuesday night's State of the Union Address.

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center progressive care unit nurse Refynd Duro is on the guestlist for First Lady Jill Biden's viewing box. The White House said guests invited to the First Lady's viewing box were chosen because they represent policies or themes that will be addressed during President Joe Biden's first State of the Union Address.

Duro has been treating patients with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. At times, she has had to quarantine away from her family, including her 4-year-old son, because of her job.

She serves as a bedside nurse and advocate for bedside nurses and patient safety. She has held this role for 19 years.

Her career started in a Neuro Intermediate Care Unit and in an outpatient dialysis unit. She then transferred to a level 1 trauma center at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, where she has been working for the last 12 years.

Danielle Robinson, of Columbus, has also been invited to the First Lady's viewing box. She is the widow of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, who deployed to Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo and the Camp Liberty/Victory complex in Iraq.

Robinson was serving on active duty as a combat engineer in the Ohio National Guard when he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder and stage 4 lung cancer. He passed away in May of 2020.

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty invited Columbus business owner Letha Pugh as her hometown hero virtual guest to President Biden's State of the Union Address. Danielle is now an advocate for helping service members and veterans who have been exposed to environmental hazards and burn pits while serving.

She is a mother of an 8-year-old daughter.

Pugh is the co-founder of Bake Me Happy, a gluten-free bakery in Marion Village and Dublin. She is also a founding member of Muse Hospitality, a newly formed restaurant group whose current project includes Preston's: A Burger Joint, located in the historic North Market.

"Our country has made tremendous strides this past year thanks to the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Law. So, for this year's State of the Union Address I wanted to highlight one of the millions of hardworking Americans whose perseverance in the face of the challenges presented by the pandemic fueled our nation's historic recovery. People like my guest, Letha Pugh, are the true heroes behind America's progress over the past year, and I am proud to uplift her as my virtual guest to the State of the Union Address," Beatty said.

Pugh has co-founded two non-profit organizations. Service! is a relief effort for hospitality workers displaced during the COVID 19 pandemic and Black, Out and Proud is an organization that advocates, inspires and educates the Columbus Black LGBTQ+ community.

Pugh is also a Commissioner for the City of Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation and Secretary of the Board for The Women's Fund of Central Ohio.

This article was originally published by ABC 6 on March 1, 2022.