What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare. My early aspirations were to be in the clinical field and I did work in a clinical role for a while. I ultimately pursued a business degree because I was intrigued by the opportunity to influence work that would ultimately impact a broader population. The lessons I learned in my clinical roles will forever guide my journey in healthcare.
Who is a person past or present whose leadership you admire?
I truly admire my mom’s work ethic. Growing up in a single parent household, my mom taught my siblings and I to work hard and have no fear of putting in a true day’s work. She was so admired in the community, she widely became known as everyone’s Momma. She has influenced so many lives and never expected anything in return.
Words to live by: “The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships. Not on your achievements, not on how smart you are, not on how rich you are, but on the quality of your relationships, which are basically a reflection of your sense of decency, your ability to think of others, your generosity.” -Esther Perel
A successful day at work is: A successful day at work for me is connecting with a colleague and learning about them. Another huge sense of pride for me is completing a project that has an impact on patient care- when you center everything you do around the patient, you achieve excellent outcomes.
What motivates you each week?
My family is my motivation, especially my nephew. We spend a lot of time together and he often looks up to me so it’s important for me to be a positive role model that he can look up to.
What book are you reading or podcast are you listening to right now?
I just got around to finish reading Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Dr Vivek Murthy
What do you think are the greatest challenges/opportunities for Connecticut’s healthcare industry to tackle in the next 10 years? 20 years?
Workforce challenges are the number one challenge for every healthcare organization. This also presents itself as an opportunity to for leaders to connect with their staff and engage them in the work we do. Healthcare is the most noble field full of loving and caring people- it is our duty and responsibility to bring out the intrinsic motivation for healthcare professionals to continue serving our patients and community.
Why did you decide to be a board member?
ACHE is a very profound professional association and the CT chapter is one of the best chapters of ACHE. I decided to become a board member to expand my knowledge in the industry but more importantly to give back to a professional organization that has helped my professional growth. My number one goal as a board member is to grow relationships with colleagues and give back to our members by sharing them the great things ACHE membership has to offer!
What do you believe is the greatest benefit you have gotten from being an ACHE member?
The greatest benefit from being an ACHE member other than the vast amount of education, is the relationships I have been blessed with. I have had many mentors that I am now fortunate to call friends.
