How did you get started in your field?
When I first began looking for career opportunities, I was immediately drawn to Baptist Health’s culture of Christian compassion and its stability within the community. In 1988, I accepted a clerical role with Baptist Health with hopes that I would move up within the organization. Since then, I’ve risen through the organization, first as a staffing director in the nursing department and then to the human resources department. I served as the corporate director of human resources and as vice president of human resources before being promoted to the executive team as the CHRO.
What do you love best about what you do?
I love my career in human resources because it allows me to shape positive workplace cultures, support and develop talented individuals, and contribute to the success of employees and the organization as a whole. Furthermore, it allows me to pursue my interest in mentoring and coaching others as well as promoting employee well-being.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
I had several significant life events that prevented me from continuing my education early on in my career, which made it very rewarding to receive my Masters of Business Administration later in my professional journey. It’s never too late to accomplish your goals — learning is a lifelong journey and is valuable at any age.
What obstacles have you had to overcome?
I’ve had to overcome some challenging life experiences in my career that impacted me both professionally and personally. These obstacles varied from personal health to family issues and the loss of a loved one. During these unexpected circumstances I found solace and strength through my faith, and God provided comfort, guidance and resilience. I managed to stay focused on my career in a faith-based organization and have continued to focus on my professional growth and development for 35 years at Baptist Health.
What are you reading right now?
Growing Together: Taking Mentoring beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa Kruger. I recently attended a women’s retreat to learn how to mentor women in our church. It is a fulfilling journey for me to grow beyond my professional mentoring journey and expand into the church family and beyond in a different setting. I have also recently entered into a new professional mentoring relationship through the American College of Healthcare Executives, and it has been very enlightening to learn both perspectives on mentoring.
