President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Ann’s Community
With the organization since: September 2010.
In current position since: 2014.
Education: Bachelor of Science degree in gerontology; Master of Science degree in human services administration.
Career Highlights: “Starting out as an activities director I found a great deal of enjoyment interacting with elders early in my career. The experience of working one-on-one and in small and large groups with the seniors we serve continues to be foundational in the decisions I make in my role today. Part of my professional growth was assuming the challenging role as the continuous quality improvement (CQI) director for a hospital system. This responsibility afforded me the opportunity to transcend multiple healthcare service lines and have an exposure from newborn right through hospice and end-of-life care. Now as chief executive officer, I have a unique view of how all of the moving parts within a health system interact.”
Current affiliations: Highland Hospital, board of directors; Brothers of Mercy, board of directors; Common Ground, board of directors; Pandion Alliance, board of directors; legal services committee of LeadingAge New York.
How do you describe your managerial philosophy or approach? “There is a difference between managing and leading. When I am leading, my focus is on building a high-performing and cohesive executive team, aligning our leaders’ focus and deliverables on our long-term direction and vision. When I am managing, my focus is on achieving our mission — what must be done to realize our vision, how we creatively and collaboratively achieve our strategic framework. My management philosophy is to create an environment for success. I do this by setting high and challenging standards and goals for our leadership team, by engaging, empowering and supporting them, and unleashing ownership. I also encourage open debate and dialogue in the spirit of achieving clarity, prioritizing our resources and developing collaborative relationships. Our board of directors, our executive and leadership team and our associates are passionate about achieving goals that serve our residents — not just doing the right thing, but doing what is right for each of our stakeholders. The bottom line is providing excellent care and high-quality services.”
What makes you an effective leader? “Self-awareness, empathy, relationship-building and passion for our mission are some skills that I leverage in my leadership role. Also being open to all ideas and suggestions that advance St. Ann’s Community as the provider and employer of choice for comprehensive care, housing and services for older adults. I am transparent and people with whom I interact know my passion for creating an environment of trust, respect, inclusion, fairness and consistency.”
How can the healthcare industry in the region be improved? “Identify opportunities for collaboration, interdependence and interconnectivity. Opportunities that bring stakeholders together to review best practices, cost of doing business, patient-centered care, quality and staffing are just some areas we should focus on for improved healthcare in our region. There are many opportunities for the sharing of resources to achieve mutual goals that address community health.”