How has the COVID-19 pandemic positively affected your career/business?

I see the COVID-19 pandemic as one of those pivotal and defining moments in one’s career that has lasting impressions—impressions that define you as a leader. I was very fortunate to be at Pali Momi Medical Center in my role as chief operating officer, a position I had been in since 2015, when the COVID-19 pandemic began. I transitioned to my new role as chief operating officer at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children after a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. This transition taught me to cherish time and trust in your leaders. It also allowed me to see our organization at its best due to my experience at both medical centers, which serve very different patient populations. Our staff at both facilities are amazing, and I am so very proud to say I was able to learn, grow, and flourish during this time. This journey, while challenging, has made our entire organization stronger. When I reflect back on the months that have passed, and then watch the news today and see the impact COVID-19 has made on the world, I feel very blessed to be in Hawai‘i at Hawai‘i Pacific Health knowing we are making a difference and we are living our mission of creating a healthier Hawai‘i. 

How is your company/business pivoting to changes from the COVID-19 pandemic?

I am amazed every day at the structure, vigilance, and attention to detail we have applied at Hawai‘i Pacific Health during this pandemic. Thanks to our amazing leaders throughout our system, we remain flexible and are able to pivot in response to the needs of our staff, physicians, patients, and community when needed. We are regularly monitoring our status and resources, always knowing the number of ventilators in use, personnel available to be deployed if needed, number of boxes of gloves on hand, and so much more. With our emergency management structure, which includes command centers at the corporate level and at each medical center, we have a clear communication pathway that allows us to keep our 7,000+ employees and physicians across our system informed with important information regarding newly diagnosed cases, supply needs, and any other factors impacting our operations. We have also embraced and leveraged our electronic health records system to build upon our telehealth services and provide our patients with convenient options to access the care they need without leaving the comfort of home.

How do you maintain your own health/well-being?

I spend a lot of time on the water with my husband, who is my best friend, reflecting and treasuring every minute here on our beautiful island, the time we get to spend together, and looking toward the future. I am up early every day and in the gym before going to work. It’s important to me to maintain my health so I can keep doing my best to support our leaders, physicians, and staff at Kapi‘olani and throughout Hawai‘i Pacific Health, so they can in turn do their best to support their staff and the many patients and families who need our services.

What are your daily habits?

I get up early to capture the quiet moments of the morning before I start my day. I then check my emails and give various family members on the East Coast a shout out to make sure their day is going well. I’m then off to the gym, and then to the office, where I make a cup of tea with honey, review my calendar for the day, and get rolling. I love being present with people. When I drive home, I reflect on the day and ask myself, “Did I do everything today that I could to improve the lives of others?” I hope I always answer “YES!”

What have been the most exciting things about this job/business/industry?

The most exciting thing about my job is connecting with people and the work I love. I love healthcare and the work we do every day makes my heart sing, especially when I can interact with leaders, young learners, staff, and physicians, as they are the heartbeat of Kapi‘olani. I can’t see myself ever doing anything outside of healthcare.

Did you always know you wanted to be in health and wellness, or is this something that happened over time?

After I graduated from college, I remember asking myself, “How did I get here?” As a child, I knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t really know what that meant. I never imagined I would become a nurse or what impact I could make on people’s lives. During school, I was a nurse tech in a pediatric intensive care unit. Once I passed my nursing boards, I remained in that unit as a registered nurse and my career journey in healthcare began. I was very fortunate to have mentors who saw my potential and asked me to move from caring for patients at the bedside to impacting patient care in a new way—developing programs and leading people. That’s where I found my true love of healthcare. I love what I do and that I am able to make an impact every day in the lives of our staff, physicians, and patients.

Who is someone you look up to or model after? A mentor?

My dad is my mentor and his guidance is always in my ear. He always said, “Never think ‘NO.’ You can do anything. Find the path to ‘YES.’ Treasure people and always prioritize your family.” As we work through this pandemic, I think often about him as we work every day to find the path to YES here at Hawai‘i Pacific Health, and I am very proud of that.