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You were Barton Health’s Chief Medical Officer for eight years
before becoming Chief Executive Officer. How has that shaped
your vision for Barton Health now and into the future?
Providing high-quality health care requires team collaboration. After moving into an administrative role from emergency medicine, I realized that while practitioners can put a care plan together through the lens of a patient, the entire care team also needs support.
My role evolved to designing systems to take care of both
patients and care teams.
What is your management style?
In healthcare, you go home every day knowing you made a difference in someone’s life, which is the most rewarding feeling. And while I never envisioned myself being CEO of a health system, my goal was to serve greater populations and care for more people. One person can’t do that alone — it’s everyone who makes quality healthcare possible. So, I consider myself a collaborative, servant leader.
I’ve been blessed to have worked in this field for so long and to be able to help others in the community I love.
What are your thoughts on the current state of healthcare, and how has it evolved since you began practicing medicine years ago?
At age 18 I started working as a tech and EMT — I’ve been in healthcare for over 35 years now. Since I started, what stands out the most are the increasing challenges. The cost of care is escalating, there is instability in support for health systems, and we are at
a critical crossroads in the nation. Even with all of these challenges, our team at Barton Health still strives to provide our community with excellence in service.
The Barton Health Foundation helps with donor awareness and support. How do they help you and the hospital achieve your mission?
Community engagement through the Foundation is the key to a healthy healthcare system. With costs rising and staffing shortages, the Foundation brings awareness to our community’s healthcare needs.
Residents rallied around Barton Health when the hospital was built, and thanks to the Foundation, we are seeing a resurgence of growth and community support.
You’ve been at Barton Health for 23 years. How have you seen Lake Tahoe change as a community in that time?
There has been a significant change in the years that I’ve been here. Lakes, mountains, and skiing have taken hold of the tourist market, and as a result, our community is now more focused on wellness and the outdoors. It’s a great, healthy direction for the community.