What did you want to be as a kid and how did you ultimately choose your career/job?
As a kid I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was from a very small island in Hawaii and didn’t know what was out there. However, I did know I wanted to do something with biology. I found the topic fascinating and had a great teacher expose me to the subject in middle school.
I volunteered for a hospital and that’s when I got hooked. There were so many different emotions and stories happening simultaneously under the same roof. I knew I had to be a part of that in some capacity.
What is a typical workday like?
I don’t know when the last time was that I had a typical workday. Usually I have goals for the day. The typical goals for a day or week will be connecting with the unit managers I work with, talking with team members and patients, hospital initiatives I am a part of and turning in deliverables to my boss so he can make the best-informed decisions possible.
What is the biggest challenge of your work?
My biggest challenge is to make this the best hospital it can be, especially within Acute Care. I really want to make sure I do the right thing for the patients, nurses, patient care technicians, unit secretaries, physicians on the medical staff and those who support them. I see how hard they work and their passion, and I strive to maintain an environment in which they can express themselves and heal our patients.
What do you like most about your job?
There are so many things I love about this work. Being a part of providing health care is an awesome responsibility with a profound effect on people. I really enjoy being around others who welcome and embrace that responsibility. I enjoy how the people here work toward making this the best Texas Health Plano possible. Working with others who also strongly believe in the Mission and Vision of Texas Health Resources is vital.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
When I am not at work, I have a blast going on little weekend adventures with my family. Our baby is still small, so we may go visit a new town, different attractions or go on day trips. There is so much to do here and explore that we are usually very excited for the weekend, and by Thursday we are trying to settle on what adventure we will tackle. If you know of any cool family adventures, please let me know.
What is one thing no one would ever guess about you?
I went through a phase where I really enjoyed cross stitching. I found it very relaxing, and at the end I had this great looking thing created from not much. I would get some flak but I thought it was cool.
