Her Story
About Briana
Dr. Briana Turk-Termini is a healthcare quality consultant, advocate, and emerging leader in healthcare administration based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently serving at Stanford Health Care, she specializes in perioperative quality and patient safety, overseeing audits, compliance reviews, and operational improvement initiatives across multiple operating room service lines. Her work focuses on ensuring that surgical and procedural environments meet the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. When adverse events occur, Briana leads process-improvement investigations to identify patterns, strengthen systems, and implement solutions that improve patient outcomes and organizational performance. Guided by a commitment to equity, accountability, and compassionate leadership, she approaches healthcare quality through both a strategic and human-centered lens.
Briana’s career at Stanford Health Care has evolved steadily over more than six years, beginning in patient access services during the COVID-19 era before transitioning into healthcare quality and performance improvement leadership. Today, she oversees initiatives across critical perioperative and interventional service areas, including operating rooms, sterile processing, cardiovascular surgery, interventional radiology, and ambulatory surgical sites. Utilizing Lean Six Sigma methodologies, data-driven audits, and Just Culture principles, she has helped advance proactive safety culture initiatives, optimize workflows, and improve operational transparency. In April 2026, Briana completed her Doctor of Health Administration degree from Capella University while balancing full-time professional responsibilities and pregnancy, an accomplishment she considers one of the most meaningful milestones of her life alongside becoming a mother.
Beyond her clinical and operational leadership, Briana is deeply passionate about advocacy, equity, and empowering women in healthcare. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Stanford Medicine Women & Allies Employee Resource Group, where she supports initiatives focused on gender equity, inclusion, and allyship within the workplace. She is also actively involved in health equity efforts across Stanford Medicine and frequently speaks about resilience, visibility, and representation in leadership. Selected for inclusion in Influential Women for 2026, Briana encourages young women entering healthcare to embrace their identity, own their accomplishments, and recognize that they belong in every room they enter. Through her leadership, scholarship, and advocacy, she continues to champion safer healthcare systems and more equitable opportunities for future generations.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Briana
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my dedication to continuous growth, resilience, and a strong commitment to making a meaningful impact in healthcare. Over the past six and a half years as a quality consultant overseeing perioperative services at Stanford Health Care, I have had the opportunity to lead initiatives focused on patient safety and quality improvement. Completing my doctorate in health administration while pregnant was one of my proudest accomplishments and reinforced my belief in perseverance and balance. I also believe my leadership role as chair of the Women and Allies Employee Resource Group has helped me grow both personally and professionally by advocating for inclusion, equity, and support for others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received was to document everything — my wins, my scope, and my impact. A former mentor taught me the importance of recognizing and communicating my accomplishments rather than minimizing them. I believe women, in particular, are often taught to be modest, but it is important to know your value and confidently share your contributions. Advocating for yourself and your work is an important step in breaking barriers and advancing professionally.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to own your identity and never feel ashamed of who you are. Do not let anyone make you feel as though you do not belong in the room. Your perspective, experiences, and authenticity are what make you unique and valuable. As a woman of color and someone who is half Indian American, I have learned the importance of embracing my identity and recognizing that I deserve a seat at the table just as much as anyone else.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is supporting patients and families who have experienced adversity during surgery or medical care. Situations involving complications or patient loss are incredibly difficult and require both empathy and resilience. Those moments are what continue to drive me in my work because I always think about patients as if they were someone I personally love and care about. At the same time, there is a tremendous opportunity within healthcare to continue improving systems, processes, and patient outcomes to provide safer and more equitable care for everyone.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life are equity, fairness, and compassion. I strongly believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, or background. Outside of work, I value maintaining passions and balance in my life. I have always loved dancing, and as my baby gets older, I am excited to reconnect with that passion. I also enjoy boxing, traveling, and exploring different cultures and places. My background in anthropology allowed me to study archaeology overseas, and some of my favorite travel experiences have been in Greece and Ireland.
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