Camila (Camila) Mendez, MHA,BSHS,CCMA

I attribute my success to my upbringing and the people who have supported me along the way. I grew up in poverty, and at one point, my family and I were living in a van. Watching my parents struggle, sacrifice, and do everything they could to provide for us shaped my perspective early on. It gave me a deep appreciation for hard work, resilience, and the value of opportunity.

For a long time, my environment shaped what I believed was possible. Growing up, graduating high school felt like the ultimate achievement. College, let alone a master’s degree, didn’t feel like something within reach. But over time, I challenged those limitations.

Becoming a first-generation college graduate—earning my bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and now my master’s degree from the University of Phoenix—has been one of the most meaningful accomplishments of my life. My mom passed away last year, and when I graduated, it was an emotional moment. I wished she could be there, but having my dad present meant everything. That moment represented not just my success, but the sacrifices my parents made for me.

I also would not be where I am today without the support of my amazing husband. He has been a constant source of encouragement, especially during the most challenging moments, and has truly helped me stay focused and keep pushing forward.

Ultimately, my success comes from resilience, gratitude, and the strong support system that has believed in me—even at times when I was still learning to believe in myself.

The best career advice I ever received was from my mom.

She used to tell me, “Stop being so hard-headed and open your mind to what’s possible.” At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant, but that advice stayed with me.

I grew up in an environment where simply graduating high school was considered a major accomplishment. Because of that, my mindset felt limited—I believed that was as far as I could realistically go. It was easy to feel discouraged and boxed in by those expectations.

But my mom constantly challenged me to think beyond that. She encouraged me to stay open-minded and not let my surroundings define my future. Once I embraced that mindset, everything began to change.

That advice helped me push past self-imposed limits, pursue higher education, and ultimately achieve goals I once thought were out of reach. It’s something I carry with me in every step of my career.

The best advice I would give young women in the industry is to never give up.

Do not let negativity—whether it comes from the world around you or your environment—hold you back from reaching your goals. Stay focused on your vision, believe in your capabilities, and continue pushing forward even when it feels challenging.

As women, we sometimes enter spaces where we are underrepresented or face additional barriers. Because of that, it’s even more important to be resilient, confident, and unapologetic about your ambitions.

Reach for the stars, trust your voice, and don’t allow anyone—or anything—to limit what you know you’re capable of achieving.

The biggest challenge in my field is when a patient comes in and their insurance is maybe not in network with us, and they just simply don't have any money, any funding. That's when I start discussing options like care credit or other credit options, but I totally understand that they can't always do that. So that's when I start searching for providers that may be in-network with their insurance and point them in the right direction, because they still need the care whether it's with our company or not.

Honor and integrity are the most important values to me. You need to assure your team, your family, your partner, whatever the case is, that they can trust and value everything. They know that when you say it, you mean it, and you're gonna honor it.