Her Story
About Chantal
Chantal Cayo serves as Chief Nursing Officer for the University of Washington Medicine in Seattle. In this role for the past six years, she provides clinical and operational oversight over all clinical support systems in the ambulatory space, including nursing, social work, behavioral health, employee health and infection prevention, telephonic triage, medical nutritional services, and education. With more than 27 years of experience in healthcare, Chantal holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice and a Master's in Business Administration. She is also an adult nurse practitioner and a certified fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, as well as a nurse executive. Chantal is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization in Washington, and the American Organization of Nurse Leaders. She volunteers with the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization and will be inducted into the Royal College of Surgeons Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Fellowship in December. Chantal attributes her success to her passion for clinical outcomes and patient experience, emphasizing the importance of delivering great care when patients are most vulnerable.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chantal
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my passion for clinical outcomes and experience. We're serving patients when they're most vulnerable, so making sure that care provides great outcomes no matter what, and also a great experience.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Taking it one day at a time, one patient at a time, one team at a time. Just one person at a time, one patient at a time. You will make a difference, even if you just change one person's life.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's a great field, but you have to have tough skin. And you have to understand that you have to keep the patient at the center of all that you do.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Making sure that we're able to provide great care that's cost-effective, with a lot of cuts coming down the line, and still able to provide compassionate care that meets the needs of the patients at the time that we're serving them.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my work life, the ability to create safe spaces for staff and for patients, especially staff and the teams that serve the patients, giving them the tools and resources they need to do a great job every day. In my personal life, spending time with my family and friends and traveling means a lot to me. That's where I spend the bulk of my time.
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