Charity Onyegbule

I would attribute my success to my commitment to excellence. I have this inherent drive that if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it well. I don't settle for below standard or status quo, but I always try to find a way to be better than before, whether that's asking the right questions or not being afraid to speak up and be a voice for what is right. Being a woman of integrity is central to who I am. I also believe in paying it forward. That can be challenging when you're new or starting out, but I try to remind myself to help that next wave or generation of women like me, or even men who are hungry for growth in this field. I want to make sure that I'm a good example for them and that I can help guide them and save them time from my mistakes throughout my journey as well.

The biggest advice I could give women pursuing this particular field is to really invest in yourself and in your people, in your team. As it relates to yourself, really seek opportunities where you can grow in your stewardship of the profession, so join memberships like the American College of Healthcare Executives, build a network there, and learn the resources and tools that are at our disposal to really grow as leaders in the healthcare industry. Pursue higher education. At the time, I didn't really want to do it when I went straight in from undergrad to graduate school to get my master's, but the business acumen I learned during that time did pay dividends in terms of starting out in this field. The other piece of advice I would give is if you're starting out, really look for opportunities where you can manage people, because you can come with all the knowledge and insights from a book standpoint, but nothing can take the place of experience when it comes to managing people. You truly just get better at that through experience, learning how to build relationships and navigate how to manage your emotions and build good emotional intelligence and IQ to navigate certain situations as it relates to people. It may not sound as challenging, but it can be very challenging if you're coming right out of schooling and being thrown into a leadership role. One of the things that really helped me was my time in the military and then taking a manager role at 24-hour fitness, believe it or not. Sometimes things look a little different starting out, but if you can really get that experience managing and learning how to navigate and build relationships with internal and external key stakeholders, and leverage your brains along with the tools you get from just learning how to maneuver with people in the industry, that will serve you well.

I have to lean on my faith as a big piece of what keeps me grounded. I maintain a close alignment to my why. I fell into healthcare administration through life experiences after initially thinking I was going to be a doctor. My life shifted gears through tragedy when I lost my dad, who was active duty Army and deployed overseas when he got sick and ended up passing away at a VA hospital due to inadequate care. That spearheaded this drive to learn more about healthcare administration and how I could help providers and medical professionals be held to a high standard while supporting them in a way that encourages and motivates care excellence. What helps me stay grounded is being tied back to that why, to my dad and that purpose he kind of instilled in me to pursue this career. And then my kids, I'm a mother of two now, so as this journey continues, it does get a little more challenging balancing their needs, but I remind myself that everything I am doing is also for a better quality of life for them as well. Having a very good support system with my husband and my kids really helps, along with my faith and trust that all things happen for a reason.