Dr. Irene Ondieki

I've had to be very grounded in my faith, and that's one thing for sure, because I don't think I would get here if I just didn't have faith. I have a strong family support, because they are the only ones who get to know the pressure that I go through and the disappointments that I go through. It's a lot about resilience and then pivoting yourself in a way that you set yourself up for success. I strategically positioned myself so that when the opportunity comes up, I cannot get disqualified because I either don't have the education or I don't have the academia that's really required. From a practical perspective, I made sure that I aligned and chose the positions that were fulfilling to me. I think it's just a matter of resilience, surrounding yourself with people who can help you, people you can bounce ideas off, and then making sure that you network. That was one of my weaknesses earlier on in my career. I never used to network, but deals are made at the golf course, so that means you gotta pick up golf or go to that networking event that you were trying to avoid at one point.

One of the CEOs, who happened to also be a minority CEO, told me to lift as I climb. He said it's especially important because he only knows of a few Black nurse executives, and our network just doesn't exist. He told me that if I get there, I should make sure to pave the way for somebody by promoting them to get to director level, giving them an opportunity to be able to eventually branch out into another hospital, and then supporting them in their journey of trying to crack into the C-suite.

I would say be open-minded, never stop learning, and develop a culture of inquiry. Network and really be open-minded. You gotta have a network that really supports you. Most people are very familiar with mentorship, but people are not as familiar with sponsorship, and that's what we need, especially for women and minority women. Who's that sponsor that's going to say your name in the spaces that you are not in? Because if you don't have that, then you will be stuck. So be persistent, keep pushing, and be open-minded. As women, sometimes we have to take breaks to care for our young ones, and by the time you want to come back into the workforce, they think you're already outdated in your skills. But you can still balance both. There are women who've been able to build strong careers and at the same time be able to uphold their families. You can do both.

I'm very grounded in my faith, and that's one of the most important things for me. I have strong family support, and I still want to be able to make it to soccer games and recitals for my daughter. I chose to work in an underserved community where people can see people who look like them or aspire to them, so I can inspire the next generation of not only nurses but future leaders. My philosophy has always been to lift as I climb, so that I'm not the last person to get there. I'm very spiritual and always gravitate towards my faith. I do a lot of community events for my church family, which are kind of recreational and help me get distracted from my daily grind.