A powerful testimony of faith and survival: one woman's journey through life-threatening complications during pregnancy and her gratitude for the healthcare heroes at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center who made her second chance possible.
Her Story
About Gillian
Gillian Smith, ST, CSRST, CHL, CIS, CER is an accomplished healthcare professional currently serving as the Sterile Processing Supervisor at . With over 15 years of supervisory leadership experience, she specializes in patient safety, surgical services, and hospital operations. Gillian’s leadership approach is rooted in situational leadership—adapting to the unique needs of her team—while upholding her core values of compassion, determination, respect, and loyalty.
Gillian began her career in administrative roles before transitioning into healthcare as a trained surgical technologist. Her experience spans multiple healthcare systems, including and HCA Healthcare, where she led operational improvements and department management. She has contributed to the development and support of surgical departments, ensuring seamless workflow, staff training, and adherence to the highest standards of patient care.
Outside of her professional achievements, Gillian is a devoted mother and cancer survivor, balancing her career with family and personal growth. She is completing her Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Management at . Passionate about giving back, she supports organizations such as St. Jude’s and the Ronald McDonald House, and enjoys meditation, history, and strengthening her spiritual connection. Her career reflects resilience, dedication, and a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Gillian
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a single mother. Raising my children on my own has taught me perseverance—quitting isn’t an option. I embrace mistakes as part of growth, both in life and work, and focus on persistence to achieve mastery. My drive comes from knowing my children depend on me, which pushes me to keep moving forward every day.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to never stay at a job that merely tolerates your talent. Find a place where your skills are celebrated and your contributions are valued—that’s where growth and fulfillment truly happen.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: never quit. Be determined, stay humble, and embrace challenges. Failure is inevitable, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow. Each experience—success or setback—builds your character and prepares you to push further. Keep going, stay grounded, and trust yourself.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe one of the biggest challenges in my industry right now is leadership. In the past, I had a mentor, Alfonso Chicas, the executive director for the OR, who led with compassion and helped me see the bigger picture. Today, I see too many leaders allowing personal agendas, jealousy, and emotion to drive decisions. This not only undermines talented individuals but can erode entire organizations.
Companies often struggle because HR structures aren’t equipped to mitigate these dynamics, leading to misaligned leadership, demoralized employees, and lost opportunities. We need leaders who base their decisions on integrity and data, not emotion or personal bias. How we lead today shapes the next generation, and teaching demoralization as a strategy only perpetuates failure. Strong leadership builds people up—it doesn’t tear them down.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me most in both work and life are compassion, determination, respect, love, and loyalty. Determination drives me to persevere, no matter the odds. Compassion reminds me to uplift others when they struggle, helping them grow rather than criticizing. Love fuels my passion for what I do and the fulfillment I feel at the end of the day. Loyalty, to me, means staying true to myself—authenticity in every interaction, every day. These values are the foundation of who I am and how I approach both life and work.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Gillian
The story behind the face
A testimony of faith, survival, and gratitude for divine grace through life's greatest challenges.
The Story Behind the Face: YHWH Saved Me 🙏🏾
This photo represents more than professional growth—it represents faith, survival, leadership, and purpose.
While pregnant with my son, Cai Winter Miller, I faced cervical cancer, a placental abruption, an umbilical cord that was knotted three times, and a blood clot as large as my liver. I was told that my baby and I might not survive.
But YHWH had the final word.
Today, we are still standing.
During this journey, I also helped manage a Sterile Processing Department of 120 professionals at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. My experience gave me an even deeper understanding of what healthcare truly means—and why the professionals working behind the scenes matter.
Sterile Processing professionals may not always be visible to patients, but their precision, accountability, knowledge, teamwork, and commitment to excellence directly support safe patient care.
Emotional intelligence is equally important. Compassion, communication, self-awareness, and respect strengthen teams and help leaders create environments where people can perform at their best.
I am deeply grateful to Carmella Perrow for her intercessory prayers, to my aunt, Sherron Singelton, for standing with me in faith, and to my son, Yavin Earl Rosa, who cared for me at only 13 years old and is now preparing to serve our country in the United States Air Force.
Finally, thank you to every Sterile Processing professional and to the entire Cedars-Sinai healthcare community.
Your work matters. Your dedication matters.
The work you perform behind the scenes helps give patients the opportunity to return home to the people they love.
I was one of those patients.
I came home to my two children.
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity… but… of power and of love and of sound judgment…” — 2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)
Who but YHWH?
I am still standing by His divine grace and mercy. 🙏🏾
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