Her Story
About Gisela
My journey in healthcare spans 27 years, beginning with computer science work in the government of Puerto Rico where I became one of the first women to direct a computer center, and continuing through 11 years at Humana Health Insurance and 16 years in healthcare revenue cycle. I've always believed in starting at the bottom of any organization to truly understand the work before moving into leadership. At Humana, I worked as a supervisor, and in my current company, I managed a 40-person authorization department handling surgical, radiology, and infusion authorizations for a network of hospitals, overseeing 2 supervisors and 4 team leads. After losing my husband in 2021, I stepped down from management to focus on my own wellbeing and transitioned to IT provisioning, which is my current role. Throughout my career, my work has been my scorecard, not my appearance or background. I treat everyone in healthcare like they're somebody I care for, somebody's mother, somebody's son, because kindness is non-negotiable. I'm known for setting clear boundaries, speaking up respectfully, and demanding mutual respect in all professional relationships. My former employees and colleagues consistently tell me I was the best boss they ever had, and many stay in touch with me years later. I believe in being prepared, competent, and compassionate, and I've been fortunate to excel wherever I go. As I approach retirement, I'm proud of the difference I've made in people's lives and the legacy of strong, respectful leadership I've built.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Gisela
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents, who raised me to be a strong, independent woman. My dad always enforced that I should be financially and emotionally independent, and my mom, who only went to 9th grade, wanted me to have the opportunities she never had. In my household, it wasn't if you go to college, it's when you go to college. They gave me all the tools to take care of myself and never accept being treated as less than. My mom was very demanding, always pushing me to do better, which kept me from falling into a pity party about my challenges. The strength comes from my family and my work ethic. I've always been a believer that I can do whatever I want to do if I put my mind to it. Throughout my whole life and career, I've been lucky or blessed to excel wherever I go. My work is my scorecard, not my face, not my personality, but the work that I do and the skills that I have. I always say what I allow, I permit, and I don't allow anyone to cross my boundaries. I've also been covered by the Lord throughout my journey, and I've seen that I've made a difference in many people's lives.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are respect, kindness, and setting boundaries. Kindness is non-negotiable, and I demand it in all my interactions. I treat everybody in the healthcare business like it's somebody that I care for, somebody's mother, somebody's son. Respect is also non-negotiable. I always say what I allow, I permit, and I'm not allowing anybody to cross boundaries. I believe in speaking up respectfully and setting clear expectations. I told my supervisor, 'respect is non-negotiable. Can we start over?' because I don't accept being belittled or made to feel less than. I'm very good at setting boundaries, and I believe closed mouths don't get fed, so I always speak up. I also value independence and self-sufficiency, which my parents instilled in me. I'm a positive thinker and a realist. I believe in doing the very best I can and putting compassion into everything I do. My work ethic is strong, and I'm always focused on being prepared and competent. I don't hold back when something isn't right, but I always approach it with respect. Giving up is not an alternative for me. That's an honor and homage to my parents who wanted me to be self-sufficient and do better than they did.
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