Influential Woman · Healthcare Sterile Processing
Keywanna Gordon, ABA, CSPDT, CRCST, CIS, CHL
Sterile Processing Manager, University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Her Story
About Keywanna
Keywanna Gordon, ABA, CSPDT, CRCST, CIS, CHL is a healthcare leader with more than two decades of experience in sterile processing, infection prevention, and healthcare operations. She began her healthcare career supporting individuals in home health before transitioning into central sterile processing in 2005, where she discovered a passion for ensuring the safe reprocessing of surgical instruments and advancing patient safety. Throughout her career, she has progressed through roles including technician, coordinator, supervisor, educator, and manager, building extensive expertise in quality improvement, team leadership, and operational excellence. She currently serves as Sterile Processing Manager at the University of Michigan, where she leads initiatives that support safe, efficient, and compliant sterile processing services.
Committed to lifelong learning and professional development, Keywanna has earned multiple industry-recognized credentials, including ABA, CSPDT, CRCST, CIS, and CHL certifications. Her experience spans healthcare systems across multiple organizations, giving her a broad perspective on sterile processing best practices, workflow optimization, staff education, and infection prevention. She believes that continuous education, mentorship, and collaboration are essential to maintaining the highest standards of patient care and operational performance. Throughout her leadership journey, she has remained dedicated to developing high-performing teams while fostering a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
Beyond her technical expertise, Keywanna is passionate about empowering others to recognize their strengths and pursue meaningful career opportunities. She credits much of her professional growth to mentors who encouraged her to embrace new challenges and expand her leadership capabilities. She encourages young professionals—particularly women entering healthcare—to build partnerships instead of viewing one another as competition, believing that collaboration creates stronger individuals and stronger organizations. Guided by values of empathy, resilience, lifelong learning, and intentional self-care, Keywanna remains committed to advancing the sterile processing profession while promoting leadership that positively impacts both healthcare teams and the patients they serve.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Keywanna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the mentors who recognized my strengths and encouraged me to pursue opportunities that expanded my skills and confidence. Their guidance helped me discover new career paths, challenged me to grow professionally, and showed me what I was truly capable of achieving. I also believe that maintaining a commitment to continuous learning and remaining open to new opportunities has been essential to my professional growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to truly understand my strengths, my personality, and the unique value I bring to an organization. Knowing myself has helped me identify roles that align with my abilities and passions, allowing me to build a fulfilling career where I can make meaningful contributions while continuing to grow.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women to view one another as partners rather than competitors. Building supportive relationships, sharing knowledge, and helping others succeed creates stronger teams and opens more opportunities for everyone. By lifting each other up and working collaboratively, we can strengthen both our profession and the next generation of healthcare leaders.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I believe one of the greatest opportunities in sterile processing is the variety of career paths, leadership roles, and professional certifications available to those who are committed to continuous learning and growth. At the same time, one of the biggest challenges is overcoming the mindset that other women are competitors rather than collaborators. Another important challenge is maintaining a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal well-being while continuing to advance in a demanding healthcare environment.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value positivity, empathy, mentorship, continuous learning, resilience, and intentional self-care. I believe it is essential to invest time in both mental and physical well-being by setting aside time each day for activities that bring fulfillment, whether that means reading, writing, spending time in nature, or simply taking time to recharge. Caring for myself enables me to better support my team, my colleagues, and the patients we ultimately serve.
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