Kimberly Schaeffer
Kimberly (Kensinger) Schaeffer is an experienced healthcare administrative professional currently serving as the Administrative Assistant Associate within the Graduate Medical Education Department at UPMC, a role she has held for over two years. In this dynamic position, she manages moonlighting documentation for residents and fellows, coordinates monthly educational conferences, processes travel requests for external conferences, and maintains critical compliance records. She works closely with program managers and directors across multiple specialties, including cardiology, emergency medicine, OB/GYN, and dental surgery. Kimberly orchestrates leadership committees, prepares agendas, records minutes, ensures accurate documentation distribution, manages complex calendars, collaborates with hospital administration and safety departments, oversees visa documentation, and maintains up-to-date program director contracts. Her ability to balance operational precision with collaborative support makes her a trusted partner across departments.
Before joining UPMC, Kimberly spent five years in an accounting office as an administrative assistant, where she managed client payments, maintained handwritten general ledgers, processed tax documentation, and oversaw timesheet entry with a high degree of accuracy. Prior to that, she dedicated four years to a counseling center as a medical records specialist, handling records requests, intake documentation, compliance chart audits, psychiatry scheduling, medication ordering, and crisis calls, while also stepping in to support office management functions as needed. Earlier in her career, she served three to four years as a bank teller at Fulton Bank and worked for approximately a decade as a substitute teacher’s aide, demonstrating adaptability and a strong commitment to service across diverse professional environments.
In addition to her professional roles, Kimberly has demonstrated significant leadership through community involvement. While her children were in school, she served four to five years as PTO President, leading fundraising initiatives, organizing educational workshops, coordinating guest speakers, and establishing scholarship programs for graduating seniors. Throughout her career, she has consistently pursued growth by taking on responsibilities beyond her formal job descriptions, driven by a passion for continuous learning, operational excellence, and helping others succeed. Her dedication, integrity, and proactive mindset continue to shape her impact in both healthcare administration and her broader community.
• CPR Certification
• Accounting Certificate
• Cosmetology
• Former PTO Secretary
• Cat Rescue and Animal Welfare Advocacy
• PTO Fundraising and Educational Programming
• High School Scholarship Program Coordination
• Annville Cleona School Dst
• Cleona Borough Parks and Recreation
• National Night Out
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to believing in myself and never giving up, even when people told me I couldn't do more because I didn't have a formal degree. You have to have it in yourself and believe in yourself, though I'm not saying I never have doubts, because absolutely there are days when I question things. I could have given up so many times. I actually had somebody tell me about 20 years ago, when I was saying how I wanted to do more and grow and move up in positions, that sometimes you just have to get yourself to a point where enough is good enough. But I'm not there. You just have to have the drive, and I know in my heart that there's more I can do, more I can learn, and more I can give, because the more I learn, the more I like to share it with other people. I just needed somebody to give me the chance to say show me what you got, show me what you can do, and when I interviewed for this position, my director said she didn't have time to micromanage and hover, that she needed me to come in and show what I could do. It's been incredible, the things I've been able to do. I can finally spread my wings and say yes, I can do this. I always knew I could, I just needed somebody that would let me prove it.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Never underestimate your ability to grow.”
Kimberly embraced this mindset as she transitioned through different roles and ultimately secured her position within graduate medical education—an achievement she considers a milestone in her professional journey.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say know you can do it, believe in yourself. Try to find a role model if you can, whether that be a mentor within your field, or even use resources like LinkedIn. I love going on LinkedIn because the things that are on there are so motivational, and they reflect how I've been feeling all along and never had a way to put it into words. When I see these things, I get so excited because if I'm excited about it, then somebody else out there has got to see it and be excited about it too, so I share it on other social media platforms. Don't let people hold you down and tell you you can't do it. I'm not saying go in if you don't have the skills, like I'm not going to go in the hospital and operate on somebody because that's way outside of my realm, but I know what I'm capable of. There are a lot of narcissists out there, and gaslighting is huge and a hard thing to overcome when people gaslight you. But you need to have confidence in yourself, even if you have to be alone, because sometimes you just have to be alone to reflect and get away and recharge and come back and say yes, I'm not going to let you hold me down, because that's a problem with whoever's trying to hold you back, not you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is adapting to continually evolving healthcare compliance standards while managing the high volume of administrative demands within medical education. The regulatory landscape requires constant attention to detail and ongoing learning to ensure accuracy and accountability. At the same time, I must balance operational precision with a human centered approach, recognizing that behind every process are physicians, trainees, and patients who rely on thoughtful support. Despite these challenges, I see tremendous opportunity for growth within healthcare management, particularly through continued education and professional development. There are expanding leadership pathways for experienced administrative professionals who bring both strategic insight and operational expertise. Additionally, leveraging technology to streamline medical education processes presents a meaningful opportunity to improve efficiency, enhance communication, and strengthen overall program effectiveness.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is extremely important to me. I'm very honest and authentic. People sometimes think I'm fake because I'm just so authentic, they can't believe that's who I really am. But I can't be anybody else, I can't be other than who I am. I'm very welcoming and inclusive and kind to everybody, until you give me a real reason not to be, and even then I'll forgive you 10 times over and then some. I'm always willing to give people another chance. I've told my boss that if I did something wrong, I would have told her myself, because I can't live with myself otherwise. That's not in my nature. I also value helping others tremendously. My fault is that I help too much. I want to help, I want to learn, I want to help, so I have to hold myself back from stepping in and saying let me help you, let me do that. That is one thing I am personally working on, to not over-help. I get so excited about helping and wanting to be better and helping other people be better, because that's what we need to be doing.