Her Story
About Kristin
Kristin Hazel serves as Sleep Division Manager in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has spent six and a half years in sleep therapy after an unconventional path that began with earning her bachelor's degree. Initially exploring options for graduate school, Hazel took a role in a health field in January 2020. When COVID struck, her company invested in her by sending her to respiratory school. She worked as a therapist for a couple of years before advancing to manage the entire sleep division, where she contributes to business decisions including financial and inventory matters while leading her team. Hazel holds her respiratory licensing and BLS certification. She credits her success to the values instilled by her parents, who emphasized doing one's best and working hard, combined with her own internal drive to succeed and experience everything. Hazel advises young women entering the field to take risks, experience all areas of respiratory therapy such as hospital, outpatient, and home care settings, and even specialized areas like ECMO. She emphasizes that attitude and effort are the only two things one can control in any situation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kristin
01What do you attribute your success to?
A lot of it is how you're raised. My parents have preached to me since I was a kid, like, do your best, work hard, you know, don't lose an opportunity because someone was a little bit better than you, like, put your best foot out there. Beyond that, I just have an internal goal, like, I want to succeed, I want to be the best at what I do, I want to experience everything. I'm intrinsically motivated, which just pushes me to do everything that I do.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Experience everything. Don't be scared to work with a certain population. Take that risk, see everything. Within respiratory, you can work in hospital, outpatient, home offices. You can do anything, like ECMO. You just have to see it all. Take risks.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Attitude and effort are the only two things you can control. No matter what happens in the situation, those are the two things you can own, so just be proud of your actions, your decisions, and your behaviors, and you're halfway there already.
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