Her Story
About LaShawna
My journey in healthcare began over 12 years ago, inspired by watching a nurse on the show Emergency as a child and solidified when I cared for my grandfather during his battle with cancer when I was 14 years old. I've always been someone who likes to help and care for others, and that passion has driven my entire career. For the last two and a half years, I've served as a manager at Clinica Sierra Vista, but my leadership in quality goes deeper than that. I led Central California for our insurance health plan, creating quality initiatives for different offices and improving quality of care across the region. Quality work is a little bit different because it allows me to impact care in a unique way. I've also held leadership positions with Dignity Health Management. My work is rooted in service - I truly believe that in healthcare, our job is to serve others, to ensure positive health outcomes in the communities we serve, and to find and help patients overcome the barriers that make it difficult for them to obtain care. Looking ahead, I'm working toward moving into a director role within the next five years while also building a consulting business in quality. My greatest achievement isn't any award, but rather those moments in the community when I can share or give anything related to health that makes a difference in someone's life. When I see that it has blessed them or made an impact, that's what I strive for.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with LaShawna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to remembering my why. My main reason is to be a blessing to anyone that I serve, because I feel in my heart that in healthcare, our job is service, and we can't forget that. We're serving others. It's not the other way around - it's not about people coming to me, but rather my role is to serve them. My role is to ensure that the health outcomes in the communities that I serve are positive, and then finding those barriers that are making it difficult for patients to obtain care and helping them to overcome them. I also credit my success to believing in myself and knowing that I'm the only person who can stop me from my dream. My mother, Loretta Whitfield, has always been my first mentor and a constant support. My grandmothers have also been instrumental, and knowing my history and knowing what my success means to my family keeps me going. I've also been blessed with mentors like Alma Corvira, a physician assistant who was always willing to educate me, teach me, and bring me under her wing, and Bonnie Quinones, who told me during a rough time to never let anyone dim my light and to continue to shine.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from Bonnie Quinones when I was going through a rough time at one of my previous jobs. She was leaving the company, and before she left, she told me, 'Shawna, wherever you go, do not let anyone dim your light. Continue to shine.' Hearing that from her during such a difficult moment was incredibly powerful. She emphasized, 'Don't let them blow your light out. You keep shining.' That advice has stayed with me and reminds me to never let challenges or difficult people diminish my passion and purpose.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to a woman newly going into healthcare is to come in like a sponge, wanting to absorb everything, and not let fear stop her from trying to do anything that she may find of interest. In healthcare, I've noticed that fear can demotivate others, making them think that they're not able and capable, but they really are. Don't let any outside elements design your path for you. Create your own path in healthcare. If it is a passion, just be open and be a learner. Take initiative and don't let fear hold you back from pursuing what interests you.
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