A powerful reflection on the true cost of ambition, exploring how one woman discovered that real success requires knowing when to pause, reassess, and prioritize her well-being over endless achievement.
Verified Member
Influential Woman · Healthcare / Surgical Services
Laura Holthaus, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSL
Director of Surgical Services, Allina Health, Mercy Hospital
Minneapolis, MN 55433
1Article published
1Award received
“
My job title matters less than the impact I have. I find meaning in helping people feel supported, seen, and capable.
Laura Holthaus, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSL · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Laura
Laura Holthaus, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSL, is a senior healthcare leader, perioperative nursing professional, and founder of Perioperative Strategy Group, LLC. With more than 15 years of experience spanning clinical care, perioperative nursing, surgical services operations, senior healthcare leadership, and healthcare innovation, she has built a career dedicated to advancing patient care, developing future leaders, and driving meaningful healthcare transformation.
Laura currently serves as Director of Surgical Services at Allina Health's Mercy Hospital after previously leading perioperative operations and sterile processing at Gillette Children's. Throughout her career, she has overseen multimillion-dollar capital projects, led large-scale operational and cultural transformation initiatives, championed evidence-based practice, and driven measurable improvements in quality, patient safety, workforce engagement, sustainability, and financial performance.
Her path to leadership was anything but traditional. Inspired by the nurses who cared for her father during his battle with cancer, Laura entered healthcare at a young age and steadily advanced through roles in environmental services, sterile processing, perioperative nursing, charge leadership, service line leadership, management, and senior leadership. Along the way, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, completed her MBA, achieved CNOR and CSSL certification, and became a passionate advocate for professional development, mentorship, and lifelong learning.
Known for her authentic and people-centered leadership style, Laura believes the most effective leaders create environments where individuals feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow. She has mentored nurses pursuing certification and clinical advancement, championed sustainability initiatives within perioperative services, and led efforts to increase professional development opportunities for nursing teams. Her work has contributed to increased clinical ladder participation, improved staff engagement, enhanced patient outcomes, and stronger operational performance.
Laura is actively involved in advancing the nursing profession through her service with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), where she serves on the Board of Directors for the Twin Cities Chapter and previously served as Treasurer. She is also involved with the Minnesota Hospital Association Surgical Services Committee, the American Nurses Association, the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing, and multiple healthcare sustainability initiatives focused on creating safer and more environmentally responsible healthcare practices.
In 2026, Laura founded Perioperative Strategy Group, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to helping healthcare organizations and startups in the MedTech space improve operational excellence, and perioperative performance.
Outside of her professional roles, Laura finds her greatest fulfillment in spending time with her husband, three children, family, and friends. Whether cheering from the sidelines, gathering around a bonfire, or exploring Minnesota's North Shore, she values the moments that keep her grounded and connected to what matters most.
Laura's journey has taught her that success is not defined solely by titles, accomplishments, or career advancement. After navigating the demands of leadership, higher education, entrepreneurship, and personal challenges, she has developed a deep appreciation for the importance of balance, resilience, and authenticity. She is passionate about helping others grow, encouraging women to pursue ambitious goals without losing sight of their well-being, and demonstrating that strong leadership begins with self-awareness and compassion.
At her core, Laura believes that meaningful impact is created through relationships. Whether leading teams, mentoring future leaders, caring for patients, or supporting her community, she strives to leave people and organizations better than she found them. Her work is guided by the belief that when people feel valued, supported, and empowered, extraordinary things can happen.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Laura
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of perseverance, compassion, and a relentless focus on patient-centered care. My early experiences witnessing healthcare in action inspired me to pursue nursing and to dedicate myself to leading teams with excellence, empathy, and integrity.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Ironically, the best career advice I ever received started as some of the worst advice.
Early in my perioperative career, a senior leader told me, "If I stopped having expectations of leadership, they would never let me down."
At the time, that statement didn't sit right with me. It felt cynical and dismissive, and over the years I've realized it reflects a mindset that can damage relationships and organizations.
What I ultimately learned was something very different: expectations are not the problem; unspoken expectations are.
As leaders, or even team members, we often become frustrated when people don't meet our expectations, but if we haven't clearly communicated those expectations, we are setting both ourselves and others up for disappointment. People cannot be accountable for standards they don't know exist. That lesson has shaped the way I lead today. I believe leadership requires clarity, courage, and transparency. Whether working with executives, physicians, staff, or colleagues, I try to make expectations visible, discuss them openly, and create space for honest conversations when expectations are not being met.
The best leaders don't lower their expectations to avoid being disappointed. They communicate them clearly enough to give others the opportunity to succeed.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do not let stereotypes, expectations, or obstacles discourage you from contributing your perspective. Some of the most important advances in healthcare occur because someone was willing to ask difficult questions, challenge existing practices, and advocate for change. Trust your expertise, speak with confidence, and remain committed to serving your team and your patients.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value patient-centered care, collaboration, integrity, and creating environments where people feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow. Throughout my career, I have learned that exceptional outcomes are rarely achieved by individuals working alone; they are the result of strong teams built on trust, respect, and shared purpose.
Professionally, I strive to balance operational excellence with empathy. While metrics, quality outcomes, financial stewardship, and efficiency are important, I believe the most successful organizations never lose sight of the people behind the numbers. Whether caring for patients, supporting families during difficult moments, or developing future healthcare leaders, I believe every decision should reflect both compassion and accountability. My leadership philosophy centers on helping others succeed, fostering professional growth, and creating a culture where individuals feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute their best work.
Personally, those same values guide how I approach life. My family, friends, and community are my foundation, and I believe meaningful success is measured not only by professional accomplishments but also by the quality of our relationships and the positive impact we have on others. I strive to be present, authentic, and intentional in both my personal and professional life, recognizing that leadership extends beyond the workplace. Whether leading a healthcare team, mentoring a colleague, or supporting my children as they pursue their own goals, I am committed to helping others grow, building meaningful connections, and leaving people better than I found them.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Laura
Losing Myself While Climbing the Ladder
How stepping back from relentless ambition became the most courageous decision of my leadership journey.
Sometimes the Bravest Thing a Woman Can Do Is Step Back
For most of my life, I believed success was a simple equation: work hard, say yes to opportunities, keep learning, and eventually you'll reach your goals.
By every outward measure, that formula worked.
I started cleaning hospitals and operating rooms as a teenager. Over the years, I worked my way through healthcare, serving in sterile processing, nursing, leadership, and senior leadership roles. I earned my bachelor's degree while working full-time and raising a family, and then did it again seven years later—with one extra kid in tow—to complete my MBA. I became a surgical services leader responsible for multimillion-dollar operations and hundreds of employees.
From the outside, it looked like a success story.
Inside, it was a different story.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped asking whether I was healthy and only asked whether I was performing.
Like many women, I became exceptionally good at carrying things: responsibilities, expectations, deadlines, and other people's problems. I convinced myself that exhaustion was normal and that stress was simply the price of leadership.
My Body Started Telling a Different Story
At 37 years old, I developed shingles. I battled recurring sinus infections. My energy disappeared. My mood changed. The things that once brought me joy no longer felt like me.
I didn't recognize how much I was struggling because I had become accustomed to functioning at a deficit.
Fortunately, someone else noticed.
A leader I greatly respected pulled me aside and encouraged me to take a leave of absence. At first, I resisted. Stepping away felt like weakness.
Leaders push through.
Leaders figure it out.
Leaders don't need a break.
At least, that's what I had always believed.
What I Learned During Those Weeks Away From Work Changed My Life
For the first time in years, I was quiet enough to hear my own thoughts.
I spent time with my family. I reflected on what mattered. I evaluated the environment I was working in and the person I was becoming within it.
I realized something difficult but important: I wasn't burned out because I was incapable. I was burned out because I had stayed in a situation that no longer aligned with who I wanted to be.
That realization eventually led me to make significant changes in my career. It led me to pursue new opportunities, launch my own consulting business, and step into a leadership role that better aligned with my values and vision for the future.
Ambition Without Boundaries Is Dangerous
The lesson wasn't that ambition is bad.
The lesson was that ambition without boundaries is dangerous.
Women are often encouraged to chase the next title, degree, promotion, or opportunity. Those achievements matter. I'm proud of mine.
But success loses its meaning when you sacrifice your health, your relationships, and your sense of self to achieve it.
Today, I still believe in working hard. I still believe in setting ambitious goals.
But I also believe that the strongest leaders know when to pause, reassess, and choose a different path.
Sometimes the bravest thing a woman can do isn't pushing harder.
Sometimes it's giving herself permission to step back long enough to remember who she is.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.