Maggie Koch

I would attribute my success to always staying curious and pushing the boundaries. I think oftentimes we get very stuck in 'this is the way how we do things,' and I've been provided the space to think creatively, be curious, and not ever be comfortable with the status quo. But it's also about providing that same space and opportunity to others around me. I think being really genuine and authentic has been crucial because over the course of my career, creating and developing trust and really positive relationships with folks is really what helps you foster great relationships in the working environment and culture, and collaborate with others to get things done. I've also been incredibly fortunate to have some really amazing leaders over the course of my career, and they all happen to be women, which is pretty cool. These influential women leaders have made a huge difference in my ability to develop my career and have really given me the opportunity to just try something or get more exposure or learn different things.

The best career advice I've received is to always stay curious and push the boundaries. I've learned that we often get very stuck in 'this is the way how we do things,' but it's so important to think creatively and never be comfortable with the status quo. I've also been taught to provide that same space and opportunity to others around me. Another crucial piece of advice has been about being really genuine and authentic in everything I do. Over the course of my career, I've learned that creating and developing trust and really positive relationships with people is what helps you foster great working environments and culture, and it's what allows you to collaborate with others to get things done. I also really enjoy making connections with people.

I think just staying focused on what's really important. Especially in the space of healthcare, we need more folks who really are dedicated to caring. I think oftentimes people are like, 'oh, I'm gonna go into that, because maybe I'll get a good paycheck, or whatever.' But I think it's just, you know, trust your heart, trust your gut. If you want to care for individuals and care for people, I do think at the end of the day, that's what makes some of the best people who are nurses. I also want young women to know that nursing has a wide range of opportunities that you can be employed in. It doesn't just have to be a bedside nurse, or working at a clinic. You could be in a leadership role with a large team, you could do employee wellness, cancer care, kids, maternity, or work at an insurance company. There's even nurses on cruise ships! I think there's a lot of places and spaces that a nursing degree in particular is valuable. So make sure you're in it for the right reasons, and broaden your mind and scope of what that nursing license could provide to you. It's one of the most diverse backgrounds to have because you can be employed in so many different sectors of the business world.

I really, really appreciate being authentic and transparent with folks. I think I really love developing trusting relationships with people and helping them level up their skills and support them. As a leader, I don't like to micromanage people. I like to work together to build things and be transparent in that. I also think that, especially in my role now, I have a huge opportunity to advocate for the patients that we serve, the community that we're impacting, and the team of people who work on my team and our staff to make sure that they are safe and we're providing good quality care, and that they're also having a good experience. When we're bumping up against barriers, it's really my opportunity to be able to advocate for my teams to help remove those barriers and allow them to be successful in their work. In my personal life, I'm very close with my family and spend a lot of time with my nieces and nephews and my kiddos. I'm mothering from Earth and Heaven with my kiddos on a regular basis, as my oldest daughter was stillborn and would have been a certain age this May.