Reyna M. Banda
Reyna M. Banda is a healthcare administration professional with more than a decade of experience serving patients and communities across the Rio Grande Valley. She currently serves as Patient Experience Manager and Coach at Harlingen Medical Center, where she acts as a dedicated patient advocate in a 112-bed facility. In this role, Reyna leads patient rounding, coordinates leadership follow-up, and provides direct outreach to ensure patients feel informed, supported, and heard during some of their most vulnerable moments. Throughout her 12-year career in healthcare, Reyna has built a strong foundation across customer service, administrative operations, employee engagement, community outreach, and healthcare marketing. Prior to her current role, she focused on strengthening workplace culture and community connection by increasing employee engagement and volunteerism. Her work is grounded in clear communication, plain-language education, and teach-back methods that empower patients to understand their care and confidently ask questions, while also connecting them to critical community resources. Reyna is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration at University of Phoenix, building on her certification in medical administration. She serves on a local advisory council for Make-A-Wish RGV and remains deeply committed to community service and leadership development. Under her leadership in patient experience, Harlingen Medical Center earned its first Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades—a milestone achievement that reflects Reyna’s passion for compassionate care, advocacy, and continuous improvement in healthcare delivery.
• Microsoft Excel-Intermediate
• CompTIA Project+
• University of Phoenix- B.S.
• South Texas Vocational Technical Institute
• Active involvement with: Make-A-Wish Catholic Charities Foundation Reflecting her strong commitment to service
• Compassion
• And community support.
• Make-A-Wish
• Catholic Charities Foundation
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to emotional intelligence, resilience, and a genuine passion for helping others—especially shaped by advocating for my mother during illness, which deepened my empathy and strengthened my purpose in patient advocacy and healthcare leadership.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that growth comes from seeking help, staying open to learning, and stepping outside your comfort zone—a mindset that guided me from being anti-social to becoming an extroverted introvert and confident healthcare leader.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering healthcare is to take risks, pursue learning opportunities, and step forward even when you feel unready, knowing that confidence grows through action and that your empathy and insight are invaluable to leadership.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
A key challenge in healthcare is that patient experience is often measured by numbers rather than meaningful human connection. At the same time, there are growing opportunities to improve care through patient feedback, address communication barriers, and elevate the role and impact of patient advocates—an area Reyna is particularly passionate about.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to Reyna are compassion, service, communication, faith, and advocacy for those who feel unheard. She is committed to ensuring patients feel safe and supported while also prioritizing staff well-being and preventing burnout in healthcare teams.