Her Story
About Rowena
Rowena Lyons serves as a senior human resources business partner at Humana, where she supports the healthcare industry from her base in Church Hill, Tennessee. Her career spans more than three decades, beginning with 26 years in retail that included progression from selling shoes to store manager and 15 years as assistant store manager of human resources and operations. After leaving retail in 2008, she worked in staffing as VP of HR, earned an MBA with a concentration in human resources following her 1988 graduation from ETSU, obtained SHRM certification, and advanced in hospital settings from HR generalist to regional director before joining Humana. Lyons attributes her success to learning from strong leaders, extensive organizational training where she also served as a trainer, collaboration with peers and senior leadership including CEOs, and applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She has contributed to professional and community organizations through service on the SHRM board of directors in roles including president, vice president, and director of membership, the Junior Achievement board of directors, her church as trustee, and community initiatives with the Chamber of Commerce. Lyons values empathy, inclusivity, and compassion in both her professional and personal life, and advises young women entering the field to identify their goals early, seek mentors, work diligently, and demonstrate capability through performance.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rowena
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've learned from some really good leaders that have taught me things, and I've been able to go through a lot of trainings within each organization. I've been with them really heavy on training and learning, and then once I've learned it, I get sometimes I did get to I was a trainer for different department store. I was a trainer, and I was a trainer when I was, when I was a director, I had to do some training as well. So I mean, I feel like with the physicians, you really you grow with them, and the more that you, you know, you learn, and you get to actually facilitate those classes, it's really helpful as well, and then of course, working, you know, with your peers. Projects, and things like that, and working with leadership and senior leaderships, because when I worked in the hospital, I had to work with the senior leadership, the, you know, the CEO of the president of the hospitals, and all the leaders on the other floors to help, you know, with issues they've had, and to try to make. You know, work. Through all the and how to solve, problem solve, and use critical thinking, and things like that.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Figure it out early so that you can align everything to excel. Get a mentor especially in the field that you want to go into. Work really hard and show that you can do the jobs, and that's how I got them basically. You had to show and prove yourself. Your education helps as well but a lot of it had to do with you had to work and show that you can do the job.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy, inclusivity, and compassion. Whatever company you're with, you gotta live those values, and you've got to make sure that every day, you are living those values, and that you that you do. Because a lot of times you do heavy lifting of things that are not so fun, but you still have to use those values and incorporate that.
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