Curiosity isn't about asking more questions, it's about genuinely listening. I don't think leaders need all the answers; they need to recognize the strengths around them and let others shine.
Shelley McCabe · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Shelley
Shelley McCabe is an accomplished healthcare leader with 29 years of experience spanning cardiovascular disease prevention, rehabilitation, population health, and healthcare operations. Most recently serving as Director of Prevention and Population Health at MultiCare Pulse Heart Institute, she has dedicated her career to advancing patient-centered care, strengthening preventive health strategies, and creating programs that help people live longer, healthier lives.
McCabe began her career as a clinical exercise physiologist, combining her background as an athlete with a desire to help others improve their health. Encouraged by her mother to explore cardiac rehabilitation, she quickly discovered a professional calling in helping patients recover, regain confidence and strength, and improve their quality of life. What began as a clinical career evolved into progressively responsible leadership at MultiCare.
Throughout her career, McCabe has broken new ground and expanded her sphere of influence. She became the first exercise physiologist in the organization to advance into a leadership position and went on to serve as Supervisor and Manager of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, ultimately overseeing four locations and approximately 35 direct reports before advancing to director-level leadership.
At the center of McCabe's leadership philosophy is a belief that the best results come from putting both patients and the people who care for them at the heart of decision-making. She strives to create environments where employees feel valued, trusted, and empowered to improve the systems in which they work. Her approach emphasizes collaboration and cross-functional problem-solving, bringing professionals together across disciplines and locations to identify challenges, develop solutions, and translate organizational strategy into meaningful improvements in care delivery.
Her work has spanned cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, preventive care, population health, and the development of innovative approaches to cardiometabolic health. Among these efforts, McCabe has helped advance Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) staging in primary care and the development of a CKM Prevention Clinic within cardiology. These initiatives reflect her broader commitment to moving healthcare further upstream by identifying risk earlier, intervening before disease progresses, and strengthening collaboration between primary and specialty care.
McCabe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Western Washington University and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology. Her professional credentials include Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional, and she is a Fellow of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. She has also contributed to the advancement of the profession through volunteer committee service with the association.
Hard work, curiosity, authenticity, and integrity have shaped McCabe's approach throughout her career. She believes meaningful and sustainable change happens when leaders listen, remain curious, bring the right people together, and create the conditions for others to contribute their expertise. Her leadership combines a strong commitment to evidence-based practice and operational excellence with a deeply human approach to patients, colleagues, and communities.
Her guiding philosophy is simple: healthcare should add life to years, not simply years to life. As she enters the next chapter of her career, McCabe remains passionate about advancing preventive healthcare, lifestyle medicine, cardiometabolic health, and population health strategies that move care beyond treating illness toward preventing disease and helping people thrive throughout their lives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shelley
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to hard work, curiosity, perseverance, and a genuine passion for making a difference in people’s lives. I have always been willing to learn, ask questions, challenge the status quo, and step into opportunities that push me beyond what I already know. Just as important, I believe success is built through people. Investing in relationships, listening to those closest to the work, and creating space for others to contribute their strengths have shaped who I am as a leader. I try to lead with authenticity and integrity, keeping patients and the people who care for them at the center of decisions. Ultimately, my passion for prevention and helping people live healthier, fuller lives continues to give purpose to my work and inspire me to grow.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is simple: when you try something new, give yourself permission to be just okay at it at first. You don’t need to know everything before you begin. Be brave enough to take the opportunity, curious enough to keep learning, and humble enough to make mistakes along the way. Some of the greatest growth in my career has come from stepping outside my comfort zone and trusting that I would learn through the experience. That mindset has helped me approach new challenges with courage rather than fear.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering healthcare is to believe in yourself, especially during the moments when you aren’t completely sure you’re ready. You are capable of doing hard things, learning new things, and growing into opportunities that may initially feel outside your comfort zone. Stay curious, ask questions, find people you can learn from, and don’t be afraid to use your voice. You don’t need to have all the answers to bring value or to become a great leader. Trust what you know, be open about what you still have to learn, and keep saying yes to opportunities that help you grow. And as you become successful, reach back and encourage other women to believe in themselves too.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Curiosity, authenticity, and integrity are the values that guide me in both my work and my personal life.
Curiosity reminds me that there is always something more to learn, especially from the people around me. It encourages me to ask thoughtful questions, but more importantly, to truly listen to the answers. I believe listening to understand, rather than simply listening to respond, creates space for different perspectives and allows us to recognize and learn from the expertise of others. Curiosity also means being willing to challenge my own thinking and change my perspective when I learn something new.
Authenticity means showing up genuinely and allowing who I am, what I believe, and what I care about to be reflected in how I interact with others. I don’t believe leadership requires becoming a different version of yourself. For me, authenticity is about being real, approachable, and willing to connect with people in a meaningful way. I also want to create an environment where others feel comfortable being themselves, sharing their perspectives, and bringing their unique strengths to the table.
Integrity, to me, is about consistency between what I believe, what I say, and how I act. It means being honest with myself and others, owning my decisions and mistakes, and following through on my commitments. Integrity is the foundation of trust. When people know they can count on you to be thoughtful, transparent, and true to your values, it creates the trust that allows relationships and teams to thrive.
Together, curiosity, authenticity, and integrity keep me open to learning, genuine in my relationships, grounded in my values, and intentional about how I show up for others.
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