Sheree Washington, MPH, CPXP, CPHQ, LSSBB
Sheree Washington, MPH, CPXP, CPHQ, LSSBB, is a strategic healthcare leader specializing in consumer experience and performance improvement. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and roughly 18 years in leadership roles, she has built a career influencing the people who directly impact patients, members, and providers. Sheree’s approach is consultative, bridging the gap between organizational leadership assumptions and frontline realities to drive measurable improvements in service delivery, patient satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Her expertise spans healthcare consumer experience, Lean Six Sigma process optimization, strategic planning, and mental health and wellness initiatives.
Throughout her career, Sheree has successfully led projects that improved CMS patient survey Star Ratings, Value-Based Purchasing scores, and employee engagement across large, complex healthcare organizations. She has trained thousands of consumer-facing employees, developed actionable insights from CX data, and implemented workflow redesigns that center the person served. Her leadership style emphasizes growth, development, and advocacy rather than direct personnel management, allowing her to champion both teams and organizational goals while maintaining regulatory and accreditation compliance.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Sheree is a passionate advocate for mental wellness, empowerment, and community service. She serves as Worthy Matron for the Order of the Eastern Star and actively engages in philanthropic initiatives, including youth scholarships, charitable giving, and support for underserved populations. Sheree attributes her success to authenticity, compassion, and fostering strong, meaningful relationships. She is committed to guiding healthcare organizations toward people-centered solutions that enhance experiences, reduce inefficiencies, and create lasting positive impact.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
• Certified Patient Experience Professional
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality
• Florida International University – Master of Public Health (MPH), Health and Wellness
• Florida International University – Bachelor of Arts (BA), Health Services Administration
• Featured in Marquis Who’s Who in America, 77th Edition
• Influential Women 2026
• Influential Women Network
• Order of the Eastern Star – Worthy Matron
• Community Service Organization
• Community service through Order of the Eastern Star, including youth scholarships, support for local charities, feeding and clothing the homeless, and other social initiatives
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being authentically myself in every space at every time. That's what adds the most value. It's who I am that made me more welcome and more successful. I learned that being myself, rather than code-switching or trying to seem less threatening or avoiding the stigma of the angry Black woman, is what has made the biggest difference. I had to remember that I was invited into spaces in the first place because I have the knowledge, the experience, and the skills. They wanted me there. So being authentically myself is what has made me successful.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Nobody really multitasks. Everyone who says they multitask is lying. You can either be a jack of all trades and a master of none, or you can be a master of that one thing and do that one thing really great, and move on to the next. You do most things slightly less well when you try to do them all at once than you would have been able to do them if you just focused on that one thing.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice would be to be authentically yourself in every space at every time, because that's what's going to add the most value. One thing I find challenging, especially as a Black woman leading in this space, is finding the courage to be yourself at all times. In our community, we generally code switch. You want to seem non-threatening, you don't want the stigma of angry Black woman, you want to be malleable in the spaces that you're in so that you continue to get invited in those spaces. But then you forget that you were invited in the first place because you have the knowledge and you have the experience, you have the skills. They wanted you there. So you forget to be yourself sometimes. Being authentically myself is what has made me more successful and more welcome.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include finding the courage to be yourself as a Black woman leader, bridging the gap between leadership assumptions and frontline realities, and balancing the emotional load while wearing multiple hats. Opportunities include influencing leaders to design better services and benefits, using Lean Six Sigma process improvement to reduce waste and center the people served, and expanding impact through speaking engagements and leadership fellowships.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think the most important value is going about life with a spirit of caring and compassion. I'm passionate about the work I do because I care about people and the experiences that they have. Growing up in a rough area without a lot of resources made me more compassionate, and I try to teach my kids to understand their surroundings and the people around them, and to care about them as much as they care about themselves. When you have, you give back, because when you give, your hand is open and open enough to continue to receive. If you're trying to hold onto something so tight, you don't have the capacity to receive. That applies not just to things and money, but also to community and networks. Having a strong community is how we survive and excel as a people. You can't handle it by yourself. I also believe in treating people the way they want to be treated, not just the way you want to be treated. You have to figure out what that is and treat them the way they want to be treated.