From nursing assistant to public relations, Angela Mandelos grew her career in unexpected ways at Northwell Health
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That support made the decision to continue her education easy, attaining a bachelor’s degree followed by an MBA in Healthcare Management. Throughout this time, Angela was also given multiple opportunities by SSUH leadership to participate in various hospital committees which expanded her scope and knowledge of the health system.
That support made the decision to continue her education easy, attaining a bachelor’s degree followed by an MBA in Healthcare Management. Throughout this time, Angela was also given multiple opportunities by SSUH leadership to participate in various hospital committees which expanded her scope and knowledge of the health system.
The combination of her continued education, her desire to spread her wings, and Northwell’s workplace culture helped set new directions for Angela’s career journey in the organization. Angela embarked on a second phase in her career with the department of service excellence at SSUH. She became a certified patient advocate, led an award-winning team, and soon grew in her role again. First, she served as director of community relations and then as principal of public and media relations at SSUH, which is the role she holds today. “These positions expanded my knowledge of our community and the importance of preventive education,” Angela says.
Her experiences made her a thought leader in community engagement and communication, and Angela sees it as an opportunity to impact not only the workforce but the patients cared for at Northwell Health. Angela believes that her successes wouldn’t have been possible without a lot of teamwork, “I am grateful to have leaders and peers who support my ideas and offer continuous motivation; we support and respect each other.”
Angela’s Northwell career journey unexpectedly took her from nursing assistant to principal of public and media relations. When asked what inspired her to grow her career at Northwell, Angela explains, “My years as a nursing assistant provided me with firsthand knowledge of patients’ experiences, and the day-to-day efforts of frontline heroes. Those moments inspired me to keep pushing myself to be their voice and to help create an environment that brings smiles to all.”
One piece of advice that Angela has for both new and seasoned employees looking to grow their careers at Northwell: “Make every moment meaningful. Every moment is an opportunity to learn something new, make new connections, or to make a difference!”
Discover a career well cared for at Northwell Health.
A Team of Trailblazers in and out of the Operating Room
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The perioperative team at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) and Cohen Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) takes their commitment to wellness very seriously. Not only the wellness of their patients, but also their own wellness and that of their colleagues. This is why recently the group of 14 registered nurses, certified surgical technicians, surgeons, managers, and support staff from LIJMC and CCMC laced up their hiking boots and hit the trails, something they do together regularly.
While these outdoor team-building exercises are a great way to enjoy nature, they are also a chance to get to know one another better and form bonds that help them work better as a team inside the operating room. . “Forming a better relationship/bond with your co-workers helps us work better as a team while at work,” says Danielle Colwell, assistant nurse manager, patient care at CCMC. “You gain more respect for one another and are more eager to assist each other when the need arises, which in the operating room is quite often.” It’s that kind of commitment, support and mutual respect among colleagues that makes Northwell Health a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®.
Northwell encourages its employees to find ways to make their wellness a priority both at work and outside of work. We provide the resources and support to make wellness more convenient and fun like incentives for exercising, such as walk challenges and wellness contests, as well as workshops, wellness apps, and access to resources for emotional and stress management, financial well-being, healthy eating, and more.
Nurturing wellness and empowering our people to decompress, get outside, and stay active however it best suits them is essential in healthcare. And we encourage and embrace opportunities for our teams to find ways to focus on their well-being together and bring that commitment and collaboration back to their careers at Northwell.
Northwell Community: Celebrating Pride Month
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Continue celebrating Pride Month with us by watching our latest Northwell Community series video. Learn how our Expressions BERG (Business Employee Resource Group) provides opportunities for our LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies to connect and promote inclusion in the workplace. Our BERGs are active resources that help to create an informed work environment where everyone feels welcomed, accepted, and respected. Northwell Health is made stronger by the differences in backgrounds and experiences of our employees.
How the culture at Northwell has provided opportunities for LGBTQ+ employees and allies to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community
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Jared Oliveira has been with Northwell Health for more than five years and is a gay member of the LGBTQ+ community. Having the security of a safe workplace is important to him and is something that Northwell has always provided. “I believe that Northwell is determined to better the experience for the LGBTQ+ population,” he says.
Jared is a program manager in corporate community relations. He is also a proud member of the leadership team for the Expressions BERG (business employee resource group). He defines this BERG as, “an employee group that is dedicated to influencing a culture of inclusion and advocacy throughout Northwell to support the LGBTQ+ community.”
In his role as program manager, Jared is responsible for overseeing community-based programs, such as managing pop-up COVID-19 testing clinics and assisting with the organization of vaccine distributions during COVID. That passion for impacting communities excited Jared about taking on a lead role in this year’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) survey – a national LGBTQ+ benchmarking tool that evaluates the policies and practices related to equity and inclusion for patients, visitors and employees of healthcare facilities. The HEI survey is an important annual initiative for him and his fellow Expressions BERG team members, such as Kimberly Schwalb, manager of operations for the Cancer Center at Mather Hospital
Kimberly is a proud ally and the executive coordinator for the Expressions BERG. Like Jared, she wants to help in any way that she can to ensure that all employees feel heard and accepted. She believes advocacy is made easier because Northwell is an organization where everyone unites behind the commitment to diversity and inclusion. One of Kimberly’s fondest memories was marching along with a contingent of over 750 Northwell employees down 5th Ave. for World Pride. It was a moving and powerful moment that brought employees together. “Northwell celebrates the diversity of all our team members,” she says.
In her role at the Cancer Center at Mather Hospital, Kimberly is responsible for the management and coordination of all practices for the cancer program. She also supports the planning and implementation of programs and processes essential to two cancer accreditations. Kimberly combines her expertise in management and coordination with her passion for celebrating diversity in the work she does for the Expressions BERG: “I partner with team members from across the health system to implement activities that focus on LGBTQ+ inclusion and that follow through on Northwell’s commitment to diversity.”
Together with the rest of the Expressions BERG leadership team, Jared and Kimberly enjoy curating events that celebrate all LGBTQ+ national awareness days. The BERG also helps promote practices that respect gender identities and pronouns and they collaborate with the health system as a whole to help increase the clinical services available for the LGBTQ+ community at Northwell.
Jared says, “Northwell puts employees first. For me, I am able to be who I am comfortably, regardless of my identity, and I am respected across the health system by my colleagues.” Kimberly adds, “Northwell celebrates our differences and is committed to the communities we serve.”
Discover a career well cared for, where employees are encouraged to be Truly Ourselves.
An Appointment With: Joe Molloy, Vice President, Workforce Safety
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As vice president of workforce safety, Joe Molloy is responsible for ensuring a safe work environment for our 76,000-strong Northwell employees. Joe started his career with Northwell in 2005 as corporate director of benefits with prior job experience in employee safety in hospital settings in addition to expertise in benefits and employee wellness. In 2014, Joe’s role and proficiency resulted in the creation of the workforce safety department that carries out Northwell’s commitment to safety in the workplace.
We spoke with Joe Molloy to learn more about how this department keeps safety a top priority.
What is the role of workforce safety at Northwell Health?
Workforce safety is committed to reinforcing a culture of safety for everyone from patients to team members, and ensuring that we are all advocates for a safe work environment as employees across the health system. Patient safety starts with team member safety, so our department has developed many programs and educational modules to reinforce the importance across the organization. As a result, we have award-winning programs that have been recognized by New York State and nationally for their success.
What are some of the different positions on the workforce safety team?
A few teams operate under the workforce safety umbrella. We have roles that include safety training, communications, programs and care coordination, OSHA compliance, workers’ compensation, and industrial hygiene.
We take our mission to enforce a safe environment for all very seriously and really appreciate the partnerships we have throughout the health system, including with the safety officers, the office of legal affairs, security, HR, risk, engineering and the organization as a whole. We couldn’t drive safety without everyone’s participation. Workforce safety’s efforts are made easier by the culture of Truly Together that permeates every corner of the health system.
How did your team make an impact during the pandemic?
Like many departments at Northwell, our team members were re-deployed around the health system to help with the COVID-19 response. In addition, we organized the re-fit testing of more than 40,000 employees to ensure proper safety, fit and use of PPE. Further, the team made yeoman’s efforts to support wherever there was a need.
What advice would you offer someone thinking of a career in workforce safety?
If you are the kind of person that enjoys taking care of fellow team members, or, you have an interest in how we keep our team members safe, you may want to consider a career in workforce safety.
Why Northwell Health was named DiversityInc’s top company for diversity in health care
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2021 is the second consecutive year Northwell Health has been awarded “Best Health System for Diversity” in the nation by DiversityInc. It is the ninth consecutive year that the organization has been included on this list.
As New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, Northwell has 76,000 employees who are a reflection of the communities they serve: one of the nation’s most diverse populations. Building an organization and work environment where everyone feels valued and included is integral to Northwell’s journey toward the tenets of diversity, inclusion and health equity for its team members, patients and communities.
Here are just a few examples of how Northwell Health has prioritized diversity and inclusivity
- We’re proud of being one of the first health systems, in partnership with the Healthcare Anchor Network, to declare racism a public health crisis.
- We continue to address health and racial disparities for COVID-19. More than any other health system, Northwell treated more COVID-19 cases – more than 191,000 patients – over a 13-month span as it collaborated with state and local government to aggressively roll out diagnostic testing and then vaccination efforts to underserved communities across New York City, Long Island and Westchester.
- Our Emerging Leaders Diversity & Inclusion Council — whose members include women, minorities, persons with disabilities and veterans with a passion for leadership — is empowered to build a culture of diversity awareness and inclusion to attract, develop and retain enthusiastic and ambitious talent for all leadership levels.
- Our neurodiversity virtual mentorship program and summer internship program offer neurodiverse college students insights into a career in health care while cultivating a better understanding of how to support our neurodiverse population within the workplace.
- Team members can join one of our many Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), which enhance engagement, innovation and talent development while promoting an inclusive culture by celebrating our differences and commonalities. Our BERGs range from our Expressions BERG, which includes team members who are passionate about promoting unity, health equity and awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community, to our Bridges BERGs, which focus on Asian, Black/African American, Jewish and Latinx communities, among others.
- As a Military Friendly Employer award winner, we support service members transitioning from active duty to civilian life with career training, veteran-friendly transition programs, health and wellness services, MOS code job search, a student veteran mentorship program, and other resources.
- Our spirit of caring and celebration infuses every holiday, from legal holidays to meaningful religious observances to national days. Our team members strive to make each holiday special.
In addition to the top hospitals ranking, Northwell was also included on several other DiversityInc specialty lists. Northwell ranked eighth among top companies for Veterans, sixth for Latino Executives, No. 10 for Asian American Executives and No. 11 for Talent Acquisition for Women of Color.
DiversityInc examined companies using a 200-question survey that focused on six key areas: Leadership accountability, human capital diversity metrics, talent programs, workforce practices, supplier diversity and philanthropy.
Click here to learn more about Northwell’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and discover a career well cared for.
Northwell Community: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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This month Northwell Health celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Watch our latest Northwell Community series video and learn how we recognized the month, as well as more about how our Asian American BERG (Business Employee Resources Group) empowers our Northwell team members.
Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month at Northwell Health
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In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we are proud to highlight our Jewish team members alongside our Jewish Bridges Business Resource Employee Group (BERG). The Jewish Bridges BERG creates a network of team members who are proud of Jewish tradition and passionate about cultural diversity.
We spoke with Rabbi Dr. Hillel Fox, director of spiritual services, chaplaincy care and education at North Shore University Hospital, and one of the Jewish Bridges BERG co-chairs, to learn more about this amazing BERG.
What is the Jewish Bridges BERG?
The Jewish Bridges BERG is committed to providing resources to promote Jewish education, health care, business collaboration, social action, professional growth and community partnerships at Northwell Health. The Jewish Bridges BERG started in December 2019 and we have conducted amazing events to bring awareness to this BERG.
What are some events that were held?
Because our BERG is new, most of our events—except our first menorah ceremony—are held virtually. The first menorah ceremony, held at North Shore University Hospital, celebrated and recognized the American Jewish people in our country and brought awareness to our community. The second menorah ceremony, held at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, was broadcast over Zoom.
In September 2020 we held a virtual event called “New Beginnings: A Fireside Chat,” where we discussed COVID-19, the safety and security of the Jewish community and the difficulty of spending holidays in a hospital setting.
In April 2021, we presented a Holocaust Remembrance Day lecture. Dr. Hedy Wald—a clinical professor of family medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Pediatrics Leadership Program—shared her observations as a medical educator and daughter of a Holocaust survivor. She also spoke about her recent experience teaching medical students at the Witten/Herdecke Faculty of Health in Germany about medical ethics and morally resilient professional identity formation by reflecting on the role of medicine during the Holocaust.
What are some of the initiatives your team has planned for 2021?
For the rest of 2021, we will continue to hold our quarterly meetings and produce our five-year calendar of holidays and events. We also will be producing a Holocaust memorial video commemorating this 75th year since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of World War II in May 1945.
On June 17, we will be hosting “Let’s Talk about Racism: Confronting Hate and Antisemitism with Courage,” where we will reflect on current events, discuss effective techniques to speak as a victim or ally, and how to persevere through adversity as we work together to strengthen our communities to eliminate racism.
How does the BERG contribute to professional development within the organization?
The BERG is an opportunity to be a part of a small community and explore different cultures, as well as to create social connections with peers from different backgrounds and professional areas within Northwell. It is a great way to build relationships, define communication skills and learn about Jewish traditions.
An Appointment With: Patricia Flynn, Assistant Vice President of Employee Wellness
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Northwell Health’s Employee Wellness team helps enhance the well-being of every team member by delivering a healthy and safe work environment. Patricia Flynn, assistant vice president of Employee Wellness, helped develop the many programs that Northwell offers that guide our employees and their families.
Read our discussion with Patricia Flynn below to learn about the importance of well-being for our team members as we reflect on Employee Health and Fitness Month.
What is the significance of employee well-being at Northwell?
Caring for our patients begins with caring for our team members. At Northwell, well-being is so much more than a program; it is foundational to our culture – a culture that gives “permission” to be healthy! It includes healthy food choices, flexible leadership, resources for healthy living, and more. Well-being at Northwell is holistic – recognizing the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial aspects of our team members.
How does your team champion Northwell’s culture of well-being?
It is an honor and privilege to lead the professionals on my team. We exist to serve the Northwell team members, providing resources to support good health. The team is from varied backgrounds, covering the spectrum of well-being disciplines. We have public health professionals, registered dieticians, exercise physiologists, psychologists, health coaches, licensed clinical social workers and physicians. Everyone on the team is dedicated to helping team members.
How has the wellness initiatives helped our team members manage their mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?
In 2021 during the pandemic, we spoke with our team members, asked how this was impacting their overall well-being, and listened in order to create impactful programs to support them.
The Employee Wellness team partnered with a variety of departments throughout Northwell to support our team members, including but not limited to Employee Experience, Chaplaincy Services, the Employee & Family Assistance Program, Behavioral Health Service line and the newly formed Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery.
By listening to our team member’s wants and needs, the team came together to design well-thought out programs and resources that included:
- The well-being resource page – a focused well-being page that described all of our program offerings by topic area including emotional, mental, physical and spiritual.
- The Emotional Support Resource Call Center – a call line manned by the Employee Wellness team 24/7 where team members called in for emotional support and mental health referrals during the pandemic. Today, the Emotional Support Resource Call Center enables team members to speak with an Employee Wellness team member, a member of our Employee Assistance Program or Chaplaincy Services.
- An Employee Wellness YouTube channel – a channel that hosted over 100 videos including videos on guided meditation, deep breathing, self-care, healthy cooking, stretching, among others.
- Healthy Choice at Home cookbooks – developed by our own Registered Dietitian, these easy-to-make and heart-healthy recipes provided team members with a creative stress relief outlet through cooking.
- myHealthyBody Take 5 series – a series where team members could watch a pre-recorded stretch, have a certified personal trainer attend a team meeting, or join the myHealthyBody program and have a customized musculoskeletal program tailored to their needs. These were a hit among our team members and helped reinvigorate them before heading back to work.
- The first Healthcare Heroes challenge – a fundraising effort for our team members in financial crisis which raised over $25,000.
- And always a fan favorite among our team members, our “Walk to” challenge– an annual program our team members always look forward to and last year we continued our challenge virtually with Walk to the Parks.
What are some of the initiatives your team has planned for 2021?
Key priorities for 2021 are emotional well-being, supporting our team members’ families, a safe and healthy pathway back to the workplace and a continued focus on reducing chronic disease. We will also be launching another “Walk To” destination challenge. Last year over 20,000 team members participated in our Walk to the Parks.
In 2020 we also made progress in de-stigmatizing mental health – but much more work is needed. In 2021 we will continue to normalize the conversation around these issues.
This year, the Employee Wellness continues to bring a wealth of resources and support to our team members. We continued to ask our team members for feedback and listened to their needs through the Well-Being Support Survey, a collaborative survey with Employee Experience and the Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery.
As a result of what we heard, we are launching or have launched programs that include wellness workshops; projects around the importance of self-care and community; resources and programs for mental health; and an inspiration call line for our team members to receive uplifting messages of hope and encouragement.
What else should someone know about Northwell’s dedication to employee well-being?
A key success factor in any workplace well-being program is leadership commitment. At Northwell, it is real! Well-being IS the well in Northwell! Another key success factor is the integration of well-being into the plans of many partners and that has been critical here at Northwell. We partner with many teams across the organization.
Why Northwell Health is once again a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®!
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Northwell Health has been named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the second year in a row, ranking 19 on the prestigious annual list. We are also the only New York health system ranked, recognized for our commitment to employee health amid COVID-19 crisis.
With a workforce of more than 76,000 based at 23 hospitals and 830 outpatient facilities throughout New York City, Long Island and Westchester County, Northwell was selected from among thousands of companies nationwide.
Ninety percent of Northwell’s respondents reported being “proud to tell others” where they work and 84 percent said that “taking everything into account, they would say it is a great place to work.” The responses given during the ongoing pandemic reflect that Northwell team members feel more supported psychologically and emotionally, believe that Northwell cares about creating a good working environment, and that executive leadership embodies the best of Northwell.
A commitment to employee health and safety!
Another major factor contributing to the ranking included our commitment to employee health, both emotional and financial. For example, recognizing that frontline employees were under immense pressure, the health system created tranquility spaces using tents outside hospitals during the surge. Behavioral health professionals were available free of charge, as well as chaplaincy services, well-being resources and more. This provided safe and calming environments for employees to reflect, meditate, or pray before or after a shift.
The tents have now been replaced with indoor spaces as a permanent feature at Northwell hospitals.
To mitigate the worry many employees had of bringing the coronavirus home to their families, Northwell established partnerships with IHG Hotels, Ronald McDonald House, and various universities to provide housing so employees could physically distance from loved ones. Those who found alternative accommodations outside of this program were reimbursed for their expenses. Northwell also partnered with a transportation company to provide dedicated shuttles, so no one had to worry about potentially infecting other public transit passengers or being infected themselves.
Supporting families through a crisis
To aid employees with young children the health system offered crisis care reimbursement and a subsidized in-person childcare program for the 2020-2021 school year to help offset financial strain on families.
Recognizing the need for additional help, the Northwell Heroes Caregiver Support Fund was created to provide resources to employees who were financially impacted by the pandemic, such as a spouse’s job loss or a family member’s death. To date, the fund has disbursed $1,056,208.
In addition, the health system set up the Northwell Heroes Memorial Fund to support the families of employees who died from COVID-19, including help with funeral expenses, memorials, and other related expenses. The fund has raised more than $323,000 to cover salary and benefits that affected families continue to receive.
Delivering the COVID vaccine
On December 14, 2020, Northwell was the first health system in the United States to immunize its frontline workers against COVID-19, and has continued to roll out its vaccination efforts to team members.
While Northwell is focused on protecting team members, it is also at the forefront of the vaccination effort throughout the communities it serves with partnerships with county agencies, other health care providers, and community and faith-based organizations the vaccine is reaching as many as possible.
Northwell’s Best Companies to Work For recognition comes on the heels of the health system being named to Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma list, earning the No. 2 spot for the category of large health care organization.
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Helping our new hires get ready for their Northwell career journey
Helping our new hires get ready for their Northwell career journey
[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”] At Northwell Health, we strive to provide the best experience for our incoming team members to ensure they are fully prepared to start and experience a career well cared for.Our pre-boarding and onboarding teams in the Talent Acquisition Department support our new hires from the moment they accept a job offer through their first day. They aim to provide a smooth transition from candidate to team member with guidance along the way.
Steps these teams help our future team members complete include:
- Health and pre-hire appointments for medical clearance and required onboarding paperwork
- A visit to security and human resources for certain requirements and an ID badge, as well as other verification processes
- Preparing for our Beginnings orientation to help our newest team members be set up for success in their new career with us.
There is a great deal of coordination to ensure everyone is ready to begin in their new role at the right time.
Meet some of our amazing team members from our pre-boarding and onboarding teams :
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Deziree Brandi, Supervisor, Talent Acquisition
Deziree has grown into her career at Northwell since starting as an admin support associate with FlexStaff in 2018. As a supervisor for talent acquisition in Human Resources, she supports the talent acquisition onboarding team by providing guidance for various projects and processes, ensuring that start dates are met, and helping to integrate new technology. “I always love working hand-in-hand with the candidates to provide them with the support and understanding of what is needed to start their new positions and future with Northwell,” says Deziree.
Deziree has also been able to grow her career at Northwell. “My previous and current managers have supported my growth by providing me with the tools and guidance to take on stretch assignments, develop professionally, and to build my confidence so I was ready to move into the next stage of my career,” says Deziree.[/av_textblock] [av_hr class=’invisible’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”]
Aaron Weeks, Associate Talent Acquisition Program Manager
As a talent acquisition associate program manager for the Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) team, Aaron helps facilitate a smooth and efficient onboarding experience for new ACP hires by partnering with medical staff services, hiring managers, and organizational leadership. “Interacting with the new hires is my favorite part,” says Aaron “I’m passionate about the customer service I provide, and I love making a difference in someone’s life no matter how big or small.”
Aaron has also grown his career here at Northwell. “Northwell has been impactful to my growth and development in many ways,” says Aaron. “My colleagues and leaders played the biggest role in my growth and development because they challenge me to be my best daily.”[/av_textblock] [av_hr class=’invisible’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”]
Jeniece Devita, Talent Acquisition Representative
As a talent acquisition representative, Jeniece’s role is ensuring new hires are prepared for their appointments and verifying work experience, education, and credentials. Once the new hires have completed all of their requirements, she ensures they are set up for Beginnings, which is our new hire orientation, site orientation and any additional trainings required for her new team member journey. “There are many things I enjoy about working in onboarding,” says Jeniece. “I’m someone who likes to understand how what I’m doing fits into the bigger picture. It’s one of the things I find rewarding in my role. I can see how the work we do as HR professionals enables employees and the overall organization to reach their objectives.”[/av_textblock] [av_hr class=’invisible’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”]
Join the Talent Acquisition team and become a Health Raiser.
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An Appointment With: Dr. Jennifer Mieres, Senior Vice President, Center for Equity of Care
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Jennifer Mieres, MD, FACC, MASNC, FAHA started her career as a physician at Northwell Health before she returned to the health system in 2010 to establish the office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Literacy. In 2012, she assumed oversight for the Katz Institute for Women’s Health before leading the evolution of her team into the Center for Equity of Care in 2017.
Today Dr. Mieres is the senior vice president, Center for Equity of Care and the Chief Diveristy and Inclusion Officer at Northwell Health. In addition to her Northwell responsibilities, she’s also a professor of Cardiology and associate dean of Faculty Affairs that Zucker School of Medicine. Through all of her roles at Northwell, from director of Nuclear Cardiology at North Shore University Hospital, to becoming our first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Mieres has been a leader with a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion.
We spoke with Dr. Mieres to discuss Northwell’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and the work of the Center for Equity of Care.
What exactly does your role as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer entail?
For 17 years, my role as a cardiologist was a mixture of clinical practice, women’s heart health research, teaching, community education and some administrative work. Now, as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, my mission is to identify gaps resulting from disparities in healthcare and establish evidence-based strategies for eliminating them. For the past 10 years, I have spent most of my time on the design and implementation of programs dedicated to diversity, cultural and linguistic competency, health literacy, and the expanded model for women’s health with the Katz Institute for women’s health . We have established several strategic partners throughout the health system, to advance our diversity , equity and inclusion agenda forward.
What role does the Center for Equity of Care play within Northwell Health?
The Center for Equity of Care (CEC) is Northwell’s platform for advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Health care. Since being established in 2017, or mission has been this: To advance the delivery of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care in partnership with our communities with the goal of achieving health equity.
Northwell has taken a comprehensive approach to addressing healthcare disparities by making Diversity, inclusion and health equity a priority in all areas at Northwell Health, the Zucker School of Medicine and the Northwell Hofstra School of Nursing. CEC serves as a resource for the health system and communities, focusing on diversity and inclusion, women’s health, health literacy, education, cultural and linguistic competency, community partnership and appropriate community-and gender-based research initiatives. Our objective is to ensure all team members have the skills and knowledge to provide culturally responsive health care to all our patients. We work with all areas and departments of Northwell to embed the tenets of diversity, inclusion and health equity across the health system, medical and nursing schools. The CEC defines diversity as the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and beliefs as assets to the workplace. At Northwell Health, we believe that every team member deserves to feel welcomed, respected and supported, and that differences should be acknowledged and embraced.
You founded and maintain strategic oversight of Northwell’s BERGs. Why is this program so important?
The Center of Equity of Care founded Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) in 2013 and they have been instrumental in advancing an inclusive culture at Northwell. The BERGs program was established to enhance employee engagement, innovation and talent development, and promote an inclusive culture ensuring the delivery of culturally sensitive, quality patient care. Our BERGs are integral to fulfilling our mission, serve an important role in building a diverse pipeline of talent at all levels and sustaining trusted partnerships with the communities we serve.
BERG objectives include developing employee engagement, enhancing talent recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse pipeline, and serving as ambassadors to minorities, women, people with disabilities, veterans and individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+. The objectives lead to high-quality patient care and overall community wellness.
How has the Center for Equity of Care team help foster an inclusive workplace as well as translate that to within our communities?
The foundation built by the CEC, contributed to the evolving roadmap for Northwell’s rapid response to addressing the health disparities unveiled by Covid19. With the newly established Office of Community and Population Health lead by Dr. Debbie Salas – Lopez, a Health Equity task force was established with the faith-based organizations and community members in Nassau and Suffolk with a focus on testing and vaccination of members of underserved communities and vulnerable populations served by Northwell.
During this challenging year, our clinical leadership has also created initiatives in response to racial injustice. Recognizing the connections between racism and mental health, Northwell’s behavioral health services works to empower employees to become active participants in dismantling racist structures that contribute to inequity and injustice.
Zucker Hillside Hospital created RISE (fighting Racial Injustice and supporting Systemic Equity), a resident- run organization committed to educating individuals in the community about mental health disparities. The group currently has 32 active members.
Other anti-racism efforts include roundtable discussions with team members, inclusive leadership training, Grand Rounds series on health equity, diversity and inclusion, and a Psychology Diversity Training Council. The Department of Medicine also established a Racial Equity Task Force to bring awareness of structural racism within health care and develop anti-racism initiatives and strategies. A comprehensive plan was laid out in the department, starting with a Department of Medicine Commitment to Equity.
What are some of the initiatives your team has planned for 2021?
CEC is now a member of the Department of Community and Population Health. Overall we are aiming to advance the link with quality and equity, address healthcare delivery disparities, expanding cultural competency education for the Northwell workforce and to amplify and expand our community partnerships. Working with the Health Equity Task Force, we will continue to invest and partner with our vulnerable and underserved communities.
Additionally, a priority is to foster a culturally responsive workforce to support the mission of the health system. We are evolving Northwell’s Inclusion Academy in alignment with the Center of Learning & Innovation to build team member skill, knowledge and abilities in diversity, inclusion and health equity. We are also developing and implementing programming to build awareness of racism as a public health crisis. Another priority is to partner with HR to advance diversity in leadership and governance, including the Board of Trustees, to ensure we reflect the communities we serve.
Northwell Community: Women’s History Month
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In celebration of Women’s History Month, meet two of our many inspiring, innovative and strong women leaders at Northwell Health. Watch our Northwell Community series to hear how Teri Manno, vice president of Regional Ambulatory Operations, and Sandra Lindsay, director of Patient Care Services in Critical Care at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, have made an impact on others due to their accomplishments, from being the first person in the United States to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to keeping team members engaged by organizing clapouts for frontline healthcare workers during one of the most challenging times.
Watch to learn more:
#ChooseToChallenge: Northwell Health celebrates International Women’s Day 2021
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March 8th marks International Women’s Day and this year Northwell Health team members are standing together to proudly celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality–emulating Northwell’s culture and values to be Truly Ourselves. Hear how they’re celebrating this year’s theme and why they #ChooseToChallenge to help create an inclusive world.
Celebrating National Nutrition Month with Health Choice recipes
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This National Nutrition Month, our Employee Wellness team and registered dietitians are helping educate team members across Northwell Health about making informed food choices. Their resources are helping improve well-being by providing the education needed to develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.
And at Northwell, we know our team members are all unique, with different personal and professional goals. Since there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health, our Healthy Choice recipe videos provide instructions to a variety of recipes and dietary needs. Our team members even have the opportunity to submit recipes themselves, showcasing their favorite healthy dishes to eat at home with their family.
Join us at home with Loretta Desimone, outreach services associate from Staten Island University Hospital, to make her one pot, easy weeknight meal for the whole family.
Northwell launches new Neurodiversity Virtual Mentorship Program
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At Northwell Health, we are committed to creating a workforce that is as diverse and inclusive as the communities we serve. As part of our continued advocation for individuals with disabilities, we are proud to launch a new Neurodiversity Virtual Mentorship Program for college students.
The Virtual Neurodiverse Mentoring Program, created by the Workforce Readiness Inclusion team in partnership with the Bridges to Adelphi program, provides neurodiverse college students with an opportunity to engage with Northwell leaders across the organization in different disciplines. As part of the semester-long program, the six student participants gained firsthand insight into a career within the healthcare industry as well as a better understanding of how to support our neurodiverse population within the workplace.
The knowledge and experience the students gained will be invaluable as they begin to start their career journeys after college graduation. Beyond just meeting virtually throughout the semester to gain career insight and ask advice, students were given projects to work on to develop their skills across different healthcare disciplines and areas of interest.
The program was a success with students taking full advantage of this unique opportunity to connect with Northwell leadership. “Thanks to my mentor, Patricia Ricciardi, I gained experience in a new field, met several people working in that field and learned a lot about the retirement process,” says Anitra Marley, a participant in the program. “The Northwell Mentorship Program was a valuable experience and I am honored to have been selected.”
“I found the mentorship program to be very informative and engaging in terms of helping us to prepare for a career,” agrees Laura Madtes, another student participant in the program. “My mentor, Ariel Hayes, was very helpful and kind, and she introduced me to a lot of people who offered great advice for advancing my writing and work skills. I also feel that Ms. Hayes has helped me to improve my communication skills and I’m very grateful.”
“I was able to build a personal connection to my mentor, Jon Frascati, and even had the opportunity to make news banners for the Northwell website. I never thought before I would get the chance to have something I made be put on a website,” says student participant Steven Caminero. “Overall the mentorship program is a great experience and allows both mentor and mentee to learn from each other and to work together.”
And it wasn’t just the mentees who benefitted from this program but the mentors as well. “Participating in the Neurodiversity Mentorship program was such an amazing experience and one which I will cherish for many years to come,” says Joseph Moscola, PA, senior vice president and Northwell’s chief people officer. “These students are so incredible that at times I was unsure who was who was getting more out of the conversations, the mentor or the mentee.”
“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to serve as a neurodiversity program mentor. These students are truly extraordinary,” says Joseph Schulman, senior vice president, Population Health Business Transformation. “Throughout the program they’ve shown how incredibly talented, hardworking and ambitious they are and I’m excited to hear about their many successes going forward as they begin their careers.”
At the end of the program, all mentors and mentees shared their experiences in a virtual meeting to highlight the projects they worked on throughout the mentorship program and to celebrate their work throughout the program.
Northwell Community Series: Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs)
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We’re proud to introduce our new series, Northwell Community – Connections, Careers, and Conversations. This video series features the voices of healthcare professionals as they connect, find inspiration and engage in conversation about personal and professional career growth in the diverse communities where we live, love and belong. The first installment in the series focuses on our Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) and the members who are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Listen to these future leaders as they share how our BERGS have given them a voice so they feel empowered to be their best selves both personally and professionally. Whether they are networking, hosting meaningful discussions, or launching new mentorship programs, these dedicated team members are leveraging their skills and passion to help educate and instill a sense of equity and belonging for all—integral to the culture of Northwell Health as an organization.
An appointment with: Michael Dowling, Northwell Health President and CEO
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As the new year begins, it’s important to reflect on the lessons we learned and how we can move forward to an even better future. This is especially true this year as we transition together into a new normal of life post-COVID-19. We spoke with Northwell Health’s President and CEO, Michael Dowling, to hear his thoughts on what 2021 has in store for the health care industry.
Despite everything 2020 brought, what is the 2021 outlook?
Next year will undoubtedly be a year of transition. We will still be in the COVID world, but we should have a different attitude about it and be realistic with expectations. The first part of the year will focus on managing the situation; two situations actually.
First, COVID cases will continue to increase at this pace unless we do our part — wearing masks, social distancing and proper hand washing — to minimize the spread. We will also be managing the delivery of the vaccines.
The rollout will not be quick. It is a marathon. And when you consider that there are 70 million people working in essential jobs — teachers, day care staff, corrections officers, US postal workers and public transit workers — we may be looking at June before the vaccine is available to the general public and we start to see some sense of normalcy.
You always have an optimistic view. Will there be a new “normal”?
When I think of 2021, I think of opportunity — to reimagine what we want our lives and professions to be — not just as a result of what happened to us, but of how we reacted to it.
We can all make this change. Ask yourself, what do you want to be? How do you want it organized? What kind of structural changes will you make? What do you want to focus on?
Regardless of your answers, the key is to forget what your pre-COVID world was and focus on your future.
What will factor into advancing health care?
For health care, these areas will have most precedence in 2021.
- Enhance productivity and become more efficient: It’s tremendously awkward to say, but one of the “best” things to come out of COVID has been our ability to accelerate productivity, be more efficient and adaptable. Next year, most health systems will still be recovering from the pandemic’s financial impacts, especially the safety-net hospitals. We need to build on the lessons we have learned.
- Accelerate the digital age: COVID has changed our relationships with technology. Ninety-percent of the meetings I have today are through Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The amazing thing is most of us had never used Zoom before COVID. And the convenience offered by telemedicine and virtual care has improved our customer focus and quality. This will be a big arm of care delivery from now on.
- Identify what quality means and seek it: It’s time to reassess. Health care delivery is going to be different. If you talk to providers, they will equate quality primarily with clinical outcomes. But for consumers, it’s service and convenience. There needs to be a balance.
- Accommodate the remote workforce: Speaking of technology, I believe 10-15 percent of our workforce will be remote, even after COVID. A large portion already is right now. I did not expect this months ago. The main issue will be to decide what part of your workforce should be remote, as well as identify ways to manage and monitor it. What does a remote workforce do to your real estate? You have to look at everything. At Northwell, we manage buildings that accommodated thousands of people and they are now mostly empty with team members working at home. It’s a big part of our assessment process for the post-pandemic situation.
- Culturally, become as innovative as we were pre-COVID: Moving forward, we need to incentivize the innovative DNA within our organizations that was obvious during COVID. Do not lose steam and maintain a positive, team-oriented culture, which is very important in the midst of all this change, especially as we go remote. We can’t lose that perspective. A hybrid of in-person and remote can lend itself to much-needed balance.
- Deal with inequities of care: We must go upstream. New partnerships are changing the way we operate. And our expanded focus on healing our most vulnerable communities will continue in 2021, and well beyond. We need to get our employees, doctors and other team members to commit to this agenda, then develop long-term reasonable strategies.
What’s in store for health care as a profession?
When I think of 2021, I think of opportunity — to reimagine what we want our lives and professions to be — not just as a result of what happened to us, but of how we reacted to it.
Doctors, nurses, environmental services, respiratory therapists, security workers and all healthcare heroes were celebrated for working the front lines. Their sacrifices, dedication and compassion are truly what makes them remarkable as individuals, as well as the work they do. I’m very proud of all of them.
Building off of that momentum, this remains an exciting time to join health care, especially at Northwell Health, where we were recently ranked No. 65 on Glassdoor’s 100 best places to work list (Northwell is also one of Fortune‘s 100 Best Companies to Work For). Our team members are engaged and eager to help lead us out of this crisis.
Child care benefit programs support Northwell Health team members
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Northwell Health is committed to our 74,000+ team members, creating careers well cared for that help them flourish professionally and also personally. Part of that commitment is providing a diverse selection of benefit programs that help our team members have a rewarding balance of workplace development goals and personal ones at home.
Child care programs are one of the benefits that Northwell offers to help support our team members as their families grow alongside their careers. “The COVID-19 pandemic really changed the way we look at child care,” says Diana Witkowski-Grubard, director of Benefits in Human Resources. “When schools began to close, we knew we had to change our vision. If schools are closed and our team members don’t have anyone to care for their children, then we’re not able to do what we do best – serving our communities.”
The Benefits team worked to develop new partnerships and programs that would support our team members during this unprecedented time. “Our focus shifted as we saw how vital child care services are and we knew we needed to help, whether through offering reimbursement or partnering with nationally recognized learning groups that can help support our team members.”
And these partnerships and programs are continuing to evolve through team member feedback from surveys that help us to continue to see what benefits might be necessary and get a better understanding of what benefits they want and need.
Learn about some of our child care benefit programs:
Back-Up Care Program: Through our partnership with Bright Horizons, eligible team members have access to 10 center-based or in-home, back-up care for child and elders in instances where a team member’s traditional care routine falls through, such as school closings, caregiver vacation or illness, unexpected shift cover, and business travel.
Subsidized Child Care: With a new partnership with the Learning Care Group, Northwell is now able to offer eligible team members 10 days per month of subsidized, in-person child care for the 2020-2021 school year. This child care is available within the areas our team members live and work for children up to 12 years old. In addition, Northwell has partnered with various YMCA locations throughout long island to offer similar subsidized child care services.
Crisis Care Reimbursement: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic created a need for a new program within Northwell. Northwell has partnered with PayFlex to administer our COVID-19 crisis care reimbursement program to team members. Eligible team members receive daily reimbursement per child for up to 10 days during per eligible month for expenses incurred for childcare expenses.
Discounts: Northwell offers various discounts to summer camps throughout the New York region. We offer discounts to more than 10 summer programs/camps to help team members.
Find a career well cared for at Northwell Health. Apply today!
The Integrated Distribution Center makes an impact at Northwell Health during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Northwell Health’s Integrated Distribution Center (IDC) located in Bethpage, NY serves a vital role within the organization, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The distribution center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, stocks nearly 3,000 unique medical supplies- including personal protective equipment (PPE) and delivers them to 23 Northwell hospitals. It has more than 100 team members who work above and beyond to gather, pack and ship supplies all year round.
Before the pandemic, the center would stock 20 to 30 days’ worth of medical supplies. But with the increase demand of supplies and PPE, the center stocks 90 to 120 days of supplies to prevent any shortages. From the very beginning of the pandemic to now, our hospitals and employees are fully provided with PPE from the distribution center to ensure their safety and that of our patients and community. And now, with the vaccine being administered, the distribution center holds millions of syringes as well.
“Throughout this pandemic, there has been many heartfelt accounts of patients leaving Northwell hospitals with team members cheering and clapping – celebrating Northwell patients’ quick recoveries,” says Paul Spodek, assistant vice president of the Supply Chain Distribution & Logistics Integrated Distribution Center. “When we step back and look at those happy pictures and videos, we notice the isolation gowns, N95s, ear loop masks, etc., all worn by patients and hospital staff alike, every IDC associate knows that all those supplies came from us.”
Each role within the distribution center is unique and valuable to our organization. Our team members all make a difference whether they work the inbound shift where they receive materials and stock shelves to the outbound shifts who picks, packs and load trucks. The IDC also has a support staff who orders and counts supplies and returns, makes sure the distribution center does not run out of materials and manages inventory expiration dates and recalls- they make a difference. “Every IDC team member feels the connection of their role in quality patient care in every Northwell hospital. This connection is the reason why more than 100 team members at IDC have come to work every day during this pandemic and continue to feel great pride in our role in quality patient care,” says Paul. The IDC also creating a better environment for our community. They remove most cardboard and send it to recycle before shipping to our hospitals. The distribution center is on target to recycle more than 220 tons of cardboard in 2020.
The impact and work that our center has on our healthcare heroes and patients is incredible. “As a distribution center associate, and being part of the supply chain, it is a privilege to be helping our doctors, nurses, and the rest of our Northwell heroes by supplying them all the PPE and equipment’ they need to help fight this deadly pandemic,” says Ildebrano Molina.
The teamwork, hard work and dedication of the distribution center showcases the importance of Northwell values. “My entire career has revolved around logistics and distribution but what makes working for Northwell Health`s Distribution Center different is the sense of teamwork and knowing that I am doing something positive for the community that I live in,” says Daniel Pauly, operations manager at the Integrated Distribution Center. “Especially throughout the pandemic, I felt a strong sense of pride and satisfaction knowing that my contribution aided thousands of individuals.”
We are proud of the work that the distribution center has done and continuing to do for our organization and patients.
Discover a career well cared for at Northwell Health. Apply today!
Celebrating our team members and their bundle of joy with new Baby Gift Program
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Northwell Health’s new Baby Gift Program offers team members who have welcomed a new family member by birth or adoption a one-time delivery of gift items for both baby and parents.
Their delivery is celebrated with a delivery of our own – a care package that includes hand-picked items for baby and parents, including a Northwell-branded onesie, bib and tumbler. To further support our team members, a packet of information is included with related Northwell benefits and other well-being resources offered to our new parents.
On top of being an adorable gift, the Baby Gift Program also serves to help connect team members on leave of absence or paid family leave with their team members throughout their leave. And with Northwell feeling like one big family, it’s a fun way to celebrate our newest little team members.
“It felt great receiving a care package for my newborn and myself,” says Elena Popovski, marketing specialist on the Candidate Engagement & Experience team in Talent Acquisition. “Throughout my whole pregnancy, I felt support from my fellow coworkers and a special bond was created during that time. To receive this after delivery made it feel like he was being welcomed into my Northwell family too.”
This feeling of connection is more important than ever throughout the COVID pandemic when many new parents are celebrating their newest arrival in isolated and socially distant ways. By sending our team members a token of celebration, Northwell is able to promote our value of being Truly Together.
The Baby Gift Program is just one of the unique benefits that Northwell offers our new parent team members, on top of other offerings such as Baby Café, a free drop-in breastfeeding support group that has gone virtual to continue to offer support through the pandemic.
Join an organization committed to celebrating you throughout all your personal and professional milestones. Apply today!
*Please note that benefits for our union team members may differ and team members should reference their CBA for benefit information.
Turning a passion for wellness into an impactful career at Northwell Health
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An integral part of our success as an organization, especially as it relates to providing our patients with care that empowers them to lead healthier lives, are the healthcare professionals on our teams that lead healthy lives themselves. One person in particular who has been extremely impactful in this regard during her time at Northwell Health is Mystique Haynes, PTA, AAS, a physical therapist assistant at ORZAC Center for Rehabilitation.
Thirteen years ago, Mystique received her license as a physical therapy assistant (PTA), a move that would direct her steps on a path toward a rewarding career. Driven by her passion for health and wellness, she soon discovered incredible opportunities for growth at Northwell Health. “As a PTA in the sub-acute rehabilitation setting I work closely with nursing and medical staff to follow the patients’ prescribed treatment plans,” says Mystique. “I have had the opportunity to rehabilitate patients recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, joint replacements, fractures, amputations and much more.”
Now, as she approaches a decade as a dedicated and valued member of our staff, Mystique has found even more ways to bring her passion and purpose together though Northwell’s commitment to team member well-being. In 2018, Mystique was chosen by the Human Resources department to be on the wellness committee, and after only a few months in the role, she became the Lead Wellness liaison and spearheaded the facility’s program.
Encouraged to bring her own passion to her work, Mystique leveraged what motivates her to be at her personal best to drive impactful change within our company culture and her department at the ORZAC Center for Rehabilitation. With her hands-on approach and eagerness to help the lives of others, she began to introduce programming at Northwell that further pushed both her goal and ours of promoting healthier lifestyles. By educating on wellness and providing resources that team members can use to improve their overall health, Mystique believes it all comes down to one word: consistency. “Consistency is the key to longevity of the heart,” says Mystique, and her heart for the health of those around her couldn’t be more evident in her day-to-day.
As the lead wellness liaison, Mystique has developed and hosted activities like health and wellness fairs, walking trails, weight training, Zumba classes, line dancing, and self-defense training. Her work has helped encourage and incorporate a healthy lifestyle into the work culture of Northwell Health and lead our team members to a better version of themselves. And as a result, our patients also benefit as our team members are then able to pass that knowledge on. As Mystique explains, “We only get one body and wellness is a major source of determining our quality of life.”
Additionally, Mystique has created a space for team members at ORZAC to benefit from organic health produce through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). CSA is an upfront investment in a local farm, which then provides weekly “shares” of the farm harvest. This promotes farm to healthy table eating by delivering a variety of seasonal vegetables, herbs and some fruit directly to ORZAC.
The work she does in wellness goes far beyond our facilities and overflows into the communities and lives of people she interacts with in her personal life too. “I try to pass along health tips, credible information, and encourage everyone around me to start where they are and to just keep moving depending on each individual person and what their needs are,” she says. “Being a wellness liaison is my opportunity to give back to Northwell to say thank you for investing in me, my co-workers and my family.”
Discover a career that invests in your passions at Northwell Health. Apply today!
Making the transition from clinical care to healthcare administration
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Christian Jocelyn always knew he wanted to work in the healthcare industry so he could help others. He was uncertain which career path to take, so he became an emergency medical technician (EMT) after college, which provided him with his first healthcare career opportunity delivering frontline care. His career journey at Northwell over the years brought Christian to his current role as director of operations in the Department of Neurosurgery at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH).
A few years after starting his career journey as an EMT, Christian became a paramedic and began to get involved in performance improvement projects. These projects not only helped leadership realize Christian’s potential and that lead him to be promoted to paramedic supervisor. This also helped Christian discover where he wanted his Northwell career to go.
“In my role as a supervisor, I was responsible for the day-to-day field operations for one of the largest hospital-based EMS departments in the country. I had the opportunity to view the health system through a unique lens,” says Christian. “I came to understand the importance of caring for patients across all care settings and the strength of an integrated healthcare delivery system. This experience motivated me to go back to school and obtain my Masters in Health Administration and to begin the transition from clinician to administrator.”
While working toward his master’s degree, Christian transitioned out of EMS into a role as a manger of Financial and Operations Management at NSUH. It was this administrative foundation along with his education that enabled Christian to develop the skills he needed for his current role as director.
At Northwell, Christian has been able to build a rewarding career that utilizes his skills on the frontline to impact patient care through operations. Christian enjoys being able to take his experience and understanding of care outside of the hospital into designing programs within the hospitals. It is an opportunity he feels he was able to reach thanks in part to the mentors who supported his transition from clinical care to the administrative side of healthcare by removing barriers and helping him tap into his potential.
“One of the most important factors in my growth at Northwell has been my good fortune to have excellent mentors and sponsors along the way,” says Christian. “These individuals invested time, effort, and energy in me. They have set the example of what it means to be a leader and have provided the foundation I continue to build my career on. I would not be in the role or the person I am now without the expectational guidance and support by my mentors at Northwell.”
And for those looking to make a similar transition as Christian, he offers the advice of focusing on developing meaningful relationships in the organization and to not be afraid of taking risks. “Make it a point to collaborate with folks in other departments, step outside of your comfort zone and learn about a part of the organization that is unfamiliar to you,” he advises. “The beauty of Northwell is that we touch the entire continuum of care and with that comes an unparalleled learning opportunity.”
Discover a career well cared for at Northwell Health. Apply today!
Creating a new form of patient advocacy at Northwell Health
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At Northwell Health, we have the perfect career for everyone. Just ask Susan Marelli, executive program director in System Administration.
Starting her career more than 20 years ago, Susan had never imagined herself pursuing a healthcare career. That is until her mother, who was receiving treatment at the time, had noted what a nice place it seemed to work as they sat in North Shore University together. At the time, Susan believed healthcare careers were limited to just nurses and doctors and never thought her background in administration would create opportunities for her. However, with her mother’s encouragement Susan applied and it was that exact skillset that made her a perfect fit for her first role of executive associate to Michael Dowling, Northwell’s President and CEO.
Working as an executive associate, Susan began to find herself becoming an unofficial patient ambassador. She would receive phone calls from trustees, executives from other businesses, team members, and patients looking for assistance. They would call her not knowing who else to reach out to and Susan would listen to their challenges. With no guidebook for this role, she took it upon herself to make calls and figure out the best person in the system might be able to help them.
“Whenever I wasn’t busy with my responsibilities, I was on the phone helping people. Mr. Dowling would hear this from inside his office and one day he asked me, ‘would you like to do this for me full time?’” says Susan. “There’s such an emphasis in our organization to put patients first, and Mr. Dowling wanted me to have the opportunity to work exclusively on helping those who needed it.”
Now as executive program director, Susan uses Northwell’s network of team members to help support her patient advocacy work. In addition to speaking with patients and their family members on the phone, Susan visits them at the hospitals and helps them feel connected to the health system. She loves being able to meet new people on these visits, and that includes not just our patients but her colleagues as well.
“The only way I’m able to do my job is because of the wonderful teams that are in every office and every hospital,” says Susan. “Because of them, I’ve never had to tell someone ‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you.’ They are always willing to go the extra mile and together we are able to find a solution.”
Along with the assistance of clinical teams, Susan has worked closely with the patient and family relations teams across our system to make a difference in so many lives. It’s an emotionally rewarding role, and she cherishes the letters and thank you cards she’s received from patients and families. “It’s always so unexpected because the doctors, nurses, and everyone else in our facilities are the ones who deserve that. Without them no care is being delivered. I’m just the one making the connections.”
But it’s that connection to patients, families, and team members alike that has helped Susan’s work as a patient ambassador truly shine. Every day she helps to reinvent the patient experience, and it’s her compassion that brought her recognition with an award in patient excellence from the health system.
Discover a career well cared for at Northwell Health. Apply today!
Serving as a leader in the U.S. Marine Corps and at Northwell Health
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Sean Christensen’s 20 years of honorable service in the U.S. Marine Corps developed him into the leader he is today as manager of Distribution Operations at Northwell Health’s Core Lab in New Hyde Park. In his role, Sean manages a team across two separate warehouse locations and is responsible for planning and implementing process and quality improvements, process redesign, benchmarking, and educating teams on the distribution operations process.
Retiring as a Captain from the Marine Corps in 2017, Sean held many roles throughout his service, including Mortarman, Rifleman, Infantry Platoon Sergeant, Infantry Instructor, and Logistics Officer. Once he retired, Sean still felt the call to protect and serve people and he knew pursuing a healthcare career was the perfect opportunity for him to continue to better serve society. “I needed a job that allowed me to feel like I was a part of something bigger than myself and to give me a purpose, just like the Marine Corps had provided me,” says Sean. “Working in the healthcare industry provides me with the opportunity to continue to serve my local community.”
And serving in the military developed skills in Sean that made a career in healthcare the perfect next step. While he gained knowledge in planning and logistical operations in the Marine Corps that he utilizes now, Sean believes the leadership skills he gained are even more valuable. “Being able to work and lead a diverse group of people in any environment is the most sought out skill in any industry,” says Sean. “You can always learn the specifics of a job or role over time, but an individual who has leadership experience with various group sizes and cultures helps bring their team to the next level.”
Sean also feels he benefitted greatly from training with other militaries and interacting with citizens from around the world, having been deployed to over 20 countries, whether it was during peacetime, war, or for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It’s an experience that he likens to being able to work as one of Northwell’s healthcare heroes. “They would look to our country and our military to help provide safety and relief whenever they are in a time of need,” says Sean. “Just as those who reside in the U.S. look to our first responders and hospitals to do the same for them when they need help.”
Now at Northwell, Sean has found a new team where he loves working among a group where everyone has a deep desire for continually improving how we provide services to customers and patients. Since Sean’s started, his team has restructured their receiving process and are currently restructuring their shelving system to better utilize the space available for storage of their more than 1,100 inventory line items. Along with implementing a new inventory system, they are continually changing and improving current processes to ensure the most efficient and effective workplace for the whole team. Sean feels that working at Northwell provides a collaborative environment where everyone’s voice can be heard as we all strive to better our organization.
“I would definitely recommend other veterans look to Northwell for their next career as this is a great place to grow your career and meet your professional goals,” says Sean. “Northwell looks out for their employees and is a very welcoming place to work for all.”
Find your next mission at Northwell Health. Learn about our commitment to veterans.
