March 8, 2018, is International Women’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. And a day when Optimum Healthcare IT celebrates the accomplishments and voices of all women, but especially those that are so vital to our success. The truth is, Optimum wouldn’t be where it is today without the hard work, dedication, professionalism, and expertise of our female leaders and colleagues.
International Women’s Day has occurred for well over a century and is celebrated by organizations and groups throughout the world. Today, we encourage everyone to #PressforProgress and to think, act and be gender inclusive. For perspective on International Women’s Day and their place in Healthcare IT, we asked women at Optimum to weigh in. Their thoughts are below:
Leah Kromar, Vice President of Consulting Services Even though I no longer care for patients at the bedside, I feel fortunate to be able to contribute to advancing higher quality and safer care through the use of technology.
Denis Egan, Regional Director of Client Services We still have a long way to go for gender equality in the workplace but times are changing. We are witnessing a movement in the public consciousness where it is becoming more apparent that it is time for real change and a level playing field. Optimum Healthcare IT is leading by example when it comes to empowering women in the workplace starting with a diverse, high-performing team at the Executive Level. At Optimum, leaders are recognized not because of – or in spite of – being women but based on performance and outcomes. I am proud to be a part of a company where I am surrounded by women who are role models that inspire me every day to reach higher and dream bigger. It’s encouraging to know that the next generation of young women might know this environment as the norm and not an exception.
Kayla Polk, RFP Writer International Women’s Day is a call to action for further progress toward gender parity. In this day and age, women are being recognized for their skills and expertise. Knowledge and experience see no difference in gender. At Optimum Healthcare IT, we set the trend in the industry with our diverse and outstanding experts in their field. We empower women to work hard, striving to reach their highest potential.
Cait Fogarty, Regional Director of Client Services Almost 100 years ago, women earned the right to vote. We’ve come quite a long way but we still have a great deal of work to do. When I think about how valuable it is for a woman to feel confident she’s part of the right organization for her career, I think about balance as being a key factor. I once worked at a company where a senior female leader told me ‘You can’t have it all, you have to choose… family, work, life. What matters most to you?” Ever since I joined Optimum, I’ve learned that statement was completely false. Here, I have balance. I work with a diverse team of men and women and we work very hard but we also provide for our families, get to spend quality time with people we care about and can be proud of the great work we do, all at the same time. The reality with Optimum is that no matter your gender, you are appreciated for your hard work and respected for having a life outside of that.
Danielle Preizler, Art Director International Women’s Day is the perfect time to shine a light on the amazing women of our past and present who have changed our lives and society for the better. It is also a good time to pay attention to current women’s issues and inequalities that still need to be addressed in our society today. We have made huge strides throughout the years, and these milestones should be appreciated and highlighted while also focusing on the road ahead.
Susie Morgan, Vice President of Human Resources While it is commonplace to see women in all industries and roles today, the U.S. is starting to see stagnation and decline in the number of women choosing to join the workforce. There are several factors that could be driving this trend to include lack of affordable childcare, minimal paid leave options, difficulty re-entering the workforce, and inequality in pay. As a Human Resources professional, I feel very fortunate to have built a career that allows me the opportunity to impact barriers to work-life balance, career progression and pay equality not only for women but all employees. With Optimum I have had the incredible opportunity to partner with like-minded executives and leaders to define a culture that not only fosters equality in opportunity, recognition, and pay but is creative and flexible in an effort to attract talent and support a diverse workforce. My hope is that we will begin to see all companies and industries make this cultural shift in an effort to support and demonstrate value for all people.
Ann Mausser, Executive Director of Security My daughter asked recently how my path has been, being a woman in a male-dominated industry for the last 25+ years. And what I told her was I never thought of myself that way. I viewed myself as a competent, assertive employee doing what was needed to do a good job and make a difference in healthcare. My gender was irrelevant to me. Now I recognize I’m a role model, and not just for her, but my son and their peers.
Kelli Mangino, Vice President Community Connect & Wendi Tillung, Communications Project Manager (from a client site in Australia) Over the last few weeks, we have had the opportunity to work with many exceptional female executives while in Australia. The amount of female leadership, especially at the executive level/C suite, has been very inspiring. They have been engaging, collaborative and open to our lessons learned. It has been amazing learning about healthcare outside of the U.S. Optimum Healthcare IT has provided an opportunity for women from the US and Australia to share knowledge…which is the essence of International Women’s Day. Cheers to our Australian friends!
Optimum’s CEO Jason Mabry stated, “We are proud to employ some of the best and brightest women in healthcare IT and their continued contributions to our success cannot be overstated. Women at all levels are vital to everything we do and I am forever grateful for the contributions of women throughout our organization. We will always do everything we can to advocate for equality and #PressforProgress.”
While this is a small sampling, Optimum Healthcare IT is honored to celebrate the women of Optimum on this International Women’s Day 2018. Women will forever be at the heart of what we do as we strive for equality throughout our organization.
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