Beth Walker, Past Fellow: bwalker@ochsner.org
I joined Ochsner Health System as an Administrative Fellow after the completion of an MHA degree from The Ohio State University. To me, the decision to pursue the Fellowship at OHS was focused on three main factors. First, it was important to me that I found a program that was ingrained within the culture of the organization, had a history of success behind it, and fostered an ongoing learning environment. Second, it was imperative that this program be within an organization that was led by top talent at all levels, was in a constant state of growth and evolution, and provided nationally recognized health care services. Finally, I wanted to live in an enjoyable city in which I was comfortable and could prove to be a place I felt I could stay awhile as I began my career. For me, Ochsner Health System's Administrative Fellowship proved to be the perfect combination of all three. Eight years and many wonderful - and challenging - experiences later, I am in the role of Assistant Vice President of Operations at Ochsner Medical Center. The Fellowship gave me a foundation from which to build, developing me both personally and professionally. I had numerous mentors (many of which were past Fellows) who guided me along the way. In my years here at Ochsner, we have survived a major natural disaster, the rebuilding of a city, the purchase of many hospitals, and the continued growing national recognition for all we have accomplished and the lives we have touched. I am proud of everything we have done as an organization and I believe the experiences and successes I have achieved all begin with my simple decision to pursue the Administrative Fellowship program. I am excited about what still lies ahead.
Mary Deynoodt, Past Fellow: mdeynoodt@ochsner.org
I began the Administrative Fellowship at Ochsner Health System after completing my MHA at Tulane University. In my search for a fellowship, I was looking for an organization that exposed fellows to a model of integrated healthcare delivery; offered a variety of substantive and challenging experiences; and one that was well-established within the culture of the organization. Even though I interviewed nationally, as a native of New Orleans, I knew the best fit for me was right in my back yard at Ochsner. Through the fellowship I learned the organization's culture from its top leaders. The fellowship also helped me begin to identify those skills and abilities that are present in the most successful leaders. With the guidance and direction of mentors, who served in top leadership positions, I was able to begin developing and enhancing these leadership traits in myself. I believe that it is the richness of the organization's culture and the strength and depth of its leadership that has pushed me to continually strive for personal growth and improvement. With the variety of challenges this organization has successfully faced from the devastation of hurricane Katrina to the tremendous growth in our hospital network, I am frequently given the opportunity to rise to new challenges. In reflection, it is clear that the fellowship has far surpassed any expectation I had when I made the decision ten years ago to begin the fellowship at Ochsner.
Marleigh Russell, Past Fellow: mrussell@ochsner.org
The Ochsner Health System Administrative Fellowship provided me with many of the strategic and operational tools that I use in my current role as a Clinic Manager. During my fellowship, I was able to work on a variety of challenging projects in areas such as Project Management, Operations, Performance Improvement/Quality & Strategic Planning. As a Fellow, I was also exposed to and participated in senior leadership meetings and shadowed key leaders in an effort to understand the day-to-day challenges and decision-making processes evident in today’s health care environment. However, I know that the guidance and knowledge that I received as an Administrative Fellow at Ochsner, and continue to receive in my current role, has proven to be truly invaluable.
Chris Sale, Past Fellow: csale@ochsner.org
Prior to my Administrative Fellowship, I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where I earned my Masters of Science in Health Administration. Prior to UAB, I earned my Masters in Business Administration from LSU in Baton Rouge. My decision to join Ochsner was influenced by several factors. During a site visit to UAB, Ochsner Medical Center CEO Mike Hulefeld spoke passionately about Ochsner’s role in serving the community during Hurricane Katrina and how not only the city, but Ochsner as well has come back stronger than ever since the storm. Another factor in my decision was the structure of the Fellowship and how our Preceptors encourage us to pursue our areas of interest whether it is Marketing, Finance, Operations, or Human Resources. Finally, when I made the trip to New Orleans for my site visit and interviews, I really came to understand how strong the bonds are between Fellows, past Fellows, and the organizational leadership as a whole. The fact that everyone wants you to succeed as a Fellow and beyond was a major factor in my decision. I am currently Manager of Perioperative Services and I absolutely think the Fellowship helped prepare me for this role. Rotating with everyone from front line staff to upper level Executives really demonstrated to me how to make decisions and what motivates employees at all different levels of the organization. I also think working on projects from different backgrounds such as financial analysis, strategic planning, facilities development, and human resources taught me how to take a step back and analyze how my decisions will affect different areas of the organization. Overall, I feel like the Fellowship at Ochsner did a tremendous job of developing me as a healthcare professional and preparing me for my career.
Christine White, Current Fellow: chrwhite@ochsner.org
After completing an undergraduate degree in mathematics, then working abroad for six years as a health care professional, I decided to combine my passion for the two fields by pursuing a career in healthcare finance. I came to Tulane for my MBA in 2007, and as soon as I learned about the finance concentration of the Administrative Fellowship, I knew this opportunity was perfect for me. My expectations for the program have been surpassed both in terms of the mentorship that I have received and the learning opportunities that I have been afforded. The structured rotations ensure that we are exposed to each of the areas that drive the financial health of the system, and our diverse project work allows us to further investigate any areas of interest that we have identified for ourselves. I feel certain that this combination of flexibility and exposure is preparing me to perform successfully in a role that fits my strengths and interests while allowing me to maintain a perspective on the system wide cooperation required to achieve our common goals.
Ashley Weber, Past Fellow: aweber@ochsner.org
My name is Ashley Weber. I am a native New Orleanian, who returned to New Orleans post Katrina to attend graduate school at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. I graduated with a Master of Health Administration in 2008. I immediately began the Administrative Fellowship Program at Ochsner in July of 2008. I spent one year in a traditional fellowship rotation model, and then was given the opportunity to spend a second year as a fellow working with the AVP of Strategic Operations and the President of Ochsner System. During my time as a fellow I worked on various prjects ranging from developing a new tracking system for the patient transport department at one of our community hospitals, to Joint Commission readiness, to the assisting with the acquisition of one of our facilities. My time as a fellow prepared me for my current role in many ways. I feel that I have a greater understanding of the direction Ochsner wants to move over the next 3-5 years. My projects also helped me develop organization and leadership skills through practical application. As a new leader I truly believe that the fellowship helped prepare me for my role in clinic operations.
