UNSUNG HEROES OF HEALTHCARE THREE TU ALUMNAE SHARE THEIR STORIES During this period of great unease created by the pandemic, much of the public has found comfort through the attention and advice of healthcare experts and medical personnel, and in hearing of their unwavering dedication to their work. These committed frontline heroes, as well as the teams of infectious disease specialists behind them, have worked diligently to provide the best possible care to those in need. While vaccine scientists, doctors, nurses and intensive care staff have rightfully been dubbed our healthcare heroes, one group within this world hasn’t received the same level of recognition, though the work they do is of equal importance. These behind-the-scenes administrative specialists are essential in the successful execution of daily operations. At the pandemic’s height, numerous executive leadership teams were called upon to navigate how to handle influxes of hospitalizations surpassing the number of available beds across the globe. Those who fill management roles within these circles make decisions that could spell miracle or tragedy for patients at the drop of a hat, and the above scenario is just one of countless matters that fall under the jurisdiction of these overlooked leaders. Tiffin University is immensely proud to have helped shape many such frontrunners in this line of work, and recently had the privilege of sitting down with a few to ask about how their time as students prepared them for this demanding profession. Below are the testimonies of three alumnae who have had momentous success in this behind-the-scenes work.
Jaime Campbell 12', 14', 21' has served as both the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at a California-based hospital, and is the current President of a medical center in Colorado. With over a decade of diversified experience, Jaime is highly trained in Hospital Incident Command Systems (HICS) and the practice of hospital safety and security. She also has a demonstrated history of success in operations, lean process improvement and organizational structure and management, to use the industry-specific terms. She is a three-time Dragon, having completed both her undergraduate and graduate work at TU. “I have a bachelor’s degree in organizational management, an MBA in management and a concentration in healthcare administration, all from Tiffin,” said Jaime. “In the field of healthcare, higher education is required – especially if you are not a clinical care provider. My wide array of skills has been critical to the advancement of my career, and I owe all of that to Tiffin.” Jaime believes that one thing separating TU from other schools, specifically referring to our MBA programs, is the real-world knowledge students gain through their coursework. “Both MBA programs made frequent use of relative current events to drive meaningful discussions. By applying specific scenarios to current theoretical topics, students are challenged to think of issues in a different way and prove they understand how the theories or strategies apply to these cases. This creates a personal knowledge base that is far more beneficial than just learning about an
idea one-dimensionally in a textbook or lecture.” Jaime then continued this sentiment, shifting her focus to talk about the institution as a whole, including all the ways in which TU made her as a non-traditional student, feel valued and cared for to the same extent as oncampus learners. “I am probably Tiffin’s biggest fan! Their online programs are so well structured and easy to use that there is no excuse not to pursue one’s higher education with them. My favorite memory was in 2012 when I earned my bachelor’s degree and was able to physically go to the commencement with on-campus grads. This made me feel like a real student and I was treated exactly the same as everyone else. Meeting some of my professors in person was an amazing experience. I will never forget that.”
Ronda Lehman 03' is the current President of Mercy Health in Lima, Ohio and is responsible for the oversight of all subsidiaries, including St. Rita’s Medical Center, three local urgent care facilities, a Putnam Countybased emergency room and the offices of twenty-three practicing physicians. As a seasoned professional in this industry with numerous awards and accolades to her name, TU was proud to hear that she attributes some of her related successes to the skills she cultivated during her time as a student. Ronda began her journey as a Dragon in the hopes of building upon the training she received during her undergraduate work, and found TU to be an engaging, rewarding 14 / UNSUNG HEREOS OF HEALTHCARE
