A Heart for Healing: Experiences and Lessons from AdventHealth Women Leaders

BY Elizabeth Camps

At the core of AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ lies a special narrative — one that is told each day through women leaders who embody a love for others, a drive for excellence, and an unwavering faith. These leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences lead committed and talented teams, navigating the intricate landscape of health care, and bringing care to millions of patients each year. They are passionate, they are smart, they are caring. They are also few.

Today, not enough women are in positions of leadership. In the health care industry, where female representation is high at 75%, a recent study by McKinsey showed that executive women leaders only make up a fraction of the workforce, and much less for minorities and women of color.

How can we more broadly open the doors for more women to lead and mentor the new generation who will come after them?

It starts at the top.

Let’s look at five women executive leaders at AdventHealth, who have worked diligently and intentionally to not only mentor and encourage other women into leadership, but to also be an example so that the next generation can step into leadership and make a difference.

Olesea Azevedo | Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer</p>

Growing up in a small town in Moldova in eastern Europe, Olesea Azevedo was very close to her grandmother, who ran a flower business and managed to care for her family too. At the time, it was uncommon to see women working outside the home. Her grandmother’s example would spark a desire to pursue a career where she could lead meaningful work and care for her family too.

Working part-time in a car parts packaging plant in high school, Azevedo’s supervisor asked her one day to clean the restrooms as the cleaning crew was out sick. She remembers thinking this wasn’t part of her job description. But after some thought, she grabbed the cleaning supplies and scrubbed those bathrooms like they were her own home. “The next day, my supervisor told me, ‘If you can clean bathrooms, you have enough humility to lead people,’” said Azevedo. “He promoted me to a leadership role, supervising a part of the operations team.”

As her career progressed in Chicago, Illinois, from roles in marketing to human resources, requiring significant travel, she also experienced changes in her personal life — getting married, and then becoming a mother to two boys. Still wanting to live out her childhood dream to be a leader and care for her family, Azevedo joined health care to find fulfillment and balance, a crucial decision that would bring her to AdventHealth in 2016.

“It has been my greatest joy to be used as God’s vessel to fulfill His mission at AdventHealth,” said Azevedo, who leads the company’s teams in human resources, consumer experience, brand, and corporate services. “Our teams’ ultimate goal, whether for our 94,000 team members or the 7 million patients we serve, is ensuring each person experiences wholeness, caring for their body, mind, and spirit.”

Reflecting on the future, Azevedo shared, “My hope for the next generation is to devote themselves to healing, compassion, and faith, blending the science of medicine and the art of grace and empathy. In this way, we can bring whole-person care to even more people.”

Jessica Brazier | Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer | Vice President of People Strategy and Sustainability

Jessica Brazier’s journey to her current role took an untraditional route, starting in journalism and bringing her to her current role in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and people strategy and sustainability for AdventHealth.

As a journalist, Brazier was passionate about storytelling. “I interviewed people and brought stories to light for the community that, in my mind, made a difference,” said Brazier. In doing this work, she realized she had a deeper calling.

“Something activated within me,” said Brazier. “I realized I wanted to change the realities of these stories.”

She decided to pursue public policy and management for her graduate studies, and consulting with the federal government, the White House, and nonprofit organizations. “I looked at people and strategies that could help make the world a better place, help people achieve their highest potential, and close the achievement gap,” said Brazier.

This focus led her to health care. She realized that for a person to reach their highest potential, they needed to feel well physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Brazier shared an interaction she had with a team member who benefitted from AdventHealth’s debt-free education program, that shows what can happen when people are given the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

“One of our team members with a racially and ethnically diverse background reached out and explained how having this assistance has changed the trajectory for his family, his life, his future — it’s increased his earning potential.”

This is just one of the countless stories Brazier has received that often brings her to tears. “I am all about seeing people become the best versions of themselves. And, to know that we, through the collective power of a large organization like AdventHealth, can influence that for thousands of people makes every day worthwhile.”

Audrey Gregory, Ph.D. | Executive Vice President, Chief Executive Officer for AdventHealth in East Florida

Growing up in Jamaica as the eldest sibling and eldest granddaughter, being a leader was a natural role for Audrey Gregory, Ph.D., and it extended beyond her family. In high school, she was appointed as head girl for her all-girls’ high school.

Gregory entered health care as a registered nurse and naturally moved into leadership roles. She then moved into hospital operations and administration, leading now as executive vice president and chief executive officer for AdventHealth in east Florida. “My clinical experience influences how I lead and what I think is important as a health care leader.”

For Gregory, leadership has also always been about service as reflected through her family. Her father worked for the government and was a church elder while her mother was a teacher. Others in the family served in the military or as police officers.

As a leader for many hospitals and facilities, Gregory knows the importance of ensuring every team member and every patient is seen and heard. “That is how we really deliver on our mission,” she said.

She experienced this personally when a close family member had a stroke and was admitted to AdventHealth for care. “I watched how she was cared for in our system, and how we really went out of our way to extend the healing ministry of Christ,” said Gregory. “My role ensures that those who care for patients have the resources and equipment they need to do it, and that we’re growing in areas to allow those who have not yet met Jesus to meet Him through us.”

Gregory hopes to continue living out AdventHealth’s mission. “I hope I leave a God-fearing legacy for my children and for those with whom I come in contact. I hope to make a positive impact for women in health care that will encourage them to stay or start their journey in health care.”

Sheila Rankin | Chief Executive Officer at AdventHealth Kissimmee

As a child, Sheila Rankin dreamed of becoming a doctor. She had a passion for helping people heal and making a positive impact in the world.

Following her dream, she enrolled in medical school in Colombia. But, she realized that she could have a more powerful impact by following a different path. After moving to the U.S., Rankin pursued a business degree and found she could still be in health care in a new way.

Rankin’s first touchpoint with AdventHealth was as a financial planning analyst. Her natural talent for leading allowed her to step into roles where she could lead teams to success. She used her financial expertise to help executives and operational leaders make decisions.

These experiences piqued Rankin’s interest in trying new things, and she felt God’s calling to use her talents in new ways. Now leading AdventHealth Kissimmee, Rankin feels privileged to serve at a facility that has expanded its missional footprint in a county that is in the top 10 fastest growing counties in the U.S.

“After many of life’s twists and turns, God brought me back to the mission of health care,” said Rankin. “Caring for people is still one of my passions. Even though I’m not a doctor, I still have the privilege to make a positive impact on the world.”

Over time Rankin honed her leadership skills, learning the difference between being a boss and being a leader. “This responsibility is something I do not take lightly,” she said. “People come to us at their most vulnerable state every day, and we have the privilege and missional responsibility to care for them as Christ would.”

Reflecting on her journey, Rankin can think of several mentors and role models who helped her along the way, including her mother and many women executive leaders at AdventHealth.

Now Rankin aims to be an example to others. “My hope is to inspire other female leaders of all backgrounds to dream big,” she said. “I want to challenge other female leaders to constantly strive to become better versions of themselves. Together, we can make a positive difference in the communities in which we serve.”

Amanda Maggard | Chief Executive Officer at AdventHealth Celebration

Amanda Maggard’s introduction to leadership came in her sophomore year of high school when she started a school newspaper.

“My English teacher partnered with me and encouraged me as I pulled a team together, crafted a vision for the paper, and made it a reality,” said Maggard. Four years later while attending Union College, she joined the school newspaper, The Clocktower, serving as its editor and selecting a talented team of writers and graphic designers to re-envision the paper.

“At the time, I had no idea that hospital executive leadership would be in my future,” shared Maggard. “But I felt a natural calling to dream big and lead people to make a vision a reality.”

Health care was a space Maggard was very familiar with as a child. Her mother and grandmother were nurses, and her father worked on the business side of Adventist hospitals. “I grew up around hospital lobbies and cafeterias, volunteering once I was older,” said Maggard. “Health care was always very familiar.”

When she did enter the health care space as an intern at AdventHealth, the doors opened to a world of possibilities where she could put her talents and passion for leadership to use. She started in marketing and fundraising, and then moved into patient experience.

At AdventHealth Winter Garden, she worked tirelessly with her team during a facility expansion project, acquiring permits and finalizing plans to finish the project on time. “It was such a wonderful experience to see the vision come to life,” said Maggard. “I drove home and thought, ‘Wow! All the challenges we face and look how God led and how it all turned out.’”

Maggard’s passion for bringing a vision to reality continues to be a part of who she is today, now leading at AdventHealth Celebration. “I just want to help people,” she said. “I want people to have a better experience because of something small I did, to help my team grow and develop, to create a better experience for patients — that is the kind of legacy I want to leave.”

Elizabeth Camps is the senior stakeholder communications specialist at AdventHealth.
Southern Union | March 2024