Our April Member of the Month is Ruth Williams-Brinkley, a board director for corporate and not for profit companies. She is also the former president of Kaiser Permanente's Mid Atlantic Region.
Ruth's passion is her love for working with people and developing strong, effective leaders and teams to achieve organizational success. She has carried this love of people into her post executive career as she continues to work as a mentor and executive coach.
Q&A with Ruth Williams-Brinkley
Q: Tell us about you, where you work.
I am self-employed as the Managing Director of RWB Advisory Services, an advisory firm to organizations across the health care sector. I also host a podcast -- Beyond60: Unscripted -- that focuses on healthy aging and what people beyond 60 are doing after retirement or "rewirement" to find purpose in the later seasons of their lives.
Q: How long have you been an IWF member and have you been an IWF member in another chapter?
I have been an IWF member for eight years in two chapters. I initially joined the Oregon IWF Chapter in 2018 and joined this chapter in 2020 during the pandemic.
Q: How did you first get started in your field, and what--if anything--surprised you about the path you ultimately took?
I started my career as a registered nurse delivering direct care to patients and finished my career as a CEO, which was my greatest career surprise. I loved being a nurse. I loved being a CEO and encourage other women to be open to career possibilities they may have never considered.
Q: Looking back, what moment or decision most shaped the direction of your career?
I entered consulting as an experienced chief nurse. The years of experience as a consultant working with financially challenged health care organizations allowed me to develop greater breadth and depth in operational and strategic leadership that placed me on the path to my first CEO role.
Q: What advice would you give to women earlier in their careers that you wish you had received sooner?
Working hard and doing an excellent job in your position are essential and expected. Career advancement requires a "village" of sponsors/advocates who will advise, support and make known your impact on the organization's success to key leaders who make decisions about job/career advancement.
Q: Is there a mentor, sponsor, or moment of support that made a meaningful difference for you?
My grandmother, who was a teacher, was my first and most impactful mentor. She guided me into the nursing profession and my life's work in healthcare.
Q: What is a word that guides you these days?
Gratitude ... for the people who have loved, advised, supported and guided me throughout my career and life. I hope to give back as much as I can of all they have given me.
Ruth's passion is her love for working with people and developing strong, effective leaders and teams to achieve organizational success. She has carried this love of people into her post executive career as she continues to work as a mentor and executive coach.
Q&A with Ruth Williams-Brinkley
Q: Tell us about you, where you work.
I am self-employed as the Managing Director of RWB Advisory Services, an advisory firm to organizations across the health care sector. I also host a podcast -- Beyond60: Unscripted -- that focuses on healthy aging and what people beyond 60 are doing after retirement or "rewirement" to find purpose in the later seasons of their lives.
Q: How long have you been an IWF member and have you been an IWF member in another chapter?
I have been an IWF member for eight years in two chapters. I initially joined the Oregon IWF Chapter in 2018 and joined this chapter in 2020 during the pandemic.
Q: How did you first get started in your field, and what--if anything--surprised you about the path you ultimately took?
I started my career as a registered nurse delivering direct care to patients and finished my career as a CEO, which was my greatest career surprise. I loved being a nurse. I loved being a CEO and encourage other women to be open to career possibilities they may have never considered.
Q: Looking back, what moment or decision most shaped the direction of your career?
I entered consulting as an experienced chief nurse. The years of experience as a consultant working with financially challenged health care organizations allowed me to develop greater breadth and depth in operational and strategic leadership that placed me on the path to my first CEO role.
Q: What advice would you give to women earlier in their careers that you wish you had received sooner?
Working hard and doing an excellent job in your position are essential and expected. Career advancement requires a "village" of sponsors/advocates who will advise, support and make known your impact on the organization's success to key leaders who make decisions about job/career advancement.
Q: Is there a mentor, sponsor, or moment of support that made a meaningful difference for you?
My grandmother, who was a teacher, was my first and most impactful mentor. She guided me into the nursing profession and my life's work in healthcare.
Q: What is a word that guides you these days?
Gratitude ... for the people who have loved, advised, supported and guided me throughout my career and life. I hope to give back as much as I can of all they have given me.