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CRITICAL CARE
Care
As diversity in healthcare leadership grows, Memphis Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital shines bright.
Rebecca Cullison knew early on that healthcare administration would be her life’s work. Now as the also value balance and do our best to model this behavior for our team. Intentionally creating president of Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, she’s part of a growing contingent in female healthcare leadership, driven by the belief that leaders should mirror diverse patient populations. CRITICAL balance in our lives has been important as we have led the hospital through the pandemic.” These professionals share why they chose their fields, ladders they have climbed and what they have learned on their journeys.
Today, her Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown leadership team is the only one in the Memphis metro area with an allfemale C-suite. It’s a shining example of diversity in healthcare leadership, and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) is consistently named to Forbes list for both Best Employers for Women and Best Employers for Diversity. Across the MLH system, women hold 69 percent of director and executive roles and 82 percent of managerial and supervisory roles.
Pacesetting Change
Cullison’s C-suite members bring strengths as decision makers and awareness of the value of balance to their work. “We have our responsibilities at the hospital, but we’re also moms and wives,” she says. “Because we don’t have time to waste, we learned to be organized and act quickly. We gather information needed, make a decision and move forward. We
Rebecca Cullison, President
When considering a career path, Cullison was drawn to professions she was exposed to in childhood. “My mom was a nurse, and my dad runs a bank. So put them together, and you have me.” She earned a Master of Science in Health Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and started her career with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in 2004 as an administrative resident. Since then, she has served in numerous leadership roles and was named Top 40 Under 40 by Memphis Business Journal.
While navigating her career, she learned about the importance of relationships. “Building relationships with my team, with physicians and within the community are key to earning trust. When things get tough, you’re able to rely on
The MLH Germantown leadership team, photographed independently in line with Covid protocols. (Left to Right: Anna Lopez, Kathy Barnes, Rebecca Cullison, Cassandra Howard, Rita Neely)
those relationships for help because they know you’re trying to do the right thing and have their best interest at heart.” Reflecting on challenges, she says, “Being a wife and mother adds layers of complexity to my career. But my children get to see how hard I work, and they are proud.”
Cullison’s mother inspired her to work in healthcare and has had health battles that affirm the importance of her role. “Living through my mom’s journey with pancreatic cancer, I saw firsthand how important it is to make the moments that matter as good as possible because those memories last forever. My experience with mom gave me even more reason to do what I do every day.”
Anna Allen Lopez started her career at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare as a student in the School of Radiology. She joined Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital in 1998 and became the hospital’s vice president of professional services in 2017 and its chief operating officer in 2019. “It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication, but I had a desire to continue to grow. Methodist supported my education and career.”
Anna has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Union University. She launched the Methodist Comprehensive Breast Center and leads development of the hospital’s state-ofthe-art structural heart program. Outside of work, she grew her skills in the Leadership Germantown program. “It’s important to stay humble, have empathy and not ask anyone to do more than you would do.” Her circle of support includes her family. “I could not have done this without the support of my husband and family. My journey has taught my kids that anything is possible if you work hard and believe in yourself.”
Dr. Cassandra Howard, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Cassandra Howard started her career as an enlisted flight medic in the military. She has over 30 years of exemplary service in the United States Air Force in the Air National Guard and is currently senior medical officer for Tennessee and holds the rank of brigadier general assigned to the Pentagon. “I am blessed to have the privilege to serve both as a civilian and military health care professional,” she says. “Both career ladders have had really tall rungs! Fortunately, I have been supported by many leaders, mentors, friends and family members along the way. As I progressed through formal training and professional development, opportunities for greater leadership were readily available.”
In 2014, she became medical director for the emergency department at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital and was named the hospital’s chief medical officer in 2017. She is a graduate of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Physician Leadership Academy. Howard earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. “Over my 34-year medical career, I have learned the importance of balance. I must be intentional and prioritize time for my physical, mental and spiritual health. To ensure my strength and resilience, it is important as a leader that I practice good self-care.”
Kathy Barnes, Chief Nursing Officer
“I remember watching my oldest sister studying for her nursing exams and thinking that I wanted to be just like her,” says Kathy Barnes. She went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Louis University. “I began my leadership career as a charge nurse on a nursing unit and progressed to unit management, division management and eventually higher positions in the hospitals. I have held leadership positions in pediatric tertiary care hospitals as well as in adult hospitals. My career has spanned both community and academic medical centers. Each step provided me with rich information on the operations of the hospital.”
She is a board-certified nurse executive by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and a magnet appraiser for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program. Experience has taught her that “quality patient care requires the focus of the interdisciplinary team.” Barnes credits her husband with encouraging her growth. “He moved his base of business operations to support my position here. My children have grown up watching me as a nursing leader, and that has shaped them into caring humans with a desire to make a difference as well.”
Rita Neely, Chief Financial Officer
As a kid, Rita Neely enjoyed math and problem-solving. “Hospital finance proved to be a great combination for me. I work with a team of caring and compassionate people, and I get to see how we make a difference in people’s lives.” Neely holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. She served as the chief financial officer for Methodist North Hospital and Methodist South Hospital from 2013 to 2019.
Her advice to women growing their careers is “stay open to learning, changing, caring and progressing. You will gain something new every day.” Connecting with new cities and medical communities is part of Neely’s experience. “My career has taken me and my family so many places. I was an Army brat, and always said I would never move like that again. But fate is funny that way.” ■
eventsSpecial
¿! SPECIAL NOTE The following events are considered tentative at this time. All events are subject to postponement and/or cancellation due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and local health department guidelines. For the most up-to-date event information, visit Germantown-TN.gov/Calendar or call (901) 757-7200.
