ACHE Southern California LIFT Scholarship

Statement 1 My career goals focus on achieving mastery in compliance, particularly in the regulatory, policy, and legislative aspects of public health. I aim to advance within my department, ultimately rising to roles such as manager, division chief, and deputy director. However, I am also prepared to transition to the private sector with the goal of working in the C-suite of a hospital. One of my most significant accomplishments was managing a COVID-19 response team of over 400 employees at the pandemic's peak. Our team vaccinated a majority of our population, and I am proud to have played a critical role in such a vital effort. Additionally, I received the HRSA grant, which allowed me to further develop my skills and contribute more effectively to public health initiatives. Leadership has been a consistent theme throughout my career. I have served as Chair for the Performance Management Committee (PMC) and as Regional Manager for the COVID-19 response. Currently, I hold the position of Ethics and Compliance Coordinator within my department. My dedication to professional development is evident through my participation in the Leadership Development Program and the Mentorship Program with the County of San Bernardino. Personally, overcoming financial instability caused by a divorce has made me more resilient and strengthened my commitment to personal and professional growth. This award would provide crucial support as I continue my journey toward these goals. Statement 2 My career goals and accomplishments closely align with the mission and values of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). As I work to master public health compliance and leadership, I share ACHE’s commitment to advancing healthcare leadership excellence. Whether I remain in the public sector or transition to the private sector, my goal is to make healthcare more accessible, safer, and affordable for all—objectives central to ACHE’s mission. Managing a COVID-19 response team of over 400 employees and securing the HRSA grant demonstrates my dedication to addressing healthcare challenges. I’ve continually sought leadership roles, such as chairing the Performance Management Committee and serving as a regional manager during the pandemic response, which mirrors ACHE's focus on leadership and lifelong learning. Additionally, ACHE's emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and integrity resonates with my personal values. As an immigrant and first-generation college student, I’ve faced barriers in underserved communities and understand the importance of resilience and inclusion in healthcare leadership. I am committed to fostering a culture of safety, diversity, and equity in healthcare—values that ACHE champions. This award would ease a financial burden by covering the cost of my computer, allowing me to focus fully on the final year of my master's program and pursue my goal of contributing to healthcare leadership excellence.

After graduating from the University of Southern California's Master in Healthcare Administration program, I plan on applying to top PhD health policy programs in the country. This award will allow me to lessen financial stress while I continue my program as a first-generation, low-income graduate student. I moved to California to begin my college career during the pandemic and alone while figuring out the journey. I almost had my college career cut short with a 2.2 GPA as I balanced working full time, taking 18 units, being involved on and off campus and dealing with issues going on back home. After a year, I brought my GPA to a 3.1 and decided to continue my education and apply to MHA programs. I am currently the Digital Democracy Outreach for Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Price Ambassador at USC, Co-President for the Latinx Graduate Student Association, Co-Director of Social Programming for the Price Latinx Student Association, Research Assistant for USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) and the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. I am on the Communications Committee for ACHE since January. I have also received some scholarships at USC, such as the Latino Alumni Scholarship, Norman Topping Fellow, and the Price Stutter Minority Graduate Fellowship in Health Administration. I am also a 2024 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship Recipient, to which 834 applicants across California apply, and only 76 recipients are chosen. My goals align with ACHE of SoCal's purpose and objectives because of how I plan on using my education to give back to my community. Ensuring my community has access to quality care and advancing my healthcare leadership excellence are just two of the goals I have for myself. Community service is vital for me and have shown this in work I have done with my communities in Nashville and Los Angeles. I hope to one day have a PhD in health policy from a top 10 program in the country where I can then take the skills and education back to my community. I would love to work alongside policy makers to advocate for the Latinx, immigrant, LGBTQ+, low-income communities to guarantee the healthcare we all deserve. Policy work is my passion and would love to continue my work in the years to come. As someone who grew up low-income, with a single mom, Mexican and openly gay in Nashville, I would have never believed I would be in a masters program at 22 and dreaming of one day having a PhD. ACHE is a professional society for healthcare leaders who are committed to improving health, and with my third year of being active within the organization, I believe my goals definitely align with the organization's purpose and objectives. People who come from my background need to take positions that were not made for us to advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves and assuring everyone has access to quality healthcare.