Since 2018, she’s been the driving force behind City of Hope’s years-long effort to bring the institution’s top-tier, breakthrough cancer treatments to the O.C. community with a $1.5 billion investment that includes the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center and new adjoining state-of-the-art hospital in Irvine, plus five regional clinics.
What advice do you have for people when they find themselves outside their comfort zone?
I think about David and Goliath. Long before David ever faced a giant, he was in the fields fighting lions and bears, protecting his sheep. Those quiet, smaller moments were his preparation. So, when the Goliath moment came, he stepped forward with confidence and faith and it changed not only how he saw himself, but how others saw him. When you find yourself outside your comfort zone, don’t pull back. Those hard, uncertain moments are often exactly what’s preparing you for what’s next.
How do you approach risk and uncertainty now versus when you were starting out?
Over the years, especially through building City of Hope Orange County and leading through crises, I learned that uncertainty in leadership is the constant. As a strategist, I look at a situation like a puzzle. You take the pieces you have, fit together what you can, and then intellectually try to see the finished picture, even before every piece is on the table. That’s how you create direction when things aren’t fully clear. Waiting for perfect clarity often costs more than acting thoughtfully. I’m far more comfortable now making big decisions with incomplete information because I have learned to inquire and trust my instincts and I’ve built a team that trusts me, too.
Any advice for people interested in having a career in your field?
Learn the science but lead with heart. Health care is complex and demanding, but at its core this is work that changes lives. You are showing up for people on some of the hardest days of their lives for patients, families, and the teams who care for them. If you stay grounded in compassion and purpose, you can build a career that does more than succeed you can do work that matters, work that makes the world a better place.
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