Name and Job Title:  Darcelle Skeete Burgess, HMP Alumni Board President and Director of Privacy at Bon Secours Mercy Health 

What inspired you to pursue a career in healthcare leadership, and how has your career evolved since graduating?
My family inspired my path in healthcare leadership. I come from a long line of healthcare professionals. My mother was a nursing administrator, my father worked in healthcare materials management, and my siblings are physicians and healthcare IT leaders. Growing up, my parents instilled the importance of education and service, making healthcare leadership a natural fit for me. Over the past 10+ years, I’ve held multiple compliance and privacy leadership roles, including serving as Interim Chief Compliance and Interim Chief Privacy Officer for a major healthcare system.

What has been the most rewarding part of your role as Director of Privacy? 
The most rewarding part of my role has been the ability to mentor and assist my team of direct reports with their investigations and daily responsibilities. I think it’s important to invest in your team so they can grow professionally and personally. This equips them with the skills and experiences they need for career advancement. 

How did the Iowa MHA program prepare you for a career in healthcare? 
The MHA program strengthened my skills through a broad curriculum in leadership and management, finance, and health policy, as well as through hands-on experience. I interned with the Iowa Health Care Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, gaining firsthand experience implementing a major HIPAA Privacy rule, and worked as a Graduate Assistant with RUPRI, where I analyzed federal policies and assessed rural health implications. These experiences were invaluable and laid a strong foundation for my career.

What advice would you give to current students as they begin a career in healthcare leadership? 
To set yourself apart as a candidate through your work product and how you present yourself through the interviewing process. Build relationships with other professionals and leaders through networking and getting involved with local and national healthcare associations.

What do you see as some of the most important skills for the next generation of healthcare leaders? 
The ability to be a forward thinker. In my opinion, this is an individual who is creative, adaptable to change, strategic, a problem solver, always up for a challenge, and looking for opportunities to grow.

What’s one tradition or memory from Iowa that you still carry with you?
One memory from Iowa that I will still carry with me was the opportunity to meet two former U.S. presidents during the campaign season. It was a great experience and one that I will never forget.