Live Well , Be Well , THRIVE
KIM MENZEL Sr . VP & Area Manager Roseville
TRISH RODRIGUEZ Sr . VP & Area Manager South Sacramento
SANDY SHARON Sr . VP & Area Manager Sacramento
KAISER PERMANENTE ’ S TOP HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP ROLES HELD BY WOMEN RNS – A FIRST FOR THE SACRAMENTO REGION
As the largest health care provider in the Greater Sacramento region , Kaiser Permanente is known for leading the way in providing high-quality care and service . Now Kaiser Permanente has reached another major milestone in its half-century here .
The top leadership roles at its three hospitals and health plan operations in the Greater Sacramento region are filled by women for the first time since Kaiser Permanente put down roots in the Sacramento Valley in 1965 . And they have something else in common – all are registered nurses .
The women concur that their experience on the hospital floors gives them a unique perspective and makes them more effective in their executive roles .
“ When you come up from a clinical background , it makes you much more relatable to front line staff . There is a high level of trust when they know you understand what they are going through on a dayto-day basis ,” said Kim Menzel , RN , MHA , BSN , Senior Vice President and Area Manager , Roseville , who started as an oncology nurse and then rose to leadership roles in women ’ s and children ’ s services . With Kaiser Permanente since 2009 , she served as
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Chief Nurse Executive prior to taking on her current position in 2020 .
For Trish Rodriguez , RN , MPH , Senior Vice President and Area Manager , South Sacramento , whose background is in critical care , clinical experience helped her understand the importance of highfunctioning teams . “ Working with teams is a skill we bring from the clinical area where we work with a variety of disciplines - physician , nurse , respiratory therapist - to create great outcomes for the patient . On the business side , we have multidisciplinary teams that work together to create great outcomes as well ,” said Rodriguez , who has held her position since 2011 .
Sandy Sharon , RN , MBA , Senior Vice President and Area Manager , Sacramento , a former ICU nurse who has been with Kaiser Permanente since 1997 , is as at home on the patient units as in the boardroom . “ Having both business and clinical experience is extremely helpful . I see health care from a clinician ’ s perspective , but I also have the business literacy that helps me understand organizational challenges ,” said Sharon , who has held her leadership role since 2015 .
A study cited by the Harvard T . H . Chan School of Public Health found that although women make up the majority of the health care workforce , they hold only 19 percent of hospital CEO positions , and they head only 4 percent of health care companies . With its strong record of promoting women , Kaiser Permanente again shows it is leading the way .
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