NorthShore Health Centers is celebrating women in healthcare. From top to bottom, department to department, from IT staff and administrators to doctors and nurses—NorthShore relies on a large, diverse team of talented women to continue offering quality healthcare to everyone, regardless of a patient's ability to pay.
Learn more about a few of those women below:
LaShonda Haymon – Optical Supervisor
Haymon, a veteran healthcare employee with 17 years of service, joined the NorthShore family over nine years ago. As an optical supervisor, she leads her team in building a secure, supportive, and motivating work environment to ensure patients are educated and informed about their optical needs.
“Healthcare wasn’t always an interest of mine, I stumbled on the field due to a job opportunity that arose,” she said. “Once in the field, I found it very interesting and necessary. I have a genuine concern for helping others, so I took a step further and became an ABO-certified optician. The rest is history."
For Haymon, the most satisfying part of her day is seeing the impact her team’s work can have on a patient’s life.
“I enjoy creating exceptional value in the lives of our patients while providing quality care, by delivering spectacular customer service and a phenomenal experience,” she said. “I find it very rewarding to witness satisfied patients eager to receive glasses that I helped them choose.”
Shana Fetrow – Dental Coordinator
Fetrow began her career in healthcare back in 1992. She was living in Germany, and the American Red Cross was testing volunteers to train in their Certified Dental Assisting Program on an American air base. Now, she supports NorthShore’s dental team in its five (soon to be six) dental locations by coordinating patients for dental services.
“My time with the Red Cross was an exceptional ground-floor experience that blossomed into an ever-changing career that I still love today,” she said. “For me, there was equality for women in healthcare, especially while working alongside active duty military personnel.”
Now, her favorite part of the job is the ongoing collaboration with the rest of the dental team.
“NorthShore allows me to enable many families in our community to achieve their oral health goals or help someone through a dental emergency,” she said. “I’m honored to work with and for such caring, intelligent, and generous individuals. No two days are the same, and the experiences are heartfelt.”
Rachel Mullins – Chief Operating Officer
Mullins entered the healthcare industry 12 years ago and has been with NorthShore for almost eight of them. She oversees the operations of all NorthShore clinics and helps shape the strategic direction of the organization from an operations perspective.
“When I was younger I wanted to be a doctor because I wanted to be able to help people,” she said. “However, I started to work at a hospital while in college and quickly realized that direct patient care wasn’t for me. I still loved healthcare and wanted to work in the field, and my university had just started a healthcare administration program so I was able to find a place within the healthcare field without direct patient care. I eventually found NorthShore Health Centers and realized that non-profit healthcare is my real passion in life, and I cannot imagine doing anything else.”
Mullins particularly loves being part of such a mission-driven organization.
“The healthcare system is so complicated, and most people really struggle to get through the system to receive the care they need,” she said. “Being a part of an organization that is focused on our patients as a whole and tries its best to fulfill whatever needs our patients have is really incredible.”
Betty Tolbert – Compliance and Risk Manager
Tolbert is a 10-year healthcare industry veteran, having done a little bit of everything as a certified nursing assistant, home health aide, medical secretary, medical assistant, and insurance navigator. Now, as a compliance and risk manager, she works to ensure that NorthShore complies with all federal, state, and local regulations. She also manages projects, maintains emergency preparedness, and handles various administrative duties.
“I've always had a passion for healthcare, which is why I obtained a Bachelor of Science in health studies with minors in human resource management and Food & Nutrition in 2019,” she said. “Working in the healthcare field has always piqued my interest, from wanting to be a doctor to being a CEO of a reputable organization. Recently, I obtained my master’s in public affairs in health service administration and social change, as well as a graduate certificate in public management as of May 2022.”
She plans to return to school this fall for additional certifications and training.
“I'm constantly searching for ways to improve affairs and make a difference in the world,” she said. “One of the most rewarding components of my current position has been becoming more familiar with business analytics and how it applies to not only the healthcare field but also other businesses and industries. Accepting my new position as a Compliance and Risk Manager has been an honor.”
Miranda Velasquez – Executive Administrative Assistant & Development and Grants Manager
Velaquez began her career in healthcare in 2017 and joined the NorthShore team two years ago. She handles a wide array of tasks and works with every department to find grants that could help NorthShore’s staff and assist their patients. She also manages the organization’s partnerships with local schools and other companies.
“Since I was little I’ve always wanted to help people,” she said. “I’ve always found a passion in helping those who need it most. I knew I was made to work in healthcare and can’t remember ever being interested in anything else.”
She enjoys how her role allows her to make an impact both inside and outside the organization.
“On the administrative side, all the good that we do to ensures that all patients are seen no matter what; it gives me such passion and motivation to keep coming back every day and doing more,” she said. “I just love NorthShore, our mission, our vision, and our values. I love what we stand for and what we believe in.”
To learn more about NorthShore Health Centers, visit northshorehealth.org.
