As we continue to celebrate International Women’s Month, we would like to introduce you to another one of our inspiring women leaders, Vice President of Talent & Marketing, Stacey Edwards. Stacey joined MedPro in 2016 and has been instrumental in formulating many of the program initiatives at MedPro today. Read more about Stacey’s journey and how as women, we need to vocalize goals and be our advocates – hard work truly pays off.
Can you provide a brief bio on your background and how it started?
Growing up I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I “grew up”, but I always had an interest in the medical field. I decided to study micro and molecular biology at the University of Central Florida with the goal of becoming a dermatologist. During my sophomore year of college, I quickly realized this wasn’t the field for me and decided to try out an introductory course to hospitality management. For a 19-year-old girl to go from studying organic chemistry to theme park management, I felt like I hit the jackpot! I took an internship which eventually turned into a job at Universal Orlando and fell in love with the hospitality industry. During my senior year, I went to college recruitment fair and ended up getting a Front Desk Manager position in Miami with Marriott International, so I moved back home and started my career in hotel management. I worked for Marriott International from 2004-2016 through various roles in operations, sales, and management. In 2016, as a Director of Sales for The Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Company I was recruited by MedPro Healthcare Staffing to create a customer experience program for the organization. Over the past six years my role has evolved and today I am proud of my position as Vice President of Talent & Marketing here at MedPro where I oversee Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Marketing, and Customer Experience. Although I never became a clinician, I am thrilled to play a small role in our healthcare system.
Do you have any suggestions for up-and-coming women looking to become leaders? What advice would you give? What inspiration can you provide to women in the workforce?
Work your tail off, always be open to new challenges, and make your goals known. Throughout my career, I’ve always possessed a strong work ethic and dedication to my work. No matter the position I held, as small as it may have been, I wanted to be the very best at what I did and those types of things were noticed. There have been many times over the years that I was presented with new challenges or ideas that I didn’t feel ready for. It’s very easy to second guess yourself or feel you’re not ready for the next step. The truth is, you’re never “ready”, but if you work really hard, ask a lot of questions and listen somehow or other things start to come together. Lastly, it’s important to vocalize your goals. Don’t keep them to yourself. Make sure those around you are aware of where you want to go and that you work together to get you there. Sometimes as women we’re afraid to speak up, but it’s important to be your own advocate.
Have you encountered any challenges in your career – from working in hospitals to your current role? No journey comes without bumps along the road. To this day I try and learn from every experience I encounter. I try and share this mindset with my team as well. If you look hard enough there is some takeaway from every experience.
Is there anything you want to share with women that would have helped you along your journey? Find a mentor. You are going to experience all kinds of things over the years that you’re not prepared for particularly when it comes to managing a team. There is no playbook so it’s really important to find someone you can turn to for sound advice and guidance. Those types of relationships are invaluable.
What are the most valuable lessons you have learned throughout your career? One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over my career is the value of a team. You are nothing without them. Each one of my team members are important to me and I like to look at us like a little work family. It’s important to gain the trust of your team. Once you do, what you can accomplish together is unlimited. Another important lesson I’ve learned is that when faced with a challenge or disappointment it can often be hard to see the trees through the forest, but things have a way of working themselves out. On your journey, you will experience trials, tribulations, and sometimes failures. At that time, it may feel devastating and overwhelming, but rest assured it will pass and you will come out stronger.
What are you most excited about in the future? Honestly, every day has me excited. I am fortunate to have an awesome team, work for a company that I genuinely care about and an industry that matters. There is so much opportunity in front of us to make a difference and I’m just thrilled to be part of it.
