GCHEG President Elect: Nehemie Owen
Nehemie Owen, MHA, FACHE, will assume the presidency of the Greater Charlotte Area Healthcare Executives Group (GCHEG) on January 1, 2018. She will succeed Jon Myers in the position. Ms. Owen currently serves as Assistant Vice President, Human Resources, Workforce Management Operations and Technology at Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS). She has worked with CHS since completing her administrative residency at Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy while she was an MHA student at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Ms. Owens credits the large size and scope of CHS with enabling her to grow her career and explore different paths from patient experience and operations to her current role in human resources.
Ms. Owen began her involvement with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), of which GCHEG is a part, as a member of the student chapter at VCU. She continued her involvement after she moved to Charlotte by attending meetings, volunteering as a panelist, and then recruiting other executives to serve as panelists. Ms. Owen is also active in the Urban League in Charlotte.
Ms. Owen and the other GCHEG leaders have developed an updated strategic plan for their organization in the coming two years. GCHEG is focusing on a new member outreach strategy and hopes to partner with other healthcare organizations on this effort. As part of this strategic vision, the group pland to connect various healthcare entities to address the growing opioid crisis in the region. GCHEG is also working to engage physician leaders and C-suite executives at local healthcare organizations to educate them about the benefits of ACHE participation. In addition, the chapter will increase recognition of its members through chapter awards and other efforts to commend local leaders in healthcare administration.
Ms. Owen recommends that MHA students seek out involvement in GCHEG activities, both directly with the chapter and through the Charlotte Healthcare Executive Student Organization (CHESO) at UNC Charlotte. Students should remain open to learning and engaging with workplace mentors and other professionals with similar leadership styles. She finds the field of healthcare administration and the members of GCHEG to be supportive of professional development and growth and encourages students to take advantage of these opportunities to connect and advance their careers.