
Position: I am currently a Lead Health Information Specialist.
What led you to your current position? After graduating Cal State East Bay as a psychology major, I soon discovered that direct service was not an area I enjoyed. During my work experience, I worked in 2 different construction companies assisting with operations and admin. Even though, I enjoyed learning about business and accounting, I knew that I wanted to work for an organization that had a more meaningful purpose and held similar values as mine. I feel that being a Health Information Specialist within Seneca, has combined the two worlds that I was searching for. Overall, I’m grateful that I am still able to contribute to the community we serve, as I work behind the scenes.
Fun Fact/Quote? Not till we are completely lost or turned around…do we begin to find ourselves.. -Henry David Thoreau
What does your average day look like? My average day begins with getting a cup of coffee. I then take out my big stacks of paperwork and reorganize them into multiple different piles, such as add to chart tracking, need to enter, scanning, follow ups, etc. Every day, I always tell myself that I will complete all my stacks, but I know the truth. I then open up my emails and become an investigator, ensuring that I am able to answer all my emails as correctly as possible. Since, I currently hold 2 different counties, I have to make sure I’m relaying the correct information for their county specifically. The QA managers and specialists from other programs definitely help in my investigation as we work together to come up with the correct response. On certain days, like today, I have to travel to Contra Costa County to drop off documents to be reviewed. The few days of the week I travel, it is nice to get out of the office for a little bit. When I come back, I will finish sending out chart tracking, do some billing and begin on my stacks of paperwork, as I answer emails along the way.
Why do you do this work? I do this work because these kids and families have been through so many obstacles and deserve to have a helping hand. It takes a village. I’m glad I can take my skills and experiences and help All In continue to thrive and expand.
What hope do you have for the future of our program? I hope that as All In continues to grow and expand, everyone one the team continues to feel supported and heard. The work our team is doing under the Unconditional Education model is amazing and I would like to see it continue for many years to come; I can only imagine how many lives we can make a difference in.