November 5, 2024 • 19 mins
Dr. Aretha R. Polite Powers, CEO of Fetter Healthcare Network
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
iHeartMedia presents CEOs you Should Know. Welcome to CEOs you
Should Know. Today we're featuring doctor Aretha R. Polite Powers.
She's chief executive officer of Feeder Healthcare Network.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Well, certainly thanks for being here with us. So please
explain the mission of Feederal Healthcare Network.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
So Better Healthcare Network exists to serve individuals who are
in need of primary health care services, dental, behavior, health,
and pediatric and ob services. We serve individuals with insurance
who may not have insurance, and regardless of their ability
to pay, we are here to serve you as your
(00:40):
safety net healthcare provider.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Now. Feeder is the oldest federally qualified healthcare center in
South Carolina. Give us a little history on how Fetter's
evolved over the last fifty years.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
So Yes Better came into fluition in nineteen sixty seven.
It became a nonprofit in nineteen seventy five. We started
out in a small trailer meeting Street and has evolved
into twenty six locations throughout Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and Collington Counties.
We also have five mobile units and we also serve
(01:12):
migrant camps as well.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
As school based sites.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Now, what are some of the services that you provide.
It's not only primary care, it's everything from primary care
to dental to mental health, all kinds of different services, right.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yes, So if you're in need of primary care dental services,
you can reach out to us. We have dental services
in a fixed location as well as we have two
mobile dental units that travel throughout the communities.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
We have behavior health services.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And you can come into office and see a behavior
health therapists, or you can also see those surpasts on
telehealth services from the comfort of your home.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Now, how would somebody go about doing that?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So you can reach out by going to our website
and becoming a new patient at Betterhealthcare dot org. You
can click on new patient services or you can haul
our one eight hundred number.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Now, about how many people do you serve?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
We serve about twenty thousand people annually with about seventy
five thousand medical, dental, behavior health visits.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Now, has there been an increase in demand for your services?
You know, we've heard about the economy being bad, about
people having to stretch their pocket books, we have migrants
coming to the area. Has the demand for your services increased.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Through the years, absolutely, especially during a COVID pandemic. And
after the COVID pandemic, a lot of individuals either lost
their jobs or had the resign from their jobs. They
lost their health insurance. And because we can serve you
regardless of your ability to pay, or you can pay
on a cash basis, we've definitely seen an increase in
the patient population that are uninsured.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Now, do you run across people that are hesitant to
ask for help.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
All the time because a lot of people think that
we're free clinic. They think that we do not have
credentialed or qualified providers, But all of our providers are credentialed,
they're privileged. They could be privileged in private practice or
in a hospital. And so I think people are uncomfortable
asking one because they think it's for people who need
(03:14):
free services. Are they are unsure about the kind of
care they will receive.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, So do you ever have anybody reach out and say, look,
I have somebody here that's hesitant. They really need some help,
So I'd like for you to reach out to them,
or I'm reaching out on their behalf.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, And that's one reason I like to do these
types of media broadcasting is because it's an opportunity to say,
no matter where you are in your life, even individuals
who are ensured, they can come use our services. So
when I do those reach out calls, I just say,
we don't ask questions, We just ask you to be
honest with us so that we can give you quality healthcare.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Well, that's great. It's a great service that you're providing
throughout the Low Country and you serve as you said Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester,
Colleton counties.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Right, that is exactly right.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
And you can walk up to a building or you
can get on one of our mobile units.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And the mobile units are something fairly new, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
We started rolling out our mobile units in about twenty nineteen,
and we use them to meet the demand during a
COVID pandemic. We ended up providing testing to over seventy
five thousand people and vaccines to over ninety four thousand
individuals in all four of the counties, and so our
mobile units were pivotal in the serving of the community
(04:34):
during the pandemic. So we now have six units and
they're all over So look out for a fort a
mobile unit near you.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Now Here on CEOs. You should know we also like
to get to know the leaders that we feature a
little more personally. You have quite an impressive education and resume,
holding a Doctor of Health Administration degree, a DHA, a
Master of Public Health degree and MPH. And I noticed
the MALPS MLPs designation in your title, and I have
(05:05):
to be honest with you, I don't know what that
stands for. Explain what that is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So I ended up with a master's in Leadership and
Professional Development. So it's a master's of art and leadership
and Professional Development. And I always say it was an
opportunity for me to really get to know myself. It
started out with me taking a course on nonverbal communication
and by the end of the course, I ended up
enrolled in a master's program. And it is one of
(05:33):
the degrees that helped form who I am today as
a leader. It allowed me to get to know people
and their learning styles in a different way.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Now, where did you go to college?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
So I received my undergraduate from Savannah State University and
then my master's degrees from Georgia Southern University it was
formerly Strong Atlantic State University in Savannah. And then I
have my doctorate in Health Administration from Medical University of
South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Now you grew up in Savannah, right, I did.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
I transitioned to Charleston to become the CEO of Federal
Healthcare Network.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
And what about your history before that? Where did you
work in Savannah?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I worked at J. C. Lewis Primary health Care Center.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I was the chief executive officer there for about five
and a half years. And prior to that, I worked
at Union Mission, which is a continum of care for
individuals experience and homelessness. And that's when I got my
start into healthcare. I started out working in mental health
and substance abuse HIV primary care and then transitioned into
(06:37):
health care for persons experience and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And tell us a little bit about your family, So
you did they nurture your interest in health care and
in education.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So I didn't know that going to college and not
going to college that there was an option. I don't
really remember my parents giving me that option. It was
kind of I was raised to that that was what
was going to happen. Ironically, I was the first to
graduate in my family with a college degree. I come
(07:12):
from a very humble background. The nurturing, I would say
started with just commitment and disciplined. That was very important
in my household, and so I think that had a
lot to do with me pursuing and completing my educational degrees.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Well, congratulations on being the first in your family to
achieve your goals. You know, a college degree. Told us
about your parents.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
My father is a retired fireman. He became a fireman
at a very young age. He played a little college
basketball that didn't quite work out. He became a firefighter
and he eventually became the assistant chief in Savannah, Georgia,
and so he had a very successful career as a
fireman in Savannah, Georgia. My mom actually worked the same
(08:01):
job my entire life, and I know that that's where
my discipline and level of responsibility or knowing your level
of responsibility comes from. And she worked her way through
being a manager at the Kroger grocery stores. And so
my parents provided a very stable household for me, and
(08:22):
I think that again has a lot to do with
who I am today.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Well, sure, and just the expectation. And that's why I
laughed when you said I really didn't realize it was
an option, right, because she just grew up it was
expected of you. It's not hey, am I going to
go to college or not? It's where am I going
to go? And you know, am I reaching my goals?
And let me see your report card? Right?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Absolutely, outside of the I talked too much. I typically
was a good student and so they just let me
be me. And I have an appreciation for that.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
I mean, that's so important to have that supported home.
And do you have any other mentors?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I do?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I would say one of my first mentors is I
have a friend. He's no longer with us, but his
mom was someone who had dedicated her life as a
nurse to working with people who had struggle with substance
use issues or substance abuse issues. And as I was
coming on my senior year and undergrad, I talked to
her about what I wanted to do with my life.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I wanted to help.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I wanted to always make sure I was in a
position to give back, and she helped mentor me through
these are things you can do based on your degrees,
or these are things you can do because of your
interests or your passion. And so her name is Margaret Jackson.
We're still in touch with each other. She's a retired nurse,
and she's always been a great sounding board for me professionally.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Absolutely, and again, it's so important to have people that
are willing to help young up and comers and take
them under their wing and kind of point them in
the right direction or give them a kick in the
behind when when they need it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Right, she was definitely that person for me to.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Have somebody like that. Now, what's the philosophy that drives
you each day? And I know that's a tough question.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
One is my great grandmother would always tell me I
was fortunate enough to be thirty three years old and
have my great grandmother in my life. She lived until
she was ninety five years old. But if I would
come home from school and say I want to be
a teacher, then she would say, we'll write about it.
I want to be a nurse. She would make me
write about it, and then I would have to present
(10:29):
it to her. So I stopped telling her what I
wanted to be. I kind of hide it. She would
ask me a lot of questions. But what that taught
me is you couldn't just say things. You had to
know about them. You had to know why you were
interested in those things.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
So it taught me.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
That preparation, to always be prepared, and then she would
always hold me to it. So you think, Okay, my
great grandmother's giving me an assignment at ten years old.
She's surely not going to ask me about it again.
But she would, and she would stay on it until
I was able to present her some thing and writing
and verbally. And as crazy as that sound when people
(11:05):
say you don't mind doing public speaking, I'm like it
started at ten because my grandmother would make me stand
there and present to her why I want it to
be what I said I would be. And so I
would say, for me, it's about preparation. It's prayer and
it is planning. So you have to plan and prepare
(11:26):
and pray and that will help you be a better person,
better leader, and it gives you that drive and that
stick to itness. I don't even think that's the word,
but it teaches me that I just don't put things
out there without planning and praying and preparing about it.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Sure, and I think that's excellent advice. And I love
it and the stick to it, and iess and I
love how your your grandma made you explain to her,
just not give it lip service, right, Like, I'm just
working on this, Grandma having to really explain about it
for you to really think about it and consider that
the path that you're on right absolutely, and so you've
(12:08):
obviously been busy and you're very driven, you know, with
your education and then with your job, which I'm sure
keeps you very busy. Do you ever relax? What do
you do when you're not working?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I shopped all the time, even when I'm working, but
I would say I love the shop, I love to read,
and I need a vacation. So I really tried to
vacation once a year with my entire family, and then
I try to vacation with some adults without the children.
(12:40):
And so I'm definitely a person of work hard, play harder.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
And where do you go on vacation? Is do you
stay in the United States or do you travel abroad
or a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Both or I turned fifty last year, we went to Dubai.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Oh really, this.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Year we decided that we would stay in the United
States and we're going to do our vacation for Christmas.
We're going to go to National Harbor at the Gay Lord.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Oh Okay, now now that piqued my interest. When you
said Dubai, what full managed your decision to choose to buy.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I wanted to experience a different culture. I wanted to
see a different part of the world, and it gave
me all of that. It was definitely a very long flight,
So travel with people that you enjoy traveling with because
you're going to be on an airplane a very long
time together, and seven days in a very different culture.
(13:37):
Just the difference in time, the difference in foods, the
difference in traditions. One of the things that stood out
the most is there's no public display of affection openly
in Dubai, and so that took some getting used to.
You're traveling with your significant others and you can't hold hands.
But it was an opportunity to just learn why they
(13:59):
do things differently.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah, absolutely, And I mean that's you know, enriching in
itself to learn about other cultures and how they handle things.
And I'm sure you have, you know, and part of
that you inherited from your grandmother probably you know, an
inquisitive mind where you consider why they do the things
that they do. Right.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Absolutely, it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
I know, you know, we may see it it's like
men there are served first, or they in their facilities first.
And for me, initially, maybe the first two or three days,
I was like, well that's rude. But then I realized
just how much respect it's given by the males in
that culture. So yet they may interfirst, but they wait,
they wait to make sure you get in, and then
(14:45):
you just start to see things differently, and that I
got to see that experience that differently in Dubai.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Sure it expands your understanding. Yeah, you had mentioned that
you like to read. Is there any book that you've
read lately that you'd like to you know, endorse, that
you'd like to recommend to others personally?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
I've been reading books by Kennedy Ryan and there are
just some romance novel and it's just a way to
take my mind off of what's really happening in real world.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Well that's important too, is you need a little bit
of escapism, right, Absolutely everybody needs that.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yeah, and so I read a lot of abe about
as books again from romance novels, and the escapism is
a way for me to not just take life so
seriously all the time.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Now, if there's an aspiring I won't even say, a
healthcare worker. I mean, anybody who's aspiring to better themselves,
whether it's in you know, through healthcare or education or
whatever it may be. What advice would you give to them?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
I would say, just make sure you're doing what you love.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I always tell people that I get an opportunity, of course,
to earn a paycheck, but I truly enjoy what I do.
It's an opportunity to use everything that I've learned that
I continue to learn that I've worked so hard for
to give back, and for me, that's just very important.
(16:19):
So find something that you really can enjoy doing, and
I just think that you'll be so much better at it.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah, and you have to have an interest, right, because
there's so many people that approach it strictly from the
income potential and then find themselves miserable. And that's why
you hear so often, like you just said, you know,
find something that you love. But you have to be
interested in what you do, because you do it day
in and day out, and you have to have a
(16:46):
passion to do it well. I think in order to
have a passion, you have to be interested in that place.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Yes, And that's why when I go back to my
great grandmother. I'm glad she made me research things, because
you know, you start to see some pros and cons,
ask a lot of questions, allowed me to be very
inquisitive and then always know that you can pivot, so
if you can take some of those transferable skills and
do something else if what you thought you wanted to
(17:12):
do didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I was supposed to go to law school.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I ended up with a summer internship and never looked
back and it been a healthcare ever since. So I
think it's important for you to understand that if you
think you're interested in something but it doesn't quite work out,
you have the opportunity to pivot.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
That is so important, and I can't tell you how
I try to drill that in the heads of my
own children, because you know, when they're young, they're not
sure about their direction and they're kind of waffling. And
my advice always was just pick a direction and go
in it. Pick something you're interested in and go in
that direction. And you don't have to stay on that
(17:50):
road for the rest of your life, but at least
move yourself down that road, and then if you need
to take a detour, pivot as you say, you have
that opportunity, and you have also enriched yourself with experiences along.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
The way, That's what I was going to say.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
And you've learned something, whether you call it good or bad,
you are able to pick up on some things and
now you know a little bit more about yourself. And
so I think that that's very important. I started out
as a case manager and here I am, and I
think from day one, just learning how to deal with
(18:26):
people helped me, you know, be here today. But I
wasn't forced to go to law school. I was allowed
to take a detour, pivot, and that's been important.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Yeah, you kind of have to peel back the layers
of your own psyche for lack of a better description, right.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Yeah, because you could do a lot of things to
make your family happy or your parents happy, but at
the end of the day, you have to be happy
with yourself and your decisions. It may not make you
all the money in the world, but if it's fulfilling,
it definitely is more worth it than the money.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Absolutely. Well, it was a pleasure talking with you today,
Doctor Aretha R. Polite Powers, chief executive Officer of Federal
Healthcare Network, Thanks for being our guest on CEOs.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You should know, I appreciate the opportunity you've.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Been listening to iHeart Radios. CEOs, you should know, heard
every Tuesday and Saturday morning right here on this iHeartRadio station.
iHeartMedia presents CEOs you Should Know. Welcome to CEOs you
Should Know. Today we're featuring doctor Aretha R. Polite Powers.
She's chief executive officer of Feeder Healthcare Network.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Well, certainly thanks for being here with us. So please
explain the mission of Feederal Healthcare Network.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
So Better Healthcare Network exists to serve individuals who are
in need of primary health care services, dental, behavior, health,
and pediatric and ob services. We serve individuals with insurance
who may not have insurance, and regardless of their ability
to pay, we are here to serve you as your
(00:40):
safety net healthcare provider.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Now. Feeder is the oldest federally qualified healthcare center in
South Carolina. Give us a little history on how Fetter's
evolved over the last fifty years.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
So Yes Better came into fluition in nineteen sixty seven.
It became a nonprofit in nineteen seventy five. We started
out in a small trailer meeting Street and has evolved
into twenty six locations throughout Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and Collington Counties.
We also have five mobile units and we also serve
(01:12):
migrant camps as well.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
As school based sites.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Now, what are some of the services that you provide.
It's not only primary care, it's everything from primary care
to dental to mental health, all kinds of different services, right.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yes, So if you're in need of primary care dental services,
you can reach out to us. We have dental services
in a fixed location as well as we have two
mobile dental units that travel throughout the communities.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
We have behavior health services.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And you can come into office and see a behavior
health therapists, or you can also see those surpasts on
telehealth services from the comfort of your home.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Now, how would somebody go about doing that?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
So you can reach out by going to our website
and becoming a new patient at Betterhealthcare dot org. You
can click on new patient services or you can haul
our one eight hundred number.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Now, about how many people do you serve?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
We serve about twenty thousand people annually with about seventy
five thousand medical, dental, behavior health visits.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Now, has there been an increase in demand for your services?
You know, we've heard about the economy being bad, about
people having to stretch their pocket books, we have migrants
coming to the area. Has the demand for your services increased.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Through the years, absolutely, especially during a COVID pandemic. And
after the COVID pandemic, a lot of individuals either lost
their jobs or had the resign from their jobs. They
lost their health insurance. And because we can serve you
regardless of your ability to pay, or you can pay
on a cash basis, we've definitely seen an increase in
the patient population that are uninsured.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Now, do you run across people that are hesitant to
ask for help.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
All the time because a lot of people think that
we're free clinic. They think that we do not have
credentialed or qualified providers, But all of our providers are credentialed,
they're privileged. They could be privileged in private practice or
in a hospital. And so I think people are uncomfortable
asking one because they think it's for people who need
(03:14):
free services. Are they are unsure about the kind of
care they will receive.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yeah, So do you ever have anybody reach out and say, look,
I have somebody here that's hesitant. They really need some help,
So I'd like for you to reach out to them,
or I'm reaching out on their behalf.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, And that's one reason I like to do these
types of media broadcasting is because it's an opportunity to say,
no matter where you are in your life, even individuals
who are ensured, they can come use our services. So
when I do those reach out calls, I just say,
we don't ask questions, We just ask you to be
honest with us so that we can give you quality healthcare.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Well, that's great. It's a great service that you're providing
throughout the Low Country and you serve as you said Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester,
Colleton counties.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Right, that is exactly right.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
And you can walk up to a building or you
can get on one of our mobile units.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And the mobile units are something fairly new, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
We started rolling out our mobile units in about twenty nineteen,
and we use them to meet the demand during a
COVID pandemic. We ended up providing testing to over seventy
five thousand people and vaccines to over ninety four thousand
individuals in all four of the counties, and so our
mobile units were pivotal in the serving of the community
(04:34):
during the pandemic. So we now have six units and
they're all over So look out for a fort a
mobile unit near you.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Now Here on CEOs. You should know we also like
to get to know the leaders that we feature a
little more personally. You have quite an impressive education and resume,
holding a Doctor of Health Administration degree, a DHA, a
Master of Public Health degree and MPH. And I noticed
the MALPS MLPs designation in your title, and I have
(05:05):
to be honest with you, I don't know what that
stands for. Explain what that is.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
So I ended up with a master's in Leadership and
Professional Development. So it's a master's of art and leadership
and Professional Development. And I always say it was an
opportunity for me to really get to know myself. It
started out with me taking a course on nonverbal communication
and by the end of the course, I ended up
enrolled in a master's program. And it is one of
(05:33):
the degrees that helped form who I am today as
a leader. It allowed me to get to know people
and their learning styles in a different way.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Now, where did you go to college?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
So I received my undergraduate from Savannah State University and
then my master's degrees from Georgia Southern University it was
formerly Strong Atlantic State University in Savannah. And then I
have my doctorate in Health Administration from Medical University of
South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Now you grew up in Savannah, right, I did.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
I transitioned to Charleston to become the CEO of Federal
Healthcare Network.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
And what about your history before that? Where did you
work in Savannah?
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I worked at J. C. Lewis Primary health Care Center.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
I was the chief executive officer there for about five
and a half years. And prior to that, I worked
at Union Mission, which is a continum of care for
individuals experience and homelessness. And that's when I got my
start into healthcare. I started out working in mental health
and substance abuse HIV primary care and then transitioned into
(06:37):
health care for persons experience and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And tell us a little bit about your family, So
you did they nurture your interest in health care and
in education.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So I didn't know that going to college and not
going to college that there was an option. I don't
really remember my parents giving me that option. It was
kind of I was raised to that that was what
was going to happen. Ironically, I was the first to
graduate in my family with a college degree. I come
(07:12):
from a very humble background. The nurturing, I would say
started with just commitment and disciplined. That was very important
in my household, and so I think that had a
lot to do with me pursuing and completing my educational degrees.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Well, congratulations on being the first in your family to
achieve your goals. You know, a college degree. Told us
about your parents.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
My father is a retired fireman. He became a fireman
at a very young age. He played a little college
basketball that didn't quite work out. He became a firefighter
and he eventually became the assistant chief in Savannah, Georgia,
and so he had a very successful career as a
fireman in Savannah, Georgia. My mom actually worked the same
(08:01):
job my entire life, and I know that that's where
my discipline and level of responsibility or knowing your level
of responsibility comes from. And she worked her way through
being a manager at the Kroger grocery stores. And so
my parents provided a very stable household for me, and
(08:22):
I think that again has a lot to do with
who I am today.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Well, sure, and just the expectation. And that's why I
laughed when you said I really didn't realize it was
an option, right, because she just grew up it was
expected of you. It's not hey, am I going to
go to college or not? It's where am I going
to go? And you know, am I reaching my goals?
And let me see your report card? Right?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Absolutely, outside of the I talked too much. I typically
was a good student and so they just let me
be me. And I have an appreciation for that.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
I mean, that's so important to have that supported home.
And do you have any other mentors?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I do?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
I would say one of my first mentors is I
have a friend. He's no longer with us, but his
mom was someone who had dedicated her life as a
nurse to working with people who had struggle with substance
use issues or substance abuse issues. And as I was
coming on my senior year and undergrad, I talked to
her about what I wanted to do with my life.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I wanted to help.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I wanted to always make sure I was in a
position to give back, and she helped mentor me through
these are things you can do based on your degrees,
or these are things you can do because of your
interests or your passion. And so her name is Margaret Jackson.
We're still in touch with each other. She's a retired nurse,
and she's always been a great sounding board for me professionally.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Absolutely, and again, it's so important to have people that
are willing to help young up and comers and take
them under their wing and kind of point them in
the right direction or give them a kick in the
behind when when they need it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Right, she was definitely that person for me to.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Have somebody like that. Now, what's the philosophy that drives
you each day? And I know that's a tough question.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
One is my great grandmother would always tell me I
was fortunate enough to be thirty three years old and
have my great grandmother in my life. She lived until
she was ninety five years old. But if I would
come home from school and say I want to be
a teacher, then she would say, we'll write about it.
I want to be a nurse. She would make me
write about it, and then I would have to present
(10:29):
it to her. So I stopped telling her what I
wanted to be. I kind of hide it. She would
ask me a lot of questions. But what that taught
me is you couldn't just say things. You had to
know about them. You had to know why you were
interested in those things.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
So it taught me.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
That preparation, to always be prepared, and then she would
always hold me to it. So you think, Okay, my
great grandmother's giving me an assignment at ten years old.
She's surely not going to ask me about it again.
But she would, and she would stay on it until
I was able to present her some thing and writing
and verbally. And as crazy as that sound when people
(11:05):
say you don't mind doing public speaking, I'm like it
started at ten because my grandmother would make me stand
there and present to her why I want it to
be what I said I would be. And so I
would say, for me, it's about preparation. It's prayer and
it is planning. So you have to plan and prepare
(11:26):
and pray and that will help you be a better person,
better leader, and it gives you that drive and that
stick to itness. I don't even think that's the word,
but it teaches me that I just don't put things
out there without planning and praying and preparing about it.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Sure, and I think that's excellent advice. And I love
it and the stick to it, and iess and I
love how your your grandma made you explain to her,
just not give it lip service, right, Like, I'm just
working on this, Grandma having to really explain about it
for you to really think about it and consider that
the path that you're on right absolutely, and so you've
(12:08):
obviously been busy and you're very driven, you know, with
your education and then with your job, which I'm sure
keeps you very busy. Do you ever relax? What do
you do when you're not working?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I shopped all the time, even when I'm working, but
I would say I love the shop, I love to read,
and I need a vacation. So I really tried to
vacation once a year with my entire family, and then
I try to vacation with some adults without the children.
(12:40):
And so I'm definitely a person of work hard, play harder.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
And where do you go on vacation? Is do you
stay in the United States or do you travel abroad
or a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Both or I turned fifty last year, we went to Dubai.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Oh really, this.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Year we decided that we would stay in the United
States and we're going to do our vacation for Christmas.
We're going to go to National Harbor at the Gay Lord.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Oh Okay, now now that piqued my interest. When you
said Dubai, what full managed your decision to choose to buy.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I wanted to experience a different culture. I wanted to
see a different part of the world, and it gave
me all of that. It was definitely a very long flight,
So travel with people that you enjoy traveling with because
you're going to be on an airplane a very long
time together, and seven days in a very different culture.
(13:37):
Just the difference in time, the difference in foods, the
difference in traditions. One of the things that stood out
the most is there's no public display of affection openly
in Dubai, and so that took some getting used to.
You're traveling with your significant others and you can't hold hands.
But it was an opportunity to just learn why they
(13:59):
do things differently.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah, absolutely, And I mean that's you know, enriching in
itself to learn about other cultures and how they handle things.
And I'm sure you have, you know, and part of
that you inherited from your grandmother probably you know, an
inquisitive mind where you consider why they do the things
that they do. Right.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Absolutely, it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
I know, you know, we may see it it's like
men there are served first, or they in their facilities first.
And for me, initially, maybe the first two or three days,
I was like, well that's rude. But then I realized
just how much respect it's given by the males in
that culture. So yet they may interfirst, but they wait,
they wait to make sure you get in, and then
(14:45):
you just start to see things differently, and that I
got to see that experience that differently in Dubai.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Sure it expands your understanding. Yeah, you had mentioned that
you like to read. Is there any book that you've
read lately that you'd like to you know, endorse, that
you'd like to recommend to others personally?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
I've been reading books by Kennedy Ryan and there are
just some romance novel and it's just a way to
take my mind off of what's really happening in real world.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Well that's important too, is you need a little bit
of escapism, right, Absolutely everybody needs that.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Yeah, and so I read a lot of abe about
as books again from romance novels, and the escapism is
a way for me to not just take life so
seriously all the time.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Now, if there's an aspiring I won't even say, a
healthcare worker. I mean, anybody who's aspiring to better themselves,
whether it's in you know, through healthcare or education or
whatever it may be. What advice would you give to them?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
I would say, just make sure you're doing what you love.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I always tell people that I get an opportunity, of course,
to earn a paycheck, but I truly enjoy what I do.
It's an opportunity to use everything that I've learned that
I continue to learn that I've worked so hard for
to give back, and for me, that's just very important.
(16:19):
So find something that you really can enjoy doing, and
I just think that you'll be so much better at it.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah, and you have to have an interest, right, because
there's so many people that approach it strictly from the
income potential and then find themselves miserable. And that's why
you hear so often, like you just said, you know,
find something that you love. But you have to be
interested in what you do, because you do it day
in and day out, and you have to have a
(16:46):
passion to do it well. I think in order to
have a passion, you have to be interested in that place.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Yes, And that's why when I go back to my
great grandmother. I'm glad she made me research things, because
you know, you start to see some pros and cons,
ask a lot of questions, allowed me to be very
inquisitive and then always know that you can pivot, so
if you can take some of those transferable skills and
do something else if what you thought you wanted to
(17:12):
do didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I was supposed to go to law school.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I ended up with a summer internship and never looked
back and it been a healthcare ever since. So I
think it's important for you to understand that if you
think you're interested in something but it doesn't quite work out,
you have the opportunity to pivot.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
That is so important, and I can't tell you how
I try to drill that in the heads of my
own children, because you know, when they're young, they're not
sure about their direction and they're kind of waffling. And
my advice always was just pick a direction and go
in it. Pick something you're interested in and go in
that direction. And you don't have to stay on that
(17:50):
road for the rest of your life, but at least
move yourself down that road, and then if you need
to take a detour, pivot as you say, you have
that opportunity, and you have also enriched yourself with experiences along.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
The way, That's what I was going to say.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
And you've learned something, whether you call it good or bad,
you are able to pick up on some things and
now you know a little bit more about yourself. And
so I think that that's very important. I started out
as a case manager and here I am, and I
think from day one, just learning how to deal with
(18:26):
people helped me, you know, be here today. But I
wasn't forced to go to law school. I was allowed
to take a detour, pivot, and that's been important.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Yeah, you kind of have to peel back the layers
of your own psyche for lack of a better description, right.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Yeah, because you could do a lot of things to
make your family happy or your parents happy, but at
the end of the day, you have to be happy
with yourself and your decisions. It may not make you
all the money in the world, but if it's fulfilling,
it definitely is more worth it than the money.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Absolutely. Well, it was a pleasure talking with you today,
Doctor Aretha R. Polite Powers, chief executive Officer of Federal
Healthcare Network, Thanks for being our guest on CEOs.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You should know, I appreciate the opportunity you've.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Been listening to iHeart Radios. CEOs, you should know, heard
every Tuesday and Saturday morning right here on this iHeartRadio station.
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