March 24, 2026 • 7 mins
Jilian Monet Lopez, the AVP Community Engagement for HCA Healthcare joins Joanna & Sean for Women Who Shine 2026!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sunday Mornings with Joanna and Sean right here on Sunny
Window six point five. Another beautiful day to welcome another
beautiful guest into our studio. And this one's going to
be fun because the women we're about to introduce you
to play such an instrumental role in our annual study
one oh six point five's Las Vegas Largest baby shower,
so it's an honor to have her in studio today.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Is all part of our Women Who Shine program, which
we do every year honoring win in our community who
are doing incredible things. And welcome to the show this morning,
Jillian mone Lopez. She is the AVP of Community Engagement
for HCA Healthcare. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Hello, happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
We're happy to talk with you. So before we get
into some questions, just give our audience a little background
about your journey to your position now with HCA Healthcare.
Where did you start out in your career, how long
you've been in Southern Nevada, all that good stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely well, I have been in Southern Nevada almost my
whole life. I wish I could say I was born
and raised, but I pretty much was. So I've been
here since I was about three years old and just
absolutely loved Las Vegas. Studied at the Metals School here
in town, and so always had a big calling for
leadership and what could you do in your community? How
(01:08):
can you use your education to help others? I went
to Chicago after school for a little bit and ended
up back here very unexpectedly, and I'm so glad I
did because it has just been the best energy. With
the Knights coming in, there's been such a feeling of
community where our city finally feels like it's starting to
get in league with the Chicago's, the Las the New York's,
(01:29):
where we've got that buzz. So to be in community
work right now is really an exciting place to be at.
Not quite at the ground floor, but I think there's
lots of opportunity and still lots of room for growth
that we all can do together.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Definitely, and you're doing amazing things in your position with
HCA Healthcare. But we want to know, you know, starting
out on your journey from you know, being pretty much
born and raised here in Vegas and going to Chicago
to now ending up back in Vegas, you know, what
piece of advice do you wish maybe somebody gave you
kind of in your career journey early on.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
So I think that there is a lot of time
spent obsessing about what you're going to be when you
grow up, and it feels like you only have one pathway,
there's one calling, one purpose, and it's really confusing along
the way if you don't find that out early enough.
And so what I've learned, especially because I was in
youth workforce development previously and I had to coach a
(02:21):
lot of kids and a lot of adult workers through
what their journey was, like, I realized it you don't
have to be just one thing, and you can really
commit yourself to being the best at what you're doing
one day, and then you can change that if you
really want to and your heart is calling you in
a different direction, Especially as women were already multitaskers and
so putting ourselves in a box where we only have
(02:43):
one career path or one thing that we're doing that
doesn't make a lot of sense anyway. So I really
respect female entrepreneurs who figure out how to stretch time
and just do all the things that they love. You
don't have to sacrifice your hobbies or this version of yourself.
You just have to be a master of time and
your calendar, and then you can do all the things
that you want to do.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I think it's a really good reminder that progress is.
It's not a straight line, right, It's never linear. There's
a lot of different ways to get where it is
you want to go.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Now, Joanna and I we thrive on inspiration every day,
like to pass it on to our listeners as often
as we humanly can.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
You have any words of wisdom, any quotes that you
live by.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
So I try to be a very optimistic person just
by default, and it takes a lot of work. I
wouldn't say that I wake up every day and say, oh,
this is going to be the best day ever. Right,
Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
But I think I've been I've tried to be very
disciplined about just making sure that I know I'm in
control of whether it is a good day or not.
And I'm teaching my daughter that right now too. You know,
(03:44):
she's four and a half and she wakes up on
the wrong side of the bed pretty often, and whenever
she's going through those moments of tantrums or you know, doubt,
just really trying to help her recenter around optimism and
that she is in control of what the day is
going to look like at the end of it. So
words that I live by, don't ever let somebody steal
your sunshine. You're going to meet a lot of crazy people,
(04:06):
a lot of good people too, but you know, people
who have things to say about you or things that
they're doing that you don't like. You're going to be
in situations that feel like things are out of control.
But I have always felt very centered that I am
in control of how I act, what I say, and
making sure that I'm always kind, grateful, and good to others.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Oh, such a great piece of advice, especially starting out
the mornings here, So thank you for that reminder, Jillian. Now,
we are a radio station here, so we our lives
focus around a variety of music. So if you could
pick maybe an anthem, a theme song, the song that
you would want playing every time you walk into a room,
that motivates you. What song is that for you?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Oh my gosh, well, music is life for me. First
of all, this is a very hard question to pick
just one. I wish I had a soundtrack to my
life that was playing. That would be so cool. So
this is very nerdy and I don't think that this
is like an anthem, but a song that really makes
me happy every single time and again gets me back
into that optimistic mindset. Jump around by House of Pain
and there's a reason the Golden Knights. It's just awesome,
(05:09):
right and somehow I know all the words. It's very confusing,
but that song. And then I love Elton John. Anybody
who plays piano I'm a huge fan of. So Honky
Cat has been one of those songs that again.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's very deep cut.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Oh it's it's deep and I don't know why, but
I remember hearing it when I was little and I
was like, what a cool craw That's awesome. Yeah, yeah,
so that gets me. I think it reminds me of
my childhood a lot, and it just kind of gives
me a pep in my step. It's a very very
odd off record type of thing, but I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
How is the Pain to Elton John?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
We love the absolutely. So we have the honor of
speaking to millions or many millions, We be great too.
We had the time for it speaking the many brilliant
women like yourself throughout the month here. I'm sure you
have been influenced inspired by other women in your life,
anyone you want to shout out in particular that's been
a big influence to you.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yes, so my mom absolutely is my biggest influence. And
I don't know that that would have been my answer
ten years ago. Sorry, Mom, I love you. But you know,
becoming a mom, I think you don't fully understand what
your mom did for you every day until you're in
that seat and just all of the unrecognized work that
(06:20):
happens for being a mom, whether it's scheduling play dates
or making sure that they have clean clothes, or do
they have the right snacks? Or did you have a
good or bad day? And how can I help you
feel better about it? I just respect my mom so much,
and she raised I'm one of four. She basically raised
us on her own and was always so positive, made
things so magical again. She's where I learned my optimism
(06:42):
and kind of sunshiny qualities from. And she just always
made things really fun and never let us see her
get you know, get down. So I just really really
revere her. Especially as a working mom right now, you
have to channel and use every tool in your tool
chest to just be the best version of yourself in
multiple scenarios, whether it's at work with your kids, for yourself.
(07:02):
Oh my crazy balancing acc mom. I love you, thank
you for everything. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate you like
I should have.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I know much about everything.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It's such a shift and a life lesson, and I'm
god glad you brought up that point, because I think
a lot of people probably feel the same way. Right
at some point this answer would have been different. But
then when you become a mom or a parent yourself,
it's like, Wow, they were doing a lot behind the scenes.
I had no idea that they were making all that
magic happen themselves.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yep, I just have My daughter says the same thing
later on. You will right eventually sing it now.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
But eventually they will come to appreciate everything you're doing,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Jillian Monet Lopez, you were such a breath of fresh
air this morning. Thank you so much for being a
part of Women Who Shine twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Thank you, thank you so much for having me here.
Sunday Mornings with Joanna and Sean right here on Sunny
Window six point five. Another beautiful day to welcome another
beautiful guest into our studio. And this one's going to
be fun because the women we're about to introduce you
to play such an instrumental role in our annual study
one oh six point five's Las Vegas Largest baby shower,
so it's an honor to have her in studio today.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Is all part of our Women Who Shine program, which
we do every year honoring win in our community who
are doing incredible things. And welcome to the show this morning,
Jillian mone Lopez. She is the AVP of Community Engagement
for HCA Healthcare. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Hello, happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
We're happy to talk with you. So before we get
into some questions, just give our audience a little background
about your journey to your position now with HCA Healthcare.
Where did you start out in your career, how long
you've been in Southern Nevada, all that good stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Absolutely well, I have been in Southern Nevada almost my
whole life. I wish I could say I was born
and raised, but I pretty much was. So I've been
here since I was about three years old and just
absolutely loved Las Vegas. Studied at the Metals School here
in town, and so always had a big calling for
leadership and what could you do in your community? How
(01:08):
can you use your education to help others? I went
to Chicago after school for a little bit and ended
up back here very unexpectedly, and I'm so glad I
did because it has just been the best energy. With
the Knights coming in, there's been such a feeling of
community where our city finally feels like it's starting to
get in league with the Chicago's, the Las the New York's,
(01:29):
where we've got that buzz. So to be in community
work right now is really an exciting place to be at.
Not quite at the ground floor, but I think there's
lots of opportunity and still lots of room for growth
that we all can do together.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Definitely, and you're doing amazing things in your position with
HCA Healthcare. But we want to know, you know, starting
out on your journey from you know, being pretty much
born and raised here in Vegas and going to Chicago
to now ending up back in Vegas, you know, what
piece of advice do you wish maybe somebody gave you
kind of in your career journey early on.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
So I think that there is a lot of time
spent obsessing about what you're going to be when you
grow up, and it feels like you only have one pathway,
there's one calling, one purpose, and it's really confusing along
the way if you don't find that out early enough.
And so what I've learned, especially because I was in
youth workforce development previously and I had to coach a
(02:21):
lot of kids and a lot of adult workers through
what their journey was, like, I realized it you don't
have to be just one thing, and you can really
commit yourself to being the best at what you're doing
one day, and then you can change that if you
really want to and your heart is calling you in
a different direction, Especially as women were already multitaskers and
so putting ourselves in a box where we only have
(02:43):
one career path or one thing that we're doing that
doesn't make a lot of sense anyway. So I really
respect female entrepreneurs who figure out how to stretch time
and just do all the things that they love. You
don't have to sacrifice your hobbies or this version of yourself.
You just have to be a master of time and
your calendar, and then you can do all the things
that you want to do.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I think it's a really good reminder that progress is.
It's not a straight line, right, It's never linear. There's
a lot of different ways to get where it is
you want to go.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Now, Joanna and I we thrive on inspiration every day,
like to pass it on to our listeners as often
as we humanly can.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
You have any words of wisdom, any quotes that you
live by.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
So I try to be a very optimistic person just
by default, and it takes a lot of work. I
wouldn't say that I wake up every day and say, oh,
this is going to be the best day ever. Right,
Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
But I think I've been I've tried to be very
disciplined about just making sure that I know I'm in
control of whether it is a good day or not.
And I'm teaching my daughter that right now too. You know,
(03:44):
she's four and a half and she wakes up on
the wrong side of the bed pretty often, and whenever
she's going through those moments of tantrums or you know, doubt,
just really trying to help her recenter around optimism and
that she is in control of what the day is
going to look like at the end of it. So
words that I live by, don't ever let somebody steal
your sunshine. You're going to meet a lot of crazy people,
(04:06):
a lot of good people too, but you know, people
who have things to say about you or things that
they're doing that you don't like. You're going to be
in situations that feel like things are out of control.
But I have always felt very centered that I am
in control of how I act, what I say, and
making sure that I'm always kind, grateful, and good to others.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Oh, such a great piece of advice, especially starting out
the mornings here, So thank you for that reminder, Jillian. Now,
we are a radio station here, so we our lives
focus around a variety of music. So if you could
pick maybe an anthem, a theme song, the song that
you would want playing every time you walk into a room,
that motivates you. What song is that for you?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Oh my gosh, well, music is life for me. First
of all, this is a very hard question to pick
just one. I wish I had a soundtrack to my
life that was playing. That would be so cool. So
this is very nerdy and I don't think that this
is like an anthem, but a song that really makes
me happy every single time and again gets me back
into that optimistic mindset. Jump around by House of Pain
and there's a reason the Golden Knights. It's just awesome,
(05:09):
right and somehow I know all the words. It's very confusing,
but that song. And then I love Elton John. Anybody
who plays piano I'm a huge fan of. So Honky
Cat has been one of those songs that again.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
That's very deep cut.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Oh it's it's deep and I don't know why, but
I remember hearing it when I was little and I
was like, what a cool craw That's awesome. Yeah, yeah,
so that gets me. I think it reminds me of
my childhood a lot, and it just kind of gives
me a pep in my step. It's a very very
odd off record type of thing, but I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
How is the Pain to Elton John?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
We love the absolutely. So we have the honor of
speaking to millions or many millions, We be great too.
We had the time for it speaking the many brilliant
women like yourself throughout the month here. I'm sure you
have been influenced inspired by other women in your life,
anyone you want to shout out in particular that's been
a big influence to you.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Yes, so my mom absolutely is my biggest influence. And
I don't know that that would have been my answer
ten years ago. Sorry, Mom, I love you. But you know,
becoming a mom, I think you don't fully understand what
your mom did for you every day until you're in
that seat and just all of the unrecognized work that
(06:20):
happens for being a mom, whether it's scheduling play dates
or making sure that they have clean clothes, or do
they have the right snacks? Or did you have a
good or bad day? And how can I help you
feel better about it? I just respect my mom so much,
and she raised I'm one of four. She basically raised
us on her own and was always so positive, made
things so magical again. She's where I learned my optimism
(06:42):
and kind of sunshiny qualities from. And she just always
made things really fun and never let us see her
get you know, get down. So I just really really
revere her. Especially as a working mom right now, you
have to channel and use every tool in your tool
chest to just be the best version of yourself in
multiple scenarios, whether it's at work with your kids, for yourself.
(07:02):
Oh my crazy balancing acc mom. I love you, thank
you for everything. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate you like
I should have.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I know much about everything.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It's such a shift and a life lesson, and I'm
god glad you brought up that point, because I think
a lot of people probably feel the same way. Right
at some point this answer would have been different. But
then when you become a mom or a parent yourself,
it's like, Wow, they were doing a lot behind the scenes.
I had no idea that they were making all that
magic happen themselves.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yep, I just have My daughter says the same thing
later on. You will right eventually sing it now.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
But eventually they will come to appreciate everything you're doing,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Jillian Monet Lopez, you were such a breath of fresh
air this morning. Thank you so much for being a
part of Women Who Shine twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Thank you, thank you so much for having me here.
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