April 25, 2025 • 32 mins
What does it truly mean to lead with quiet strength in healthcare? Mavel Arinal, Corporate Director for Clinical Practice and Regulatory Compliance at Jackson Health System, demonstrates how soft-spoken determination can drive transformative change.
From her beginnings as a labor and delivery nurse in the Philippines to her current leadership role, Mavel shares the pivotal moments that shaped her professional journey. After immigrating to the United States, she took a humble step back, working as a certified nursing assistant while studying for her NCLEX exam—an experience that taught her invaluable lessons about resilience and the dignity in serving others.
The conversation reveals how a simple question to a nurse educator sparked Mavel's passion for education, eventually leading her to discover her gift for empowering others. This curiosity and her willingness to embrace new opportunities facilitated her remarkable transition from bedside to boardroom. Her personal brand tagline, "Lead quietly, change everything," perfectly captures her leadership philosophy that true impact comes not from being the loudest voice in the room, but from intentional observation, deep understanding, and strategic decision-making.
Mavel offers powerful insights into the delicate balance between compliance, culture, and compassion when leading complex healthcare initiatives. She discusses how her experience with clinical research transformed her approach to evidence-based leadership and why she believes compliance is evolving from a task-oriented function to a strategic driver of safety, equity, and excellence in healthcare.
For healthcare professionals feeling unseen or stuck in their careers, Mavel's journey provides inspiring wisdom: "Progress is not always a straight path, and starting over doesn't mean you've failed." Her story demonstrates that extraordinary achievement is possible with focused determination and continuous forward momentum.
Ready to discover your own leadership potential? Connect with Mavel on LinkedIn to learn from her experiences and publications, and explore more episodes of the Follow the Brand Podcast for strategies to develop your professional brand and presence.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest marketing trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates from us, be sure to follow us at 5starbdm.com. See you next time on Follow The Brand!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome everyone to the Final Brand Podcast.
This is your host, grantMcGaugh, and I am so happy, so
very, very happy, to be talkingto my colleagues, my peers, my
friends over at Jackson HealthSystem and we've been going
through a program, my program,the Brave Framework for Brand
(00:24):
Strategy, and I've talked toMabel and I'm going to tell you
something.
Talking to Mabel, I just had tosit back a lot of times and
just listen, just listen as shedetailed her story about why she
is in the field of healthcareand why she's making a
difference in what she does.
(00:46):
So I'd like Mabel first tointroduce herself.
We're going to have a greatconversation about this journey.
So, mabel, tell us a little bitabout yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Hi Grant, thank you so much for having me this
afternoon and I am so gratefulto be part of this program.
My name is Mabel Arenal.
I'm the Corporate Director forClinical Practice and Regulatory
Compliance here at JacksonHealth System, so one of the
(01:17):
things that my leader had reallyhave a goal for us is to
develop us, which is why I amhere, but I'm very fortunate and
grateful to be part of thisprogram, so thank you so much,
you're most welcome, verywelcome, and we want to start
off with your journey about, ifI might ask, because you come
(01:43):
from a far off world, as far asI've never been there, and I
want to know more, a little bitmore, about the Philippines and
things of that nature and yourworld and where you're from.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So let's start with your journey.
Tell us one defining momentfrom your early days as a nurse
that shapes how you lead todayas a nurse.
That shapes how you lead today.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, my journey began in the Philippines.
I worked there as a labor anddelivery nurse.
It was such a privilege to be apart of life's most vulnerable
yet precious moments.
Those experiences taught methat real leadership is rooted
in empathy, attention to detailand unwavering care.
(02:29):
But moving here to the US,however, brought a whole new
chapter that shaped me even more.
I took a humbling step backback.
I worked as a certified nursingassistant in a nursing home,
while adapting to a new countryand studying tirelessly to pass
(02:52):
the NCLEX.
So those experiences reallyreminded me of resilience that
is required to start over butand the dignity in serving
others.
And it instilled adaptability,integrity and strength in me,
qualities that still, up to thisday, I uphold.
And it also reminded me that,no matter where the journey
(03:13):
begins, it's the dedication andheart you bring to each moment
that defines your path and yourleadership.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Well, you've certainly done that.
You define leadership in such away.
One of the things we workthrough is coming out with the
brand tagline.
What I think is so apt, youknow, and this tagline is MA
lead emulate everything aroundthat.
Now you've made a remarkableshift from bedside, as you
(03:48):
talked about, to boardroom.
The question I have for you istwofold but what mindset or
habit helped you make thetransition successfully?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
It all began with curiosity, actually, and a
willingness to embrace newopportunities.
I vividly remember asking ournurse educator one time she was
about to go on maternity leave.
I asked her if she enjoyed whatshe did.
That simple conversationignited my passion for education
(04:28):
and inspired me to volunteer tostep into her role while she
was away.
It was during that time that Idiscovered how much I love
guiding and empowering others,helping them grow in their
skills and confidence, skillsand confidence.
That experience was my firstglimpse into the transformative
(04:49):
power of education, not just forothers but for myself as well.
And then, when I later led myfirst clinical trial at West
Kendall Baptist Hospital, mypassion for education expanded
even further.
I realized that research is, atits core, a form of teaching.
It's about uncovering evidence,translating it into an
(05:12):
actionable knowledge and sharingit to improve care and outcomes
.
But whether I'm mentoringnurses or implementing
evidence-based practices, I seeeducation and research as two
sides of the same coin.
Both are driven by curiosity,collaboration and a commitment
to make a lasting impact.
(05:32):
I never realized it at thattime, but my passion for
teaching, my eagerness to learnand drive to uplift others
allowed my leaders to seesomething in me that I hadn't
yet recognized in myself.
Their faith in my potential,coupled with the confidence I
slowly built through theexperiences, gave me the courage
(05:55):
to take a leap from the bedsideto the boardroom, grounded in
purpose and clarity.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Well, I'll tell you one thing, and you're very, very
modest in your approach becauseyou've built a brand about
quiet, strength and strategicprecision.
As I stated, your brand taglinelead quietly, change everything
.
What does that mean to you now?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
It means leadership is not about being the loudest
voice in the room.
It's about leading withintention.
It's also about observing,understanding and making
decisions that create meaningfulimpact is steady, not flashy,
(06:48):
and true leadership doesn't needto shout to inspire change.
Instead, it's about buildingtrust, empowering others and
staying grounded in purpose whenchallenges arise.
Quiet strength helps me to staycalm and clear, guiding teams
with trust and focus rather thangrand gestures.
(07:10):
It's a reminder that leadershipisn't about demanding attention
.
It's about earning respectthrough thoughtful, deliberate
actions.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And you Dwell.
We went through this wholeprocess and I found that you
live what I call like a.
It's like almost a cul-de-sac.
Some people live at anintersection.
You live at a cul-de-sac,meaning there's three things
that come together, that areunique to you and your
particular personal brand, andthat's around education, it's
(07:43):
around clinical applications andthen compliance.
You don't see those threethings a lot, so I mean in the
same, embodied in the sameperson, and that you can operate
at those levels veryeffectively.
So in your role at JacksonHealth, you know you've led some
(08:05):
pretty complex initiatives.
Can you just walk us throughlike a moment where you know
compliance, culture, compassionthat trifecta really helped you
in your leadership.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Well, one pivotal moment where compliance, culture
and compassion intersected inmy leadership was when I started
the Vascular Access ManagementInitiative.
This is a big project.
It's still an ongoing project,actually.
The goal was clear to ensurecompliance with national
standards and organizationalpolicies to improve patient
(08:45):
safety.
However, the journey was farfrom simple.
The staff were deeply rooted inlong-standing practices they
felt comfortable with, and thevariety of products being used
across the system added thechallenge of creating and
supporting consistent andevidence-based practice.
(09:05):
When I led this initiative, itmeant really connecting with
leaders and stakeholders acrossthe system.
I knew how important it was toalign their perspectives and get
their support to make it asuccess.
The conversations we had werejust about presenting a clear
strategy.
They were also about trulyunderstanding the different
(09:27):
challenges and priorities forthe team or the teams and
organization as a whole.
So I also made it a point toapproach the teams with
compassion, knowing that changecan be overwhelming and even
uncomfortable at times.
My goal wasn't just toimplement new standards.
It was to guide everyonethrough the process with empathy
(09:49):
and encouragement standards.
It was to guide everyonethrough the process with empathy
and encouragement.
While the journey isn't over,I've been able to foster
collaboration, drive meaningfulchange and uphold the commitment
to create safer practices forour patients and teams alike, by
listening to their concerns andvalidating their experiences
and building trust to theirconcerns and validating their
(10:12):
experiences and building trust.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I'll tell you, because you have that viewpoint
and, more importantly, you havethe experience and that you can
help others and you cantranslate to others as you take
on these high visibilityprojects that you've been a part
of.
One of the things that Idiscovered, but we discovered
together, is that in your brandblueprint your position as what
we call a sage Right, Like areal good teacher and a
(10:39):
caregiver, and you blend thosetwo together as a hybrid.
So the question is how do youbalance your empathy with
accountability in high stakesenvironments just like you just
described?
How do you do that?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I believe finding balance starts with listening
deeply and respondingthoughtfully.
I focus on building trust first, making sure there's a solid
foundation to work from, and atthe same time time, I hold
myself and others to highstandards, but I never let go of
compassion in the process.
So it's all about stayinggrounded while keeping things
(11:20):
meaningful and intentional.
So for me, accountability iswhat makes sure we hit our goals
, but empathy is what makes thejourney to those goals
meaningful and human, especiallyin high pressure situation.
I've learned that finding theright balance between the two
leads me to lead with integrity.
(11:41):
It's also how I build trust andinspire confidence in the teams
I work with.
It's about staying focused onresults without losing sight of
the people behind them.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well, again, you're very modest in how you bring
that together and the impactthat you leave behind.
You know my mother used to sayyou know, speak quietly but
carry a big stick, you know, andthat's leaving the impact that
you have.
You've been doing that veryeffectively for a while,
especially when you transitionfrom Baptist over to Jackson,
(12:16):
and then what you're able tothen become in the time that
you've been with Jackson.
Now you're committed toelevating compliance.
You're big into compliance froma task to a strategy.
My question is this and here'sthe question how do you see the
role of compliance evolving inthe next generation of
(12:37):
healthcare leadership?
You know because you've beenthere, you've seen it, but
you've also seen the change thathas occurred.
I think a lot of people don'tunderstand compliance.
So first, if you would, how doyou define compliance and then
answer that question how you seeit evolving for the next
generation of healthcare leaders?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Thank you, grant.
Yes, compliance really play abig role, especially in clinical
practice.
Right, not just clinicalpractice, but I'm thinking
compliance is now evolving intoa key part of leadership.
It is a real driving force forsafety, equity and excellence.
So, thinking about that, it'snot just about following rules
(13:26):
anymore, it's about activelycreating systems that put the
well-being of both patients andstaff front and center.
So leaders will need to tiecompliance to actual outcomes,
and sometimes we are so focusedon the outcomes but then there
(13:46):
are challenges along the way andcompliance really play a big
role on the outcomes, makingsure policies align with the
real world impact they have.
So it's really about changinghow we see compliance from
something obligatory tosomething full of potential and
recognizing it as a tool thatcan truly transform healthcare
(14:10):
and not just, you know,something to obey or follow
because it's there.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
You said that right.
You know there's a reason whyyou have to.
You know we're looking to bemore compliant because in a
hospital environment, you knowthere are lives at stake.
You know we don't do things theright way.
The outcomes are as good asthey could be.
So we appreciate a person likeyourself behind those things,
doing those things that makesuch a big difference in what
(14:40):
you do.
Now, one part of your journeythat stood out was your time in
research, and I think researchis part of my BRAVE framework as
well.
We talk about brand identity,we talk about research, we talk
about assets, we talk aboutvisibility, we talk about
execution.
Research was big, you know, foryou.
(15:00):
So how did that experienceinform the way you approach
evidence-based leadership?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Well, grant, I could tell you that hearing research
before in my earlier years innursing, I get scared when I
hear about research, but thatreally changed when I led the
first clinical trial at WestKendall Baptist.
From that experience it taughtme to never stop searching for
(15:32):
answers, to continue to alwaysask questions.
From that experience I was ableto understand that data can be
a powerful tool and it showed mehow powerful evidence can be in
guiding decisions and buildingthe trust right.
(15:52):
Whether I was analyzing data orputting findings into practice,
I saw how research could trulytransform patient care and it
has made me a more thoughtfuland intentional leader, someone
who leans on both insight andintuition to make a difference
really.
So I do enjoy doing researchand I'm hoping and wishing that
(16:22):
nurses especially are not goingto get scared anymore of being
involved in research, becausetruly it is something that we
can do to improve our practiceand to strengthen our practice.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I believe that that's how you can limit certain
things like infection,hospital-acquired infection,
things of that nature that youdon't want to.
You know, come in with onething and walk out with a whole
other thing.
Especially, you do yourresearch, as you said.
I know I learned a lot you know,especially when I work with
another client of mine named JoyMcMillan, is that you can be in
(17:00):
a hospital, you can touch abutton in the elevator and you
don't realize that you'rewalking away with, unless there
was some kind of infectioncontrol that was taking place
that the simple thing is justbeing in an elevator.
It could expose you to certainthings.
If you're not aware of thesethings and how you you know,
because of the and, luckily foryou, you've got the compliance,
(17:21):
you've got the research, you'vegot the knowledge like, hey, we
need to do these things and ifwe do these things, we can
improve our total overalloutcomes.
Now, in my question, aroundyour that, what you've done.
You've gone through my program,you've gotten the brand
assessment, you've got thisskills gap analysis, you've
(17:42):
gotten the brand blueprintstrategy, so you now have a 360
degree view of your brand, yourgoals and your market position.
The question is what was themost surprising insight that you
came out of with your brandingjourney?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
First, I want to tell you that I enjoyed your program
Grant and second, the biggestsurprise was really realizing
how much leadership is aboutconnection, not just with teams
but by the impact I make and thetrust I build.
(18:25):
It was eye-opening to see howquiet, deliberate actions often
carry the most weight, which ismy style of leadership.
So that's the biggest surprisereally for me, confirming what I
already have.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
So thank you.
That's one of the biggestsurprises for me, because it's
always a two-way street.
You know when we do thesethings and I loved when we did
the skills gap analysis and thenyou really truly see yourself
on a national scale where youfit within the marketplace and
you can see.
You know percentage-wise orpoint-wise marketplace and you
(19:07):
can see, you knowpercentage-wise or point-wise
kind of, where you line it.
So some people think, oh, I'mfar away from a goal.
You might have a nice goal.
Your goal was being in acompliance and getting to that,
you know, chief complianceofficer level.
Sometimes we feel like, well,you know, that's a long way off.
I have no way, you know, ofbeing able to, you know, to
achieve that goal it's a nice tohave, but not within my scope,
(19:30):
not within my framework ofknowledge and experience in
relation to others that areeither on the same road or
actually at that role.
You then begin to see like, huh,I'm not that far off.
(19:52):
You see the observations, yousee some of the tactics that you
need to get there and whatformal training that might need
to lift you up in certainpercentage points and that type
of thing to lift you up incertain percentage points and
that type of thing and yours,you know, you came back very,
(20:12):
very nicely in those aspectswhere it kind of really showed
me where you sit in relations toothers and it allows me to then
deliver a blueprint strategyfor yourself that you can deploy
over time to get you to yourdesired state.
I think that's wonderful.
So, looking ahead, you've setsome pretty bold goals toward
(20:34):
becoming a chief complianceofficer.
So what's one skill or mindsetlet's say that you're still
working to master before youtake that next step?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Thank you, brad.
There are a lot of things towork on, but what I'm really
focused on right now isimproving how I lead across
silos, finding ways to connectdepartments and build a sense of
shared purpose.
So it could be a small scale ora bigger scale, but it's all
(21:10):
about striking the right balancebetween humility and confidence
, taking time to listen todifferent perspectives and
working toward cohesion incomplicated environments.
That's the focus of my approachfor now.
And true, really, when Istarted your program, I didn't
(21:30):
have a North Star, I didn't haveany plan, but thanks to this
program, I was able to refocusand know what I want now and
work for it.
Right, that being andeventually going to be a chief
compliance officer and you'resaying it and that's right.
(21:53):
It's a big, bold goal, um, butwith the blueprint that you have
provided and helped me with tocreate Thank you so much I will
I am really positive and, youknow, looking forward to what I
(22:17):
can achieve through thatblueprint.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I'll tell you one thing that really I loved
talking to you about.
You shared with me yourpersonal story.
One of the things that we do inthe program is write your
personal story, write how yousee some of the pivotal moments
(22:41):
in your life come through.
This is how you transfer a lotof knowledge to myself, so I get
a better understanding.
And then we go through thiswhole process, you know, from
the brand assessment, skills gapanalysis to the blueprint
strategy, and at that point I'mable to deliver your actual
story in an elevated manner.
And when I read that story toyou, you said you were, you were
(23:05):
emotionally moved by that.
It is your story.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Tell the audience how you, how you, truly felt about
that.
For me, that story was ordinary,right, but when it was put and
(23:52):
really I have to step back andhear my own story delivered by
someone else it gave me adifferent perspective and how
resilient I was moving from onecountry to another at that time
and really achieving now what Ihave achieved through the
experiences and the people Iworked with.
So I would say that that storyis so moving to me because now
I'm seeing myself that you knowI, you know it was not an
(24:14):
ordinary step for me gettingfrom one country to another so
that I could practice from thePhilippines to the US, and I was
(24:38):
just focused on, you know,removing all the stumbling
blocks, I should say, in frontof me and just overcoming
everything that I have toovercome to get to the goal,
which is not really to overcome,to get to the goal which is not
really far.
Right, I'm not looking further,really further, but just
looking at what's just in frontof me to get to that point where
I would like to be.
But looking back now, I shouldsay that I have achieved so much
(25:03):
and didn't even realize thedirection of where I'm going and
if I have to look back to thattime, where I was the first few
weeks coming from Philippines, Iam not imagining myself to be
(25:24):
in this position where I am now.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
This is wonderful.
I'm glad you are sharing that,because there's someone right
now in the Philippines in yourposition that you were in, you
know, some time ago.
And if that person I want youto talk to that person they're
listening and they feel unseenor they feel stuck in what they
(25:49):
want to do in their life or intheir career, what, what one
piece of advice that you wouldoffer, based on everything that
you lived, led and learned sofar, to give them the confidence
to be able to take that leap offaith.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Well, I would say that, wherever you are right now
, honor that Progress is notalways a straight path, and
starting over doesn't meanyou've failed.
So it's actually an opportunityto grow, embrace resilience,
trust your voice and don't beafraid to start small, just like
(26:31):
what I did.
It was scary, but it's not asscary when you are so focused.
I didn't even remember how Ihave done, the things I have
done to truly succeed so thatI'll be able to reach the goal
(26:53):
of even, for example, preparingfor NCLEX and passing the NCLEX.
When I came here to the UnitedStates, I have to work as a CNA
and from there I didn't reallymind because I was looking
forward to the time I will beworking as an RN.
(27:13):
When I passed the NCLEX.
So, although it was hard for me, with all the culture to
acclimate myself to, I was ableto accomplish and overcome that.
Those, even the fears that Ihave.
So I would also say you arecapable of more than you realize
(27:38):
, and the most thing you can dois keep moving forward, one step
at a time.
So is, keep moving forward onestep at a time.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
No, man, that's great .
That's sage knowledge, part ofthat sage caregiver that you are
.
I just have one more ask.
I have an ask of you becausethere are so many other
healthcare executives that areout here and they've seen my
shows.
They've listened, they haven'tparticipated.
You have been that one thatkind of can help them to
(28:07):
understand why this is importantand what did you get out of
this?
Right now, this is your firstpodcast with me.
You've come out, you've donejust a wonderful interview.
So many people feel like, oh myGod, I don't think I could do
that.
And I'm telling you you firststarted out you're like there's
no way I'm going to be able todo this.
And look at you now.
You are just fantastic, right,right in telling your story.
(28:32):
Help them understand some ofthe benefits and how you feel
about the interview you just did.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Well, it made me realize that really there's
nothing impossible if you setyour mind to it and use the
tools and resources that areavailable to you.
So, for example, this programbefore I really don't have a
(29:06):
direction.
I know that I wanted to make adifference and just do my best
in my role, but I didn't have aclear plan to what to do.
Moving, and because I was usedto being promoted, I guess
(29:27):
whenever my leaders are, youknow, recognized my potential
and yeah, you're ready now, solet's move you on or realizing
and seeing what I can do, it'svery empowering.
So, this podcast I have notimagined it because I'm not
(29:59):
really a vocal person, I'musually quiet.
Vocal person, I'm usually quiet.
So being in a podcast is not inone of my goals.
(30:22):
Really, when I joined thisprogram I didn't to really share
my experiences and truly makeyou know, make an impact through
my leadership, my experienceand even my personal life.
So that's really the ultimategoal here.
(30:45):
I'm not just, you know,exposing myself to the public.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Exactly.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Now the public can't reach youon LinkedIn.
Can you tell them how to reachyou on LinkedIn?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Well, you can look me up in LinkedIn, mabel
Fortaleza-Arinag, and you willbe able to see my profile there
and my background experiences,even my publications, research
and performance improvementprojects I had throughout the
(31:26):
years that is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Mabel, thank you again for being on the Follow
Brand podcast.
I want to invite your entirenetwork and all the people out
in the Philippines I knowthey're going to be tuning in to
this particular episode thatthey can see all the episodes of
Follow Brand at five star BDM,that is, the number five at a
star S-T-A-R.
Bdm B for brand, d fordevelopment, infomasterscom.
I want to thank you again forbeing on the Follow Brand
(31:51):
Podcast and so thankful for youto be a part of our 5 Star BDM
brand development program, theBrave Framework.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Thank you, grant, I appreciate you and I'm very
grateful.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Thank you.
Welcome everyone to the Final Brand Podcast.
This is your host, grantMcGaugh, and I am so happy, so
very, very happy, to be talkingto my colleagues, my peers, my
friends over at Jackson HealthSystem and we've been going
through a program, my program,the Brave Framework for Brand
(00:24):
Strategy, and I've talked toMabel and I'm going to tell you
something.
Talking to Mabel, I just had tosit back a lot of times and
just listen, just listen as shedetailed her story about why she
is in the field of healthcareand why she's making a
difference in what she does.
(00:46):
So I'd like Mabel first tointroduce herself.
We're going to have a greatconversation about this journey.
So, mabel, tell us a little bitabout yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Hi Grant, thank you so much for having me this
afternoon and I am so gratefulto be part of this program.
My name is Mabel Arenal.
I'm the Corporate Director forClinical Practice and Regulatory
Compliance here at JacksonHealth System, so one of the
(01:17):
things that my leader had reallyhave a goal for us is to
develop us, which is why I amhere, but I'm very fortunate and
grateful to be part of thisprogram, so thank you so much,
you're most welcome, verywelcome, and we want to start
off with your journey about, ifI might ask, because you come
(01:43):
from a far off world, as far asI've never been there, and I
want to know more, a little bitmore, about the Philippines and
things of that nature and yourworld and where you're from.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So let's start with your journey.
Tell us one defining momentfrom your early days as a nurse
that shapes how you lead todayas a nurse.
That shapes how you lead today.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, my journey began in the Philippines.
I worked there as a labor anddelivery nurse.
It was such a privilege to be apart of life's most vulnerable
yet precious moments.
Those experiences taught methat real leadership is rooted
in empathy, attention to detailand unwavering care.
(02:29):
But moving here to the US,however, brought a whole new
chapter that shaped me even more.
I took a humbling step backback.
I worked as a certified nursingassistant in a nursing home,
while adapting to a new countryand studying tirelessly to pass
(02:52):
the NCLEX.
So those experiences reallyreminded me of resilience that
is required to start over butand the dignity in serving
others.
And it instilled adaptability,integrity and strength in me,
qualities that still, up to thisday, I uphold.
And it also reminded me that,no matter where the journey
(03:13):
begins, it's the dedication andheart you bring to each moment
that defines your path and yourleadership.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Well, you've certainly done that.
You define leadership in such away.
One of the things we workthrough is coming out with the
brand tagline.
What I think is so apt, youknow, and this tagline is MA
lead emulate everything aroundthat.
Now you've made a remarkableshift from bedside, as you
(03:48):
talked about, to boardroom.
The question I have for you istwofold but what mindset or
habit helped you make thetransition successfully?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
It all began with curiosity, actually, and a
willingness to embrace newopportunities.
I vividly remember asking ournurse educator one time she was
about to go on maternity leave.
I asked her if she enjoyed whatshe did.
That simple conversationignited my passion for education
(04:28):
and inspired me to volunteer tostep into her role while she
was away.
It was during that time that Idiscovered how much I love
guiding and empowering others,helping them grow in their
skills and confidence, skillsand confidence.
That experience was my firstglimpse into the transformative
(04:49):
power of education, not just forothers but for myself as well.
And then, when I later led myfirst clinical trial at West
Kendall Baptist Hospital, mypassion for education expanded
even further.
I realized that research is, atits core, a form of teaching.
It's about uncovering evidence,translating it into an
(05:12):
actionable knowledge and sharingit to improve care and outcomes
.
But whether I'm mentoringnurses or implementing
evidence-based practices, I seeeducation and research as two
sides of the same coin.
Both are driven by curiosity,collaboration and a commitment
to make a lasting impact.
(05:32):
I never realized it at thattime, but my passion for
teaching, my eagerness to learnand drive to uplift others
allowed my leaders to seesomething in me that I hadn't
yet recognized in myself.
Their faith in my potential,coupled with the confidence I
slowly built through theexperiences, gave me the courage
(05:55):
to take a leap from the bedsideto the boardroom, grounded in
purpose and clarity.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Well, I'll tell you one thing, and you're very, very
modest in your approach becauseyou've built a brand about
quiet, strength and strategicprecision.
As I stated, your brand taglinelead quietly, change everything
.
What does that mean to you now?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
It means leadership is not about being the loudest
voice in the room.
It's about leading withintention.
It's also about observing,understanding and making
decisions that create meaningfulimpact is steady, not flashy,
(06:48):
and true leadership doesn't needto shout to inspire change.
Instead, it's about buildingtrust, empowering others and
staying grounded in purpose whenchallenges arise.
Quiet strength helps me to staycalm and clear, guiding teams
with trust and focus rather thangrand gestures.
(07:10):
It's a reminder that leadershipisn't about demanding attention
.
It's about earning respectthrough thoughtful, deliberate
actions.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And you Dwell.
We went through this wholeprocess and I found that you
live what I call like a.
It's like almost a cul-de-sac.
Some people live at anintersection.
You live at a cul-de-sac,meaning there's three things
that come together, that areunique to you and your
particular personal brand, andthat's around education, it's
(07:43):
around clinical applications andthen compliance.
You don't see those threethings a lot, so I mean in the
same, embodied in the sameperson, and that you can operate
at those levels veryeffectively.
So in your role at JacksonHealth, you know you've led some
(08:05):
pretty complex initiatives.
Can you just walk us throughlike a moment where you know
compliance, culture, compassionthat trifecta really helped you
in your leadership.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Well, one pivotal moment where compliance, culture
and compassion intersected inmy leadership was when I started
the Vascular Access ManagementInitiative.
This is a big project.
It's still an ongoing project,actually.
The goal was clear to ensurecompliance with national
standards and organizationalpolicies to improve patient
(08:45):
safety.
However, the journey was farfrom simple.
The staff were deeply rooted inlong-standing practices they
felt comfortable with, and thevariety of products being used
across the system added thechallenge of creating and
supporting consistent andevidence-based practice.
(09:05):
When I led this initiative, itmeant really connecting with
leaders and stakeholders acrossthe system.
I knew how important it was toalign their perspectives and get
their support to make it asuccess.
The conversations we had werejust about presenting a clear
strategy.
They were also about trulyunderstanding the different
(09:27):
challenges and priorities forthe team or the teams and
organization as a whole.
So I also made it a point toapproach the teams with
compassion, knowing that changecan be overwhelming and even
uncomfortable at times.
My goal wasn't just toimplement new standards.
It was to guide everyonethrough the process with empathy
(09:49):
and encouragement standards.
It was to guide everyonethrough the process with empathy
and encouragement.
While the journey isn't over,I've been able to foster
collaboration, drive meaningfulchange and uphold the commitment
to create safer practices forour patients and teams alike, by
listening to their concerns andvalidating their experiences
and building trust to theirconcerns and validating their
(10:12):
experiences and building trust.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I'll tell you, because you have that viewpoint
and, more importantly, you havethe experience and that you can
help others and you cantranslate to others as you take
on these high visibilityprojects that you've been a part
of.
One of the things that Idiscovered, but we discovered
together, is that in your brandblueprint your position as what
we call a sage Right, Like areal good teacher and a
(10:39):
caregiver, and you blend thosetwo together as a hybrid.
So the question is how do youbalance your empathy with
accountability in high stakesenvironments just like you just
described?
How do you do that?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I believe finding balance starts with listening
deeply and respondingthoughtfully.
I focus on building trust first, making sure there's a solid
foundation to work from, and atthe same time time, I hold
myself and others to highstandards, but I never let go of
compassion in the process.
So it's all about stayinggrounded while keeping things
(11:20):
meaningful and intentional.
So for me, accountability iswhat makes sure we hit our goals
, but empathy is what makes thejourney to those goals
meaningful and human, especiallyin high pressure situation.
I've learned that finding theright balance between the two
leads me to lead with integrity.
(11:41):
It's also how I build trust andinspire confidence in the teams
I work with.
It's about staying focused onresults without losing sight of
the people behind them.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well, again, you're very modest in how you bring
that together and the impactthat you leave behind.
You know my mother used to sayyou know, speak quietly but
carry a big stick, you know, andthat's leaving the impact that
you have.
You've been doing that veryeffectively for a while,
especially when you transitionfrom Baptist over to Jackson,
(12:16):
and then what you're able tothen become in the time that
you've been with Jackson.
Now you're committed toelevating compliance.
You're big into compliance froma task to a strategy.
My question is this and here'sthe question how do you see the
role of compliance evolving inthe next generation of
(12:37):
healthcare leadership?
You know because you've beenthere, you've seen it, but
you've also seen the change thathas occurred.
I think a lot of people don'tunderstand compliance.
So first, if you would, how doyou define compliance and then
answer that question how you seeit evolving for the next
generation of healthcare leaders?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Thank you, grant.
Yes, compliance really play abig role, especially in clinical
practice.
Right, not just clinicalpractice, but I'm thinking
compliance is now evolving intoa key part of leadership.
It is a real driving force forsafety, equity and excellence.
So, thinking about that, it'snot just about following rules
(13:26):
anymore, it's about activelycreating systems that put the
well-being of both patients andstaff front and center.
So leaders will need to tiecompliance to actual outcomes,
and sometimes we are so focusedon the outcomes but then there
(13:46):
are challenges along the way andcompliance really play a big
role on the outcomes, makingsure policies align with the
real world impact they have.
So it's really about changinghow we see compliance from
something obligatory tosomething full of potential and
recognizing it as a tool thatcan truly transform healthcare
(14:10):
and not just, you know,something to obey or follow
because it's there.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
You said that right.
You know there's a reason whyyou have to.
You know we're looking to bemore compliant because in a
hospital environment, you knowthere are lives at stake.
You know we don't do things theright way.
The outcomes are as good asthey could be.
So we appreciate a person likeyourself behind those things,
doing those things that makesuch a big difference in what
(14:40):
you do.
Now, one part of your journeythat stood out was your time in
research, and I think researchis part of my BRAVE framework as
well.
We talk about brand identity,we talk about research, we talk
about assets, we talk aboutvisibility, we talk about
execution.
Research was big, you know, foryou.
(15:00):
So how did that experienceinform the way you approach
evidence-based leadership?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Well, grant, I could tell you that hearing research
before in my earlier years innursing, I get scared when I
hear about research, but thatreally changed when I led the
first clinical trial at WestKendall Baptist.
From that experience it taughtme to never stop searching for
(15:32):
answers, to continue to alwaysask questions.
From that experience I was ableto understand that data can be
a powerful tool and it showed mehow powerful evidence can be in
guiding decisions and buildingthe trust right.
(15:52):
Whether I was analyzing data orputting findings into practice,
I saw how research could trulytransform patient care and it
has made me a more thoughtfuland intentional leader, someone
who leans on both insight andintuition to make a difference
really.
So I do enjoy doing researchand I'm hoping and wishing that
(16:22):
nurses especially are not goingto get scared anymore of being
involved in research, becausetruly it is something that we
can do to improve our practiceand to strengthen our practice.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I believe that that's how you can limit certain
things like infection,hospital-acquired infection,
things of that nature that youdon't want to.
You know, come in with onething and walk out with a whole
other thing.
Especially, you do yourresearch, as you said.
I know I learned a lot you know,especially when I work with
another client of mine named JoyMcMillan, is that you can be in
(17:00):
a hospital, you can touch abutton in the elevator and you
don't realize that you'rewalking away with, unless there
was some kind of infectioncontrol that was taking place
that the simple thing is justbeing in an elevator.
It could expose you to certainthings.
If you're not aware of thesethings and how you you know,
because of the and, luckily foryou, you've got the compliance,
(17:21):
you've got the research, you'vegot the knowledge like, hey, we
need to do these things and ifwe do these things, we can
improve our total overalloutcomes.
Now, in my question, aroundyour that, what you've done.
You've gone through my program,you've gotten the brand
assessment, you've got thisskills gap analysis, you've
(17:42):
gotten the brand blueprintstrategy, so you now have a 360
degree view of your brand, yourgoals and your market position.
The question is what was themost surprising insight that you
came out of with your brandingjourney?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
First, I want to tell you that I enjoyed your program
Grant and second, the biggestsurprise was really realizing
how much leadership is aboutconnection, not just with teams
but by the impact I make and thetrust I build.
(18:25):
It was eye-opening to see howquiet, deliberate actions often
carry the most weight, which ismy style of leadership.
So that's the biggest surprisereally for me, confirming what I
already have.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
So thank you.
That's one of the biggestsurprises for me, because it's
always a two-way street.
You know when we do thesethings and I loved when we did
the skills gap analysis and thenyou really truly see yourself
on a national scale where youfit within the marketplace and
you can see.
You know percentage-wise orpoint-wise marketplace and you
(19:07):
can see, you knowpercentage-wise or point-wise
kind of, where you line it.
So some people think, oh, I'mfar away from a goal.
You might have a nice goal.
Your goal was being in acompliance and getting to that,
you know, chief complianceofficer level.
Sometimes we feel like, well,you know, that's a long way off.
I have no way, you know, ofbeing able to, you know, to
achieve that goal it's a nice tohave, but not within my scope,
(19:30):
not within my framework ofknowledge and experience in
relation to others that areeither on the same road or
actually at that role.
You then begin to see like, huh,I'm not that far off.
(19:52):
You see the observations, yousee some of the tactics that you
need to get there and whatformal training that might need
to lift you up in certainpercentage points and that type
of thing to lift you up incertain percentage points and
that type of thing and yours,you know, you came back very,
(20:12):
very nicely in those aspectswhere it kind of really showed
me where you sit in relations toothers and it allows me to then
deliver a blueprint strategyfor yourself that you can deploy
over time to get you to yourdesired state.
I think that's wonderful.
So, looking ahead, you've setsome pretty bold goals toward
(20:34):
becoming a chief complianceofficer.
So what's one skill or mindsetlet's say that you're still
working to master before youtake that next step?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Thank you, brad.
There are a lot of things towork on, but what I'm really
focused on right now isimproving how I lead across
silos, finding ways to connectdepartments and build a sense of
shared purpose.
So it could be a small scale ora bigger scale, but it's all
(21:10):
about striking the right balancebetween humility and confidence
, taking time to listen todifferent perspectives and
working toward cohesion incomplicated environments.
That's the focus of my approachfor now.
And true, really, when Istarted your program, I didn't
(21:30):
have a North Star, I didn't haveany plan, but thanks to this
program, I was able to refocusand know what I want now and
work for it.
Right, that being andeventually going to be a chief
compliance officer and you'resaying it and that's right.
(21:53):
It's a big, bold goal, um, butwith the blueprint that you have
provided and helped me with tocreate Thank you so much I will
I am really positive and, youknow, looking forward to what I
(22:17):
can achieve through thatblueprint.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
I'll tell you one thing that really I loved
talking to you about.
You shared with me yourpersonal story.
One of the things that we do inthe program is write your
personal story, write how yousee some of the pivotal moments
(22:41):
in your life come through.
This is how you transfer a lotof knowledge to myself, so I get
a better understanding.
And then we go through thiswhole process, you know, from
the brand assessment, skills gapanalysis to the blueprint
strategy, and at that point I'mable to deliver your actual
story in an elevated manner.
And when I read that story toyou, you said you were, you were
(23:05):
emotionally moved by that.
It is your story.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Tell the audience how you, how you, truly felt about
that.
For me, that story was ordinary,right, but when it was put and
(23:52):
really I have to step back andhear my own story delivered by
someone else it gave me adifferent perspective and how
resilient I was moving from onecountry to another at that time
and really achieving now what Ihave achieved through the
experiences and the people Iworked with.
So I would say that that storyis so moving to me because now
I'm seeing myself that you knowI, you know it was not an
(24:14):
ordinary step for me gettingfrom one country to another so
that I could practice from thePhilippines to the US, and I was
(24:38):
just focused on, you know,removing all the stumbling
blocks, I should say, in frontof me and just overcoming
everything that I have toovercome to get to the goal,
which is not really to overcome,to get to the goal which is not
really far.
Right, I'm not looking further,really further, but just
looking at what's just in frontof me to get to that point where
I would like to be.
But looking back now, I shouldsay that I have achieved so much
(25:03):
and didn't even realize thedirection of where I'm going and
if I have to look back to thattime, where I was the first few
weeks coming from Philippines, Iam not imagining myself to be
(25:24):
in this position where I am now.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
This is wonderful.
I'm glad you are sharing that,because there's someone right
now in the Philippines in yourposition that you were in, you
know, some time ago.
And if that person I want youto talk to that person they're
listening and they feel unseenor they feel stuck in what they
(25:49):
want to do in their life or intheir career, what, what one
piece of advice that you wouldoffer, based on everything that
you lived, led and learned sofar, to give them the confidence
to be able to take that leap offaith.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Well, I would say that, wherever you are right now
, honor that Progress is notalways a straight path, and
starting over doesn't meanyou've failed.
So it's actually an opportunityto grow, embrace resilience,
trust your voice and don't beafraid to start small, just like
(26:31):
what I did.
It was scary, but it's not asscary when you are so focused.
I didn't even remember how Ihave done, the things I have
done to truly succeed so thatI'll be able to reach the goal
(26:53):
of even, for example, preparingfor NCLEX and passing the NCLEX.
When I came here to the UnitedStates, I have to work as a CNA
and from there I didn't reallymind because I was looking
forward to the time I will beworking as an RN.
(27:13):
When I passed the NCLEX.
So, although it was hard for me, with all the culture to
acclimate myself to, I was ableto accomplish and overcome that.
Those, even the fears that Ihave.
So I would also say you arecapable of more than you realize
(27:38):
, and the most thing you can dois keep moving forward, one step
at a time.
So is, keep moving forward onestep at a time.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
No, man, that's great .
That's sage knowledge, part ofthat sage caregiver that you are
.
I just have one more ask.
I have an ask of you becausethere are so many other
healthcare executives that areout here and they've seen my
shows.
They've listened, they haven'tparticipated.
You have been that one thatkind of can help them to
(28:07):
understand why this is importantand what did you get out of
this?
Right now, this is your firstpodcast with me.
You've come out, you've donejust a wonderful interview.
So many people feel like, oh myGod, I don't think I could do
that.
And I'm telling you you firststarted out you're like there's
no way I'm going to be able todo this.
And look at you now.
You are just fantastic, right,right in telling your story.
(28:32):
Help them understand some ofthe benefits and how you feel
about the interview you just did.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Well, it made me realize that really there's
nothing impossible if you setyour mind to it and use the
tools and resources that areavailable to you.
So, for example, this programbefore I really don't have a
(29:06):
direction.
I know that I wanted to make adifference and just do my best
in my role, but I didn't have aclear plan to what to do.
Moving, and because I was usedto being promoted, I guess
(29:27):
whenever my leaders are, youknow, recognized my potential
and yeah, you're ready now, solet's move you on or realizing
and seeing what I can do, it'svery empowering.
So, this podcast I have notimagined it because I'm not
(29:59):
really a vocal person, I'musually quiet.
Vocal person, I'm usually quiet.
So being in a podcast is not inone of my goals.
(30:22):
Really, when I joined thisprogram I didn't to really share
my experiences and truly makeyou know, make an impact through
my leadership, my experienceand even my personal life.
So that's really the ultimategoal here.
(30:45):
I'm not just, you know,exposing myself to the public.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Exactly.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Now the public can't reach youon LinkedIn.
Can you tell them how to reachyou on LinkedIn?
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Well, you can look me up in LinkedIn, mabel
Fortaleza-Arinag, and you willbe able to see my profile there
and my background experiences,even my publications, research
and performance improvementprojects I had throughout the
(31:26):
years that is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Mabel, thank you again for being on the Follow
Brand podcast.
I want to invite your entirenetwork and all the people out
in the Philippines I knowthey're going to be tuning in to
this particular episode thatthey can see all the episodes of
Follow Brand at five star BDM,that is, the number five at a
star S-T-A-R.
Bdm B for brand, d fordevelopment, infomasterscom.
I want to thank you again forbeing on the Follow Brand
(31:51):
Podcast and so thankful for youto be a part of our 5 Star BDM
brand development program, theBrave Framework.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Thank you, grant, I appreciate you and I'm very
grateful.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Thank you.
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