INVESTING IN OTHERS PAYS OFF


The perfect balance Other than a childhood dream to be a bus driver, Lavis never felt drawn to any sort of career. She took career tests in high school and middle school, most of which pointed toward business, and accompanied her mother, who was a nurse, to work sometimes.


“Healthcare was always interesting,” Lavis said. “I would love going to work with my mom. She had suggested I do something in pharmacy. I had the chance to shadow someone in that field, and while I didn’t really feel I would enjoy that, it did get me thinking maybe I would like healthcare.”


Lavis clicked a link on the Winthrop website and saw ‘Healthcare Administration’ as a program option. Plus, she could be close to home (she’s originally from Rock Hill) and stay in touch with friends who were also planning to attend – “the perfect balance for me.”


She embraced the program, particularly enjoying any and every class with Mike Matthews, man- agement professor and director of the healthcare management program (“Any class with Dr. Mat- thews always meant there would be some good laughs!); and Keith Benson, emeritus professor of healthcare management (“He challenged me to see I had more potential than I believed I had.”).


Brittany Cornwell Lavis ’10 strongly believes in investing – as in, investing her time in people.


In fact, the alumna considers these investments to be the most rewarding aspects of her career roles over the years, most recently as group chief executive officer for the Detroit Medical Center, a facility that promises its “legacy of caring is unmatched.”


“I was so lucky to have people who invested their time in me, and so I’ve worked hard to continue to do that throughout my career,” said Lavis, of Broomfield Hills, Michigan.


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Some of her investments include: selecting interns, all of whom came from Winthrop, ensuring they were able to balance the opportunity to learn with adding value for an overall holistic experience while at Piedmont Medical Center; allocating challenging projects to people, yet balancing it with support (“I think this is the best way to learn and grow”); and emphasizing to her leadership team to also focus on developing future leaders.


The path to these investments began with the desire to drive a bus…sort of!


Lavis pointed to the program’s internship require- ment, which she completed at Piedmont Medi- cal Center, as instrumental to setting her up for success.


“From there, I made it very known that I wanted to get a full-time job from that opportunity and worked very hard to earn the trust of that exec- utive team,” Lavis explained. “I wanted to show them I was someone worth investing in.”


And what a return on that investment! Since graduating with a B.S. in healthcare management


“


I was so lucky to have people who invested their time in me, and so I’ve worked hard to continue to do that


throughout my career. -Brittany Lavis


”


in 2010, Lavis has served in various roles, includ- ing CFO at Piedmont Medical Center; assistant CFO at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center; CFO at Placentia-Linda Hospital in California; and CFO for several years at Detroit Medical Center before taking on the CEO role.


Becker’s Hospital Review recognized her as one of its 150 Hospital and Health System CFOs to Know and most recently, one of its 196+ Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know. Modern Healthcare named her an Up & Comer in 2018, and she’s received the Tenet Circle of Excellence Award for her work.


But, Lavis said, those accolades don’t hold as much weight as her investments in people.


“It makes me proud to invest in others so that they too can celebrate the fruits of their labor and hopefully give back.”


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