Jessica Dowches-Wheeler

I was the first person in my family to go to college. Having little guidance on the process, I started applying to schools near my home in Pennsylvania. One day, as I walked near the guidance counselor's office in my high school, I came across a brochure for a beautiful college in North Carolina. The university was a small liberal arts school known for its health sciences program. It boasted about various campus life programs, on-campus housing, and its poolside beach volleyball court. I was hooked. My mom and I made the 10-hour drive to visit the college, and we both fell in love. I knew this is where the rest of my life would start.

In my first year of college, I joined a sorority. The day I accepted my bid from Sigma Sigma Sigma was one of the defining moments of my life. I was far away from home and everyone I knew, but this group of wonderful, sweet women wanted me to join them. They saw something in me that would add to the culture of the group. Tri Sigma taught me how to live a life of character, reinforced the importance of sisterhood and empowered me to be a leader.

After graduating with a degree in biology, I moved back home to Pennsylvania. My dad had been diagnosed with lung cancer the year before, and I needed to be with my family. I thought I wanted to be a doctor, so I took the MCAT and began applying to medical school. I was invited to interview at a school in Philadelphia, my top choice at the time. When I arrived for my interview, something just did not feel right. I remember sitting through the panel interview thinking, "What am I doing here? Is this really what I want?" I think I subconsciously botched that interview, and I am so glad I did. On the way home from Philadelphia, I called Blake, my then-boyfriend-now-husband, and told him about a different program I wanted to pursue. A university closer to my house had a Masters program in Healthcare Administration. I applied the next day, had a phone interview a few weeks later and was accepted.

Before I began my program in the fall of 2011, my dad passed away. It was a pivotal time in my family's life. Being the oldest daughter, I felt the need to be strong for my mom and sisters. I pushed through my grief and excelled in school. The terminal requirement of my program was a 6-month administrative residency to be completed at a facility of our choice. Blake and I wanted to move to Washington, DC, so I searched for residencies in that area. My faculty advisor knew the CEO at a hospital in Maryland, so he connected us. I basically cold-called this CEO and asked if he would accept me as a resident. After a phone and in-person interview, they offered me the position.

My residency was an invaluable experience. I met with all of the senior leaders and worked on important projects for the organization. I was also paired on one significant project with a leader who would eventually become my boss and remains my mentor today. He was tasked with creating an in-house performance improvement training and asked me to help. What I thought would be creating a few tools and templates turned into a full-time job. By the end of my residency, we had created a world-class program and trained our first class. I felt #likeaboss.

That is, until the end of my residency approached and the organization was not in a position to offer me a job. I remember the day I learned the news. I went home, crumbled onto my couch and sobbed for hours. I was a zombie, a shell of myself. Blake skipped an exam and rushed home (he was a full-time student, too). We thought we would be homeless. We were living off my $12/hour paycheck and two scholarships. We got married the month before. We put a deposit on two gorgeous Birman kittens. We thought we would have the life we dreamed about.

I remembered what Tri Sigma taught me about being an empowered woman. I would not stand for "no." I got off the couch, grabbed a notepad and started scribbling my pitch. I deserved a position at that hospital. I gave 110% to the program I helped develop; a program that started to change the culture of the organization. The next day, I scheduled a meeting with the COO and explained why I would not take no for an answer. I felt bold, confident and proud for standing up for myself. He said he would see what he could do, and the following day, I got my offer. I took a chance on something I believed in, and it paid off. The COO created a position for me to manage the program I developed. When they tried to close the door on this opportunity, I stuck my foot in, and they opened it back up.

For two years, I worked endlessly to instill a culture of continuous improvement in the hospital. My boss and I also pitched our program to other hospitals in the system, and we got a few bites. We presented to the CEO council, who gave us the blessing to move forward with implementing this program at all twelve hospitals in our system. One of the CEOs from a sister hospital noticed me and recruited me to bring my program to his hospital. I made the move in early 2016. This transition gave me the confidence I needed to lead on my own. I was a 29-year old woman changing the culture at another hospital. The job came with a six-figure salary and the autonomy to innovate, challenge and engage. It also led me to my current passion - coaching.

Having my own professional coach through my job transition allowed me to look within myself to determine and achieve my goals. My coach challenged me, supported me, believed in me and was a true partner toward my career success. I want to be that partner for you. As a coach, my job is to help you become the best version of you. You have the tools inside you, and I know how to bring them out. My mission is to help you gain clarity on your life goals, empower you to action, and support you to have the courage and confidence necessary to achieve great success. What are you waiting for? The life you dream of is within reach.