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National Healthcare Human Resources Professionals Week recognizes the indispensable contributions of human resources professionals within the healthcare sector. Celebrated the week of March 11-15, these dedicated individuals serve as the backbone of healthcare institutions. Human resources professionals navigate complex regulatory landscapes, address personnel challenges, and cultivate environments that focus on employee well-being. We’re spotlighting three of Magellan Health’s HR professionals who each explain why they chose a career in healthcare HR, and the most rewarding and challenging aspects of working in this field:

  • Angela Navarro, human resources business consultant, Magellan Federal
  • Angie Pinto, compensation consultant, human resources, Magellan Federal
  • Kathy Fox, senior director, payroll and Workday technology, Magellan Health

Continue reading to learn more from Angela, Angie, and Kathy on their experiences as healthcare HR professionals:

Why did you want to pursue healthcare HR and what is the most rewarding aspect of working in this field? 

Angela: My family consists of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. I knew those fields were not my passion, however I still wanted to help people and make a difference. Instead of saying, “I help care for people,” I can now say, “I care for the people, who care for the people.” I find it most rewarding to see how I can assist healthcare workers and take some of the weight off their backs during their times of need.

Angie: I love helping people! Working with people, solving problems, and coming up with a resolution together is so rewarding. That combined with my love of compensation has brought me to HR.

Kathy: HR found me, and it has been great! I come from a process improvement background and then transferred to HR. Working in payroll and HR technology provided me with the opportunity to help create a positive environment for company employees through timely pay and ensuring personal data is documented and protected.

What are some challenges you face in this profession and how do you overcome them?

Angela: In every profession there are both good and bad aspects. Employee relations may have challenges, but it is up to me to find the positive aspects and propose a solution for every challenge.

Angie: There are challenges (or adventures as I sometimes call it). It could be the market and specific jobs, new business and contracts, updated policies, etc. We overcome these challenges by working with leadership and fellow HR partners collaboratively. Working in this field requires a team effort!

Kathy: Working with a diverse group of individuals can be daunting, but by truly seeking to understand and address needs, it becomes manageable. I find that listening and providing guidance or education can go a long way to resolving issues. Many times, it just comes down to a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge about how something works.

Is there anything you would like to highlight about working in healthcare HR? 

Angela: At Magellan, the highlight is that our staff cares for members of our armed forces who are fighting for our freedoms and that is something to be proud of.

Angie: Working in healthcare HR is rewarding, and we have so many groups that include compensation, payroll, benefits, etc. I truly believe we are making a positive impact for our employees and continue to strive to improve our processes to ensure the best results.

Kathy: The Magellan employees have demanding jobs. We must make sure that they have the support network to address their HR needs. If we do it right, it allows our employees to focus on their clients.

What does National Healthcare HR Professionals Week mean to you? 

Angela: It is a time we say thank you to all those employees who pour their hearts into their HR support roles in the healthcare system. It’s also a time to recognize those who promote both the organization and employees in an unbiased manner.

Angie: It gives recognition to those that work in this field a moment to be seen when many times we are working behind the scenes. I love that it gives an opportunity for HR professionals to be recognized for their work and given a spotlight to shine.

Kathy: We are recognizing individuals who are normally working behind the scenes to help support the company’s workforce in so many ways such as talent acquisition, training, compliance, payroll, staffing levels, and so many more services.