Shenandoah Valley News

Two Impactful Leaders at Valley Health

At Valley Health, we are proud to have several women in leadership roles.Studies have shown there are vast benefits to having women in leadership roles beyond promoting diversity and gender equality such as improved patient satisfaction, better communication between healthcare providers and patients, and increased collaboration among healthcare professionals.

Today we highlight two leaders at Valley Health: Chief Human Resources Officer and the Vice President of War Memorial Hospital. These impactful women bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to Valley Health and the healthcare industry, and their presence has been instrumental in our mission to create a more diverse and inclusive healthcare environment, making Valley Health a great place to work.

Heather Sigel, RN, BSN, MBAVice President/CNOHeather provides leadership for both hospital operations and nursing operations at War Memorial Hospital. She joined Valley Health in 2014. Heather’s responsibility is to oversee all clinical operations and throughput daily within the hospital in addition to support for nursing leadership. She facilitates all budget decisions including capital planning, master budget plans, staffing matrix including approval of incentives, etc. Heather also represents War Memorial by participating in community activities and relationship building which includes Berkeley Springs Rotary Club and a board member for United Way of Eastern Panhandle. She is a member of the West Virginia Organization of Nurse Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives.Connection to purposeI knew I wanted to be a nurse and in healthcare by age 13. My drive was basic: I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. As I developed in my career, I realized that I could do that at the bedside or as a leader. I keep coming back to work because I feel that I do contribute to the success of the hospital in at least one small way every day. I have a passion for what I do. I want our facility to be successful and to provide excellent care to our community. And I am proud to be a part of that.Why Valley Health?I chose Valley Health initially because of the career opportunity and the proximity to my home. Over time I have stayed at Valley Health because I feel that our organization treats employees well and I feel supported by our system.Elizabeth Savage, Chief Human Resources OfficerLiz joined Valley Health in 2010 and serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer on the executive leadership team. With over 25 years of experience, Liz oversees our human resources business partners and total rewards and compensation teams. When not at work, Liz continues building connections in her lake community.Connection to purposeMy journey into healthcare began over 20 years ago after realizing I felt empty working for organizations that only focused on the bottom line. I wanted to be part of something bigger; my passion was to help transform the way care was delivered and fix the system that is broken across America. As a non-clinician and caregiver at Valley Health, I serve by caring for all our over 6,000 employees, enabling those who provide care to our patients and community to deliver the best, high quality and safe care and excellent service.But how do I fit in? I have always thought we are born with special gifts and our responsibility is to use those gifts to the fullest, helping others to do the same. This has been my true north. So, my daily work and passion for over almost 40 years of service has been to help organizations, teams and individuals learn, develop and grow. Hiring the best caregivers, developing the best leaders, and supporting teams through senior leader rounding and engagement activities are some of the ways I serve Valley Health and connect to my purpose.On a more personal note, I am deeply connected to Valley Health’s Cancer Center. I had a naming opportunity when the center was being built. I named a room, exam room 9, for my brother who had been fighting a great fight up in New York. He died in 2017 way too young. Room 9 brings comfort to me and keeps me close to him as does the tree I donated in the lobby. Its growth represents our connection to one another. I can see the Cancer Center when I look out of my office window. It brings me joy knowing that our wonderful care team is helping others to fight the great fight too.Why Valley Health?Valley Health has been a place I have dedicated myself to for over 13 years. I have never been with an employer for longer! What keeps me here is the wonderful care of team members and their personal connection to purpose. When I think about our caregivers, I see their deep caring for one another and the community, I see families and the multiple generations of workers dedicated to our mission, and I see excellent programs and services being delivered. I am proud of where we have come from together and all the progress we’ve made in our patient experience, engagement, and quality and safety programs.I live in Lake Frederick. Most of these neighbors come here from northern VA and other places from around the country. I am always being stopped by them in the streets and I hear wonderful stories about the care they receive and how wonderful they believe our staff is. They are truly grateful for us – that is why I continue to stay here – pride.

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