Voices of ASHE

Tell us about your work. 

- How did you end up in this field?
I ended up working in health care engineering accidentally. I got my degree in fire protection and wanted to be a firefighter, but wasn’t able to get onto a department after college. I started doing fire protection work for hospitals at an engineering firm and eventually became the national director of business development. This is when I started getting involved with ASHE. I left to be an executive at a regional fire protection contracting firm, which opened my eyes to issues in the field. 

I worked closely with Baptist Health during that time. When I left the contracting firm, I called Baptist’s VP and told him I was starting my own company, and he asked me to apply for a job instead. So, I became the system special projects manager for support services for Baptist. 

That company – Legacy FM – was the brainchild of my wife, Lindsey Brackett. I am the co-founder, and we work tirelessly with our team to solve some of the biggest issues that plague facilities management. Our primary focus is to empower the people that keep our hospitals running through developing custom training and education programs that meet the specific needs of the facility or system.  

- What do you like about your work? 
The best part about my work is all the people that inspire me and lift me up. I am blessed to have a full-time job in a large system where I have a voice in the direction of our growth and improvement and can work directly with our teams to constantly improve. We have now been recognized in numerous capacities by ASHE and that brings me a lot of joy. I really enjoy working with ASHE and that Baptist supports me in this. I also love that I get to work with facilities across the nation that want to empower their teams. Also, because of my background in fire protection engineering, I sit on several NFPA codes and standards. 

- What are some of the new challenges in your field? 
Unfortunately, our field is reactive when it comes to codes. I am constantly trying to do my small part to get new and upcoming code information out there. For example: the limitations that NFPA 70-2020 has put on reconditioning electrical equipment and the upcoming enforcement of NFPA 4, which becomes applicable five years after the adoption of NFPA 101 (2018 or newer edition). Florida has adopted this edition and it goes into effect Jan. 1, 2021.  

Tell us about your time away from work.

- Interesting hobbies? 
Most people don’t know that I am a competitive obstacle course racer. I have never podiumed, but I have placed top 10 several times. Someday, I’ll get it.

Tell us how you developed professionally.

- What advice would you give your younger self? 
Don’t be arrogant. Don’t rush.  Don’t chase the title or the money. Be happy where you are at. Give, give, give, and expect nothing in return. Never undercut someone else. Don’t be afraid to fail. Always stand up for what’s right, no matter the consequence. Never, ever give up. When you become stagnate, stir things up and add challenge to help you grow. 

- Who influenced you the most in your career? 
I fundamentally believe that every person that I encounter has something they can teach me. There are so many people who have mentored and shaped and continue to shape me into who I am. I haven’t forgotten any of them and they know who they are. If I had to choose a single person, it would definitely be my wife, Lindsey. I am blessed that we work in the same field and have the same passions. She has always helped push me to be better tomorrow than I am today. Watching her grow and being a part of her story has shaped and changed me so much as a person.   

What do you aspire to do moving forward?

- What are some of your goals working the field? 
My goals for our field are enormous. I am not afraid to discuss and work with diverse groups to tackle some of the biggest issues our field faces, such as insourcing/outsourcing ratios, staffing levels, education and training, recruiting and succession planning, skilled trades and discussions about how college isn’t for everyone. We have a chance to change our field, and I’m glad to be a part of it with so many other passionate people.

- What would your dream job be? 
I can honestly say that I live my dream job(s) every day. I love what I do within the hospital system and through Legacy FM (one of the coolest things that happened this year was our partnership with ASHE on their YouTube Channel). I am always open to new opportunities that will allow me to continue to grow and give back to our field, but I resolved a while back to be happy in life where I am.

Anything else we should know?

- What things are on your bucket list?  
We do experiences instead of presents in our family, and there are a few of those on on my list. I also plan at some point to run the Appalachian Trail, visit Antarctica and do adventure racing (interested, let me know). And I’d be lying if I said ASHE President wasn’t on my list.

Tell us about your work. 

I currently work as the director of plant operations for M Health Fairview and am responsible for overall facility operations of three acute care hospitals and one corporate building. Prior to my current role, I held employee safety, emergency management and facility manager roles over a nine-year period working for United Hospital, part of Allina Health. I graduated with a B.S. in biology from The University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. I received my Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) certification through the American Hospital Association (AHA) in July 2015. I am highly involved in the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), where I sit on several committees and task force groups. I have also served five years on the executive board for the Twin City Healthcare Engineering Association (TCHEA) and am currently the past president for the Minnesota Healthcare Engineers Association (MHCEA).

After graduating with my B.S., I expected to further pursue a career on the provider side of health care, however, I have found an amazing career on the support side. I enjoy the all-encompassing nature in my current career. Over the last 13 years of my career journey, I have continued to find ways to develop both professionally and personally through ASHE by serving on various committees and executive teams. The collaboration provides a profound opportunity and atmosphere to learn from others within my field as we continue to help others within our field to better themselves through education. I am looking forward to continuing that development through an MBA program I started this fall.

Tell us about your time away from work.

I live in Afton, MN with my husband and our two children, Fritz (9) and Gigi (7). We also have two dogs, three cats and one fish. The kids keep us highly active with their sports activities, including soccer, hockey, dance and basketball. We also love to travel to warm weather destinations during the winter months. Recently I have been able to take some time for myself and thoroughly enjoy our Peloton bike to decompress and reflect.

Tell us how you developed professionally.

Joining ASHE so early in my career gave me the opportunity to build my professional network. It connected me with various associate and professional members that influenced me to get involved in the board of my local chapter. As my career has evolved, I have had the opportunity to participate in committees and executive teams, and to speak at conferences, all of which allows our field to collaborate and drive better outcomes through safer building practices.

The three people whom have had a profound influence on my career are Dean Pufahl, Richard Schreiner and Doug Pariseau. It’s hard to capture in a short paragraph how the three of them have influenced me. They encouraged me to pursue a career in facilities, supported me in obtaining education, and mentored and supported me as I navigate through my continued development as a facilities leader. It’s hard to sum up the appreciation I feel for them, but their influence has been profound.

What do you aspire to do moving forward?

My vision for my career and leadership is to lead within a health care setting, ensuring patient and staff safety, driving quality improvement strategies with integrity and compassion. I may not be a direct patient care provider; however, I do believe I can positively influence exceptional patient care by supporting and driving quality outcomes for the patients we serve.

My passion is taking care of the environment that takes care of the people. This passion takes a network of people to continue to grow with and learn from to find innovative solutions to provide an exceptional environment for the patients and those that care of those patients. As health care is ever evolving with code changes, technology and the expectation to streamline costs while creating value-based patient care, so must we as facilities leaders in the environments that we serve.

Tell us about your work. 
What do you like about your work? 
I really enjoy solving challenging problems with our team. In health care facilities management, there are rarely ever any dull days.

What are some of the new challenges in your field? 
As innovation provides new resources and process changes for health systems, it is often challenging to adapt our existing workflows to some of these innovations.

Tell us about your time away from work. 

What do you like doing in your spare time? 
When I am not working and have some spare time on my hands, I like to fish. It helps me relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Interesting hobbies? 
Fishing, watching college football (Go Blue!) and watching movies.

Tell us how you developed professionally.

What advice would you give your younger self? 
I would tell my younger self to ignore the naysayers and to surround myself with supportive people.

Who influenced you the most in your career? 
My parents. They are some of the hardest-working people that I have ever known, and I strive to be like them every day.

What do you aspire to do moving forward? 

What are some of your goals working the field? 
I genuinely enjoy learning new skills that enhance my effectiveness as a leader. As I continue to develop in my field, I am always trying to grow as a professional.

What would your dream job be? 
I love what I do right now. If I had to do something else, it would probably also involve helping people.

Anything else we should know? 

What is a fun fact about you? 
My younger brother is way taller than me. I am just shy of 6’3 and he is 6’8.

What things are on your bucket list? 
Before I leave this earth, I want to travel to all of the continents.

Tell us about your work. 
I am the supervisor for facilities quality and compliance for Indiana University Health’s Academic Health Center (AHC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. I deal with fire safety and utility systems compliance, which includes overseeing required documentation and working with teams to resolve life safety deficiencies and other safety issues. I also contribute to policy, education and subcommittee work and other projects.

I am also a director of the Indiana Society for Healthcare Engineering and a member of ASHE’s Equity/Diversity/Inclusion (EDI) task force.

What do you like about your work? 

What I do now really is a perfect fit for my strengths and the things that drive me: I learn something new every day, improve processes and resolve compliance and safety issues, and no two days are alike in my world.

I’m a passionate person, and I am very passionate about facilities personnel maintaining a physical environment where every patient has a chance to heal; that we – like physicians – “do no harm” and never compromise a patient’s environment of care.

I’m grateful to work for IU Health and the AHC and proud of the superior care we provide to thousands of patients every year.

What are some of the new challenges in your field?

My greatest challenge since entering the health care maintenance world has undoubtedly been the proverbial elephant in the room: entering this field as a woman, and a woman who didn’t study engineering or have any maintenance experience, was not easy.

I have met many women in our field – both owners and vendors – who share a similar story. And I know there are other underrepresented minorities who experience bias.

Serving on the ASHE EDI task force has given me confidence to stand strong in my role when frustrating situations arise. That is essentially the mission of our EDI task force: to let all ASHE members know they have a place at the table – regardless of their gender, age, race or background – and to ensure they are welcome.

Tell us how you developed professionally.

I was an education major and then spent 15 years in commercial property operations. If you told me 20 years ago that one day I would belong to an organization with ‘Engineering’ in its name, I would have laughed.

I arrived at IU Health in 2013 as a contractor to work with vendors and the maintenance department to resolve a number of outstanding LS deficiencies before our imminent Joint Commission survey. But I had no idea what even constituted “life safety,” what The Joint Commission was and how critical an accreditation survey was.

In seven years, I have learned and done more than I ever imagined. I know from experience it can be daunting when you transition into this world. Serving on the ISHE Board and being an active ASHE member has allowed me to meet others who are also passionate about supporting patient safety, and it’s given me the opportunity to help develop meaningful education and training. I’ve expanded my knowledge and professional growth by learning from others with a wide variety of experience.

Being chosen by one of ASHE’s major sponsors last year to participate in ASHE’s four-year Leadership Institute was also a great honor and has also expanded my network with many “shining stars”  in our field.

Who influenced you the most in your career? 

My dad, Martin Luther King, Jr., a boss I loved, and a boss I did not love – all for various reasons.

There are of dozens of colleagues who have influenced me since joining this industry. One thing I really love is the sense of community. There’s less competition and more sharing of best practices and information than in other fields. The sharing of this information is invaluable – especially during extraordinary times such as the COVID pandemic.

What do you aspire to do moving forward? 

I hope to survey for an accrediting organization and then move on to consulting. I love being able to help others solve problems and implement best practices, so I think those are natural next steps in the evolution of my career.  

I also hope to become the first female president of ASHE.

Tell us about your time away from work. 

I’m mom to three boys: 21, 17 and 16. I love to travel, cross items off my bucket list, ride my Harley, attend concerts, listen to music and read. I’m a huge fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. I also like to write and send old-fashioned handwritten letters and cards. It’s a lost art.