Ravá Blackwell Wins 2022 ESPRIT Award!

“I knew I wanted to make a difference.”

“As a non-clinician who came to VNS Health in an entry-level position, I knew I wanted to make a difference,” says Ravá, “but I didn’t know what that would look like. However, as someone who loves to constantly learn, grow, and impact change, I was able to grow as a person and in my career here at VNS Health.”

Today, as a manager of Intake Coordinators within the Business Development team, Ravá is recognized not only for her leadership skills, but for being an inspirational role model. She created a Physician POD (Point of Dispensing) unit to help improve customer service and reduce service delays. She’s also responsible for training and onboarding new hires to the organization, always encouraging them to further their education and professional growth.

“I feel the biggest difference I make in the lives of patients and colleagues is being understanding and compassionate,” Ravá notes. During the height of the COVID pandemic, when resources were limited, she spoke directly with worried patients, some of whom the team was able to link with services; if not, the team assisted in providing resources for alternate services, based on need. Ravá also had several very emotional conversations with team members who were directly impacted by the pandemic either physically, emotionally, or financially, and provided constant check-ins, resources, and accommodations to ensure her team had the most positive morale possible given the circumstances.

Ravá never hesitates to go the extra mile, often working after hours and on holidays to support her team. “Business Development has undergone several changes in recent years,” she says. “Together, we completed a successful departmental restructure by having two-way communication/collaboration with our team through every step in the process.”