Today, August 26, marks Women’s Equality Day here in the United States, a day to commemorate the ratification of the 19th amendment which finally gave women the right to vote. Women’s Equality Day celebrates the achievements of women’s rights activists and reminds us of the unique struggles that women face. To celebrate Women’s Equality Day here at ProviderTrust, we wanted to highlight two of our very own fierce women. We asked Jamie Lambert, Employee Experience Manager, and Cristina Stahr, Marketing Operations Manager about what it means to them to be a woman in the workforce, their professional journeys, and more.
Tell us about yourself and what you do for ProviderTrust.
Jamie: I’m 50/50 introvert/extrovert that enjoys slow Saturday mornings with my little girl and husband, large cups of coffee (with cream), Sunday worship that fills your heart up, and giving gifts that people love. I’m a momma expecting my 2nd child in September. I work with the People Operations (POPs) Team to improve the journey and experience each team member has at ProviderTrust, ranging from career growth and learning to providing a sense of community and connection. I’ve been at PT for eight years, and I have learned many valuable lessons including caring for others even when you see things differently and the importance of being honest and authentic.
Cristina: Hi, I’m Cristina, the Marketing Operations Manager here at ProviderTrust! I’ve been with PT for just over 2 years and I’ve loved every minute of it! A little bit about me – I live in East Nashville with my husband and our pup. I absolutely love living in Nashville, watching it grow, and exploring everything the city has to offer. My role at ProviderTrust is to manage our Lead Generation Team and our marketing tech stack. This means that I get to interface with our Sales Team, Product Team, and Client Success Team regularly, ensuring that across our whole organization, we are providing the absolute best experience for prospects and clients alike.
What does smarter and safer healthcare mean to you?
J: Providing smarter and safer healthcare means that we’re more than just fancy technology – we help ease the heavy burden of tracking down bad actors and keeping them away from our communities. That’s important and I love that ProviderTrust does it the best because I’m extremely competitive.
C: If there’s anything that I’ve learned working in healthcare technology over the past one and a half pandemic years, it’s that not everyone has the same access to healthcare. I’ve always known this, but it became abundantly clear to me in early 2020, as COVID-19 disproportionately impacted minority and lower income populations. At ProviderTrust, our goal is to make sure that everyone who provides care is qualified to be interacting with patients. And one of the things that I’ve learned in my time here is that those same populations who are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are the most likely to be seen by an unlicensed, excluded, or unqualified provider. What we aim to do is make healthcare safe for every single person utilizing our healthcare system, regardless of gender, race, income, or ablebodieness.
What has your professional journey looked like over the years?
J: In college, I studied Communications with an emphasis in Advertising. It has served me well over the years, playing into my creative side. My first job out of college was at a sports training facility where I doubled as a coach and a marketer. I took a quick break to play semi-pro soccer, got a marketing internship that summer, and started working for ProviderTrust as the sole marketer shortly after. As the company grew, we added a few more team members and I managed them for a bit before I linked arms with our Director of People Operations and have been on her team ever since. It was a difficult decision but one I haven’t looked back on. I enjoy my role tremendously as it has grown and evolved over time and continues to do so.
C: I have actually been working in healthcare technology since the very start of my career, which makes sense, considering in college at Vanderbilt University, I believed I was going to be a doctor. Boy, am I glad that didn’t work out! I started my career with a very small company here in Nashville and absolutely loved the culture, our mission, and the people I worked with. I found out what it was like to work every day with the smartest people you know, people who are passionate about what they do, and leaders who are just real people. After I left that company, I knew I needed to find that atmosphere again. It took a few tries, but I feel like I’ve really found that here at ProviderTrust!
How have womens’ positions in the workforce changed since you began your career?
J: I’ve seen a growing and deeper appreciation of the qualities, skills, talents, and attributes that women bring to the table. A movement where women don’t feel like they have to “act like a man” to be seen as a valuable, leading voice in the room. In summary, there’s now a freedom to be ourselves without worrying about our authenticity hindering our professional growth. I’ve also seen men rise to the occasion by intentionally seeking out women’s perspectives because they see the immense value of having the diversity of thought.
C: Having only ever worked in healthcare technology, I began my career in a world dominated by men. I saw many male CEOs, executives, managers, and leaders. As a young person in the workforce, this wasn’t exactly inspiring, which led me to look elsewhere for inspiration. And over the years, I have absolutely found it in different industries. It has been so exciting to watch other industries put women into positions of power and leadership. I’ve seen large, Fortune 100 companies promote a woman to CEO. We have a woman who is currently Vice President of the United States. Every time I look, there are more and more examples of women excelling and succeeding in a man’s world.
I think healthcare technology has a ways to go to catch up, but I am so grateful to work for a company that values women in the workforce and women as leaders. Both Rachael Black and Donna Thiel are on the leadership team here at ProviderTrust, and I see them both as role models for my career. They are two of the strongest women I have the privilege of interacting with on a regular basis, and I only hope I can lead as well as they do.
Who is a woman that has inspired you professionally or personally?
J: I recently heard a talk from Jamie Kern Lima – she is the co-founder of IT Cosmetics and the first female chief executive officer of a L’Oréal brand in the company’s history. I was moved to tears hearing her story of overcoming rejection, turning down the volume of self-doubt, and believing in her calling. It was such a powerful testimony of not taking “no” for an answer, living out your faith, and taking big risks.
C: There are a lot of cliche answers to this question of women who have absolutely crushed it in the business world, like Sheryl Sandberg and Sarah Blakely. And while I do look up to these women, I’m going to share two women who I know personally who have forever shaped who I am.
The first is Kristi Bridges, who I have known since I was just a child. Kristi is the President and Chief Creative Officer of The Sawtooth Group, a creative ad agency based out of Red Bank, NJ. Kristi is amazingly talented, unbelievably smart, and is the embodiment of ProviderTrust’s “be the hustle” value. From a young age, Kristi showed me that if a man could do it, a woman could do it better. I learned from Kristi that you can be a successful businesswoman and have a family, and I watched as she hustled to the top of Sawtooth Group. She has been a role model for me since before I even knew what I wanted to do.
The second is Amy Hamilton, one of my first ever managers. Amy taught me so much of what I know today, and I’ve really modeled my career after hers. I looked up to Amy so much when I was first starting off – she was smart, spunky, and didn’t back down when she knew she had something important to say. She worked on so many high visibility projects and managed the pressure and stress with confidence and humility. I always loved watching her work, watching her succeed, and seeing how she stood up for herself no matter what room she was in.
How have you helped fellow women advance in the workplace?
J: I see myself as an encourager. If I’m allowed any kind of influence in your life, my hope is that you know at least one person thinks you’re the best and can do it. Sometimes it can feel cheesy to encourage someone, but most of the time people are so hard on themselves that any kind of shout-out or boost goes a long way.
C: I’ve had the opportunity to hire young talent at my previous role and here at ProviderTrust, and I hope that I have been able to give these women the platform they need to be successful. There is nothing better than a woman propping another woman up, and I believe that my role as a manager and leader in my organization is to do just that.
What words of wisdom would you offer to young women looking to further their careers?
J: If you’re feeling apathetic, a little lost, or unsure – that is so normal. Many chapters in your life won’t make sense or have a title until years later. Also, be vigilant and intentional about the people and information you allow to have influence in your life. We have access to more information, influencers, media, blogs, and so on than ever, but it isn’t serving you well if you don’t have a proper gauge for what is good and right. Align your feelings with truth, not the other way around.
C: Beyonce said it best, “Who run the world? Girls.”
