Empowering Hispanic Healthcare Stars: Spotlight on Angelica Sanchez, IT/EHR Systems Supervisor at Pillar Health and Kenosha Community Health Center

We’re joining forces with the Flip the Script campaign to shine a spotlight on the valuable contributions of diverse and dynamic individuals on our team, beginning with Angelica Sanchez, IT/EHR Systems Supervisor.

My remarkable journey as a Latina woman who grew up on welfare, shopped at secondhand stores, helped raise my brother so my mother could work two jobs, which led me to start working at the age of 15 was just the beginning and where I believe the seed was planted. I was determined to break the cycle and I knew I would have to work twice as hard to pursue a path that would allow me to attain a career not just a job.

After becoming a Surgical Technologist at the age of twenty, I knew I wanted to go back to school and keep learning anything and everything. I was not the greatest student growing up, and I wanted to keep learning but was also getting frustrated at failing no matter how much I studied. ADHD wasn’t something commonly diagnosed back then. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I was diagnosed, and everything made sense. However, before being diagnosed I still managed to become a dental assistant, a certified nursing assistant, and a medical transcriptionist. I even joined the military. 

I am grateful that I was finally able to get the help needed and this opened many more doors after learning how to approach my studies and began enjoying school again. By my late twenties I was a single parent advancing my career as a dental assistant with expanded duties in various specialties and being bilingual in Spanish allowed me to contribute so much more to patient care. 

I decided to get my associates and take the certification exam for surgical technology. I then started working for a surgery center, where I was able to expand my duties in various specialties. After some time, I decided to go back to the dental field and went back to school. I wanted to do something new but couldn’t decide if I wanted to do dental hygiene or nursing. Little did I know when I started working again for public health and became more engaged with the community that a completely new door would eventually be opening for me. As we all know IT has always been a field dominated by males, but while working as a dental assistant, I discovered a passion for it. I wanted to help in a different way, I wanted to not only help patients but help my peers with the day to day struggles we experienced with technology. If I could somehow advocate their technology needs with my clinical experience, this would allow them to be able to help patients more efficiently and allow them to provide quality care to the underserved as I was once in those same shoes. I decided to completely change careers and go into IT but for healthcare. My organization created a completely new position, and I was given the opportunity to apply and thankfully was recognized for my potential and was offered the position. I never imagined that my path would lead me here, in just 4 years I have gone from IT Specialist to IT/EHR Systems Supervisor. I love working and troubleshooting side by side with all the staff from all departments. Knowing that if I can help them, they can help the patients that much more with modern technology. 

I hope my story is a powerful testament to resilience, determination, and the potential for excellence in the face of adversity. My journey is a powerful testament to the strength of character and potential for excellence that exists within each individual, regardless of their background or circumstances. I hope my commitment to growth and excellence will inspire others and reinforce the narrative of Hispanic excellence. By sharing my story, advocating for change, and continuing to excel, I hope to help create a more inclusive and equitable future in healthcare and IT while inspiring others to overcome their own challenges and pursue their dreams.