Congratulations to NALHE Board Member Michelle Linares, MBA!!
SVP Workforce Engagement & Impact @ Pacific Clinics | Empowering people and redesigning healthcare systems to be accessible, fair, and inclusive to all
🙏 Honored to have received the 2025 Leadership Award at the 8th Annual National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives Leadership Summit. This recognition signifies a journey shaped by community, identity, and purpose. From my formative years in high school through college and into my professional career, organizations like NALHE have been pillars of empowerment. They instilled in me the belief in my potential, the importance of leading with corazón, and the value of showing up authentically in every setting. This award symbolizes that transformative journey. It validates the notion that embracing our true selves, todo lo que somos, amplifies our impact. It serves as a testament that leadership grounded in authenticity and values not only creates change but also leaves a lasting legacy. Today, I confidently enter spaces with a #boldvision and #courageousleadership, embracing every aspect of quien soy. And in doing so, I am reassured that I stand alongside others on similar paths. Our narratives hold significance. Our voices carry weight. Our leadership is impactful. As Brené Brown reminds us, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” This award has enabled me to embody this practice with pride, purpose, and poder. 💪 To every first-generation student and professional who has questioned their place: you #belong. Your influence is profound. Your presence is essential. Your legacy is already taking shape. 🙏 Thank you, Rolando Gomez, MBA, Marcos Pesquera, James (Jim) Rodriguez, LFACHE, Xavier Villarreal, Isabell Pacheco, DSc, FACHE, and the incredible NALHE ecosystem, for this remarkable honor. 🙌 Felicidades to my fellow colegas who were also recognized for their invaluable impact: Daniel Gandarilla Ed.D, MBA, SPHR; Cesar Rivas-Sanchez, MHA; NALHE SoCal (Chapter of the Year), Kaiser Permanente y más. ✨ A special light to my partner, Stephen Rivera, MBA, LSSHP for his visionary guidance and unwavering support. See you at the next NALHE Leadership Summit, September 23-25, 2026, in New Mexico. Excited to have Javier Carrera capture these special moments once again - miles de gracias! 👏 #2025NALHELeadershipSummit #LastingLegacy #HealthcareLeader #RepresentationMatters