The new President and CEO of Broadway House is a familiar face at our facility. Donnamarie Lynch, MBA, MHA, PhD, has worked at Broadway House for five years, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer. She says, “I strongly believe each of us plays a very important role in making this organization effective. I want everyone to know that.”
Please tell us about yourself.
I’ve spent most of my career in the insurance industry at AIG before joining the Department of Homeless Services in New York. At the time, I lived in the city, but was dating a woman in Newark. After we married, I reverse commuted for a year while working on my doctorate in organizational leadership.
Then, I was contacted by a recruiter for the position of Director of Human Resources at Broadway House. Although I had no background in healthcare, I came in to meet with President and CEO Jim Gonzalez. We had a nice conversation. Jim viewed my skills as transferable and saw that I was ambitious. So, I didn’t choose healthcare—it chose me and gave me purpose.
How did you transition to a healthcare career?
At Broadway House, Jim became my mentor. In fact, he will say that he’s been preparing me to step in as President and CEO for the past two years. At first, I paid close attention, watched how he solved problems, and followed his lead. I saw that Jim trusted me and gave me access to tools and resources. And if I didn’t understand something, I asked questions. I also went back to school for a Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA). Through those experiences, I recognized that I could be a decision maker for individuals who would be impacted in a positive way.
Today, my focus is on exceptional health outcomes. That is my guiding principle when I need to make decisions. Studies suggest a strong correlation between health outcomes and organizational culture, and it is never one dimensional. There are a lot of considerations: How a resident looks; the happiness of staff; the cleanliness of the facility; how we treat each other.
What’s your vision for Broadway House?
There are a lot of components to my vision: To be instrumental in addressing disparities. To fill the pipeline with nurses. To continue to be a partner and resource to our Greater Newark community. And to continue building awareness of our services.
We all contribute to that. The level of care and commitment each person who works at Broadway House gives, from doctors to housekeepers to the clinical team, is inspiring. Everyone just gives! It’s a culture that Jim fostered, and that I will continue to build on. I wish Jim the very best. I’m sure I speak on everyone’s behalf when I say that he is an amazing human being. I will never stop singing his praises.”
