Jen’s journey to nursing leadership at Renown began in sterile processing. As a technician, she spent her days cleaning and sterilizing thousands of surgical instruments alongside a small but dedicated team. It is essential work that requires accuracy and thoroughness.
"Even though it wasn't direct patient care, that role became a powerful foundation for me,” said Jen. “Working in the basement with a small but happy team, we cleaned and sterilized thousands of surgical instruments every day. It was a job that demanded precision and attention to detail because the safety of every patient in the operating room (OR) depended on us cleaning it right."
That foundation, built on precision and respect for every healthcare role, would shape her entire approach to nursing leadership. "This experience kept me grounded,” Jen recalled. “It taught me the value of hard work, consistency and teamwork, and it gave me the chance to build connections across the team in the OR. Most of all, it helped me develop a strong work ethic and respect for every role in healthcare, no matter how behind the scenes it might seem."
Finding Home in Reno
Jen's path to Renown began far from northern Nevada. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing in Manila, Philippines, then began her career at a military base hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "I worked there for five years,” said Jen. “This experience brought me many opportunities and exposed me to a wide range of skills, especially since it was a military base hospital in the Middle East.”
When she migrated to the U.S. to start a family with her husband, Reno felt comfortable right from the start, noting that she "instantly loved the Reno-Sparks area. It felt like home.” She joined Renown in 2014 as a Sterile Processing Tech, using that time to prepare for the NCLEX and build the foundation that would carry her through her nursing career.
Building a Leadership Path
After passing her boards, Jen started as a bedside nurse working night shifts in the orthopedics department. "Although I came in with international nursing experience, the Graduate Nurse Residency helped bridge the gaps and provided a solid onboarding to U.S. nursing practice standards,” said Jen. “I was fortunate to have an outstanding medical-surgical educator who supported me with regular one-on-one coaching and guidance. That personalized attention really strengthened my confidence and clinical judgment."
Her career evolved through roles as a Preceptor, Charge RN and Clinical Nursing Supervisor for night shift, a position she held for eight years. "Those experiences shaped me into the leader I am today," said Jen. She later became the Associate Nurse Manager for the orthopedic spine team. "I was fortunate to work alongside talented nursing staff and I got to know and collaborate with other leaders.”
During this time, she also helped trial a new role as a Patient Flow Expeditor, which strengthened collaboration within the medical-surgical, progressive care, hospitalist medical group, imaging and lab departments and case management team to improve patient flow.
The transition from night shift to days brought new challenges. "I spent eight years working the night shift where I had built strong relationships and knew everyone,” Jen recalled. “Transitioning to days was intimidating because suddenly I was in a new environment where I didn't know many."
Jen overcame those fears through connection and staying true to herself. "What helped me overcome those fears was being intentional about communication and connection. I made every effort to introduce myself, smile and maintain a welcoming attitude. I stayed open, accepting and willing to learn from others. Over time, those small but consistent actions helped me build trust and gain confidence in my ability to lead."
Recognition and Impact
Jen's leadership hasn't gone unnoticed. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she received the Clinical Leadership Award from the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. "Being recognized during this challenging time was meaningful because it did not just reflect my work but the collaboration, resilience and dedication of the whole team," she said.
Five years later, she was recognized for another category as the Medical-Surgical Nurse of the Year by the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement in 2025. "This highlighted our commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care in medical-surgical through improving patient outcomes and mentoring fellow nurses,” said Jen. “Medical-surgical nursing paved my way to clinical nursing growth and opened doors for me for greater opportunities within our organization."
Now seven months into her role as Manager of Nursing for Orthopedic Spine, Jen focuses on building relationships and supporting her team. "I've been focused on listening and learning from the team, identifying strengths and opportunities and building relationships with our care partners across the organization,” she said. “My goal is to create a culture where staff feel supported, engaged and empowered to practice at the top of their licenses. At the same time, laying the groundwork to elevate our unit's performance by aligning our daily work to the organization's work around quality and patient safety."
Beyond formal programs, Jen credits mentorship as invaluable to her growth. "I had both structured and informal sessions with my new leader as an Onboarding Specialist. Those conversations gave me practical strategies I could apply immediately as I transitioned as a new supervisor back then," she said.
The Leadership Development Institute has also been instrumental, emphasizing that "their workshops, leadership tools and networking opportunities helped me with communication, team development and driving quality outcomes."
More Than Just Nursing
Outside of work, Jen enjoys creative hobbies. "My kids are into Legos, and I've recently discovered I love building them too on my days off," she said. "I'm not a baker, but I enjoy Googling recipes and trying to recreate them."
In 2023, she took that creativity to the next level. "I once joked that I could probably build the Tahoe Tower out of gingerbread for a contest in 2023, and I actually did. I constructed the foundations and bases of the building and our team on T3 helped decorate the gingerbread hospital.
That same spirit of building strong foundations carries into her leadership philosophy. "My career growth has given me a deeper sense of purpose and shaped how I see my future at Renown,” said Jen. “It's no longer just about my own journey. It's about elevating my team on medical-surgical and creating an environment where nurses can grow and thrive. I take pride in helping new staff members build a strong foundation on our unit, knowing that many of them will carry those skills into their future careers. More than anything, I want my team to go home to their families each day feeling proud of the work that they do, knowing they've made a difference."
A Chance to Grow
For those looking to grow their careers at Renown, Jen's advice is clear: "Be willing to learn and be coachable, accept mistakes and build relationships through networking and collaboration. Take advantage of resources like participating in house wide committees, Professional Advancement for Clinical Excellence (PACE) for Nurses and leadership programs. These programs are key to growing your career at Renown."
Today, Jen continues building those foundations, not just for herself, but also for every nurse on her team who will carry forward the same respect and dedication she learned through her career.
