Photo: Luis is the man on the right 

Written by: Luis Phillips

My decision to enlist in the military emerged for numerous reasons.  I grew up admiring my father and his service in the military, saw how certain benefits supported my family and the different educational benefits.  I decided to join the U.S. Army right out of high school at age 17 through a waiver signed by my parents, and although the transition from military life to civilian life had the potential to be difficult, the military taught me how to keep calm in the face of chaos. Through my experience,  I have learned how to work well under pressure, improvise, adapt and overcome.

Towards the end of graduate school, I began searching for jobs related to my major in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and it was at this time that I learned about Northwell Health.  I noticed that they offered many opportunities within my major and I also wanted to join their team due to their recognition as a military friendly organization and their commitment to veterans. I had heard through peers about their reputation for being a great organization that encompasses diversity and professional growth. I discovered that they were hosting a veteran recruitment event for which I applied and later led to an interview.

Following the interview, I was hired and began my career at Northwell in 2014 as a Clinical Practice Plan Representative in the Central Business Office. While holding this position I was recognized as Employee of the Month and also nominated for Employee of the Quarter in 2015. After a little more than a year’s time, I transitioned to a Clinical Practice Plan Analyst on the Revenue Cycle Operations team. Within this role, I acquired a unique skill set, which allowed me to develop analytical acumen through SQL to write queries, as well as become the lead analyst and receive the myRecognition Execution award.  With this acquired skill set, a year and a half later I became an Operations Manager for the Clinical Informatics team at the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in 2017.

At the beginning of my career, I was fortunate enough to become a member of the VALOR  B.E.R.G (Business Employee Resource Group).  Since joining this group I’ve had the opportunity to attend some events and share my experiences and stories with other veterans. VALOR is a program that brings veterans together to give them a chance to appreciate one another while also learning from each other’s experiences in the military and in their current roles within the organization, assisting veterans in gainful employment while promoting well-being.

I take a lot of pride in working for Northwell Health and feel a sense of fulfillment in my role because of everything I mentioned above – they support Veterans through the hiring process. They support Veterans while they are a part of this organization. And they support Veterans throughout the communities. I am currently enrolled in the Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Program, have been accepted into the MBA program for Strategic Business Management and will be attending Hofstra University in the fall of 2017 with the help of the organization’s tuition reimbursement program.  Being able to work within my field of study and the organization’s commitment to veterans is continuously gratifying. The health systems service to the community, as well as the abundance of genuine people, makes one take pride in being a part of such a rewarding organization.

Photo: Luis and his team after a successful drive for the Ronald McDonald House