Our People: Meet Heather Haley, Administrative Assistant

What do you know about the people you pass in the hall or see in the cafeteria every day? What do they do at St. Joseph’s?

Here we will introduce you to a member of the St. Joseph’s family, recognizing their contribution to respect, excellence and compassion.

Role

Passionate, focused, efficient and caring are just some of the words that come to mind for those who work with and know administrative assistant Heather Haley. She has become the official “go to” person within the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) team as she manages schedules, technical support, payroll duties and various other administrative tasks for a team of more than 200 staff. She also provides administrative support to her director and three coordinators within FNS. With 10 years of experience working at St. Joseph’s, Heather jokes that her position is truly a jack of all trades. “Providing many different levels of support across our team, my role encompasses a wide range of duties to ensure everything keeps running smoothly,” says Heather. 

Typical day

A typical day for Heather is vast and varied and often depends on the needs and priorities of her team and leaders. With a keen interest in technology, Heather ensures her colleagues are knowledgeable about any system changes, new technology or software. She also provides additional training, insight or educational material as needed. Simply put, Heather keeps the needs and interests of her team top of mind on a daily basis.

Quote

“Heather brings a passion for helping and connecting with others to her work each day. She is always looking for new ways for our team to improve our systems and processes. We are fortunate to have someone with Heather’s energy, focus and passion for excellence on our team. She cares about the work she does and she never loses sight of our purpose of providing high-quality meal service to our patients and residents.” – Trina Smith, Director, FNS.

Personal touch

Heather’s drive for excellence and service stretches beyond the walls of St. Joseph’s. Having donated blood more than 30 times throughout her life, Heather is an unfailing blood donor. She gives the gift of life at least three or four times a year. “It’s easy and it only takes an hour of my time to make a huge difference in someone’s life,” says Heather. “As an O- blood type, I am also a universal donor, which means anyone can receive my blood type. As I grow older, I have witnessed friends, family, and even those I don’t know personally, need blood due to an illness or accident. I take great pride in knowing that through my donations, I can save a life. I have a bucket list goal of 50 donations and I hope to surpass that goal.”  

This year, Heather is also participating in the Hospital Challenge Blood Drive at St. Joseph’s Health Care London.  

Just for fun

While always on the go within a constantly progressing department at St. Joseph’s, Heather knows how to stay connected to her roots. A proud “farm girl,” Heather also works part-time on a dairy farm close to her childhood home. “It doesn’t seem like work - I love it,” says Heather. “I used to downplay my farming background, but now I am more proud than ever.” 

St. Joseph’s takes part in the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) annual Hospital Challenge during May and June, when hospitals across Ontario compete to donate the most units of blood in the lead up to the summer months when the need for blood is the most critical. Join in by registering for Partners for Life and make a donor appointment during May or June: https://loom.ly/WiruYsk