As the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold, it’s more important than ever to spotlight the healthcare leaders in our community. Mimi Coomler, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for TMC HealthCare, is helping to guide Southern Arizona in these challenging times, and we are proud to be highlighting her #LeadHership this month.
In her role, Mimi is responsible for driving safety and quality improvements for TMC Healthcare – which are critical in dealing with a pandemic like COVID-19. She has operational responsibility for areas across the hospital, including surgery, emergency services, critical care, infection control and hospice. Her experience in these areas are what make her an excellent leader to guide us during this difficult time.
“Every day, I make a difference. As we navigate this COVID-19 pandemic, I understand how important that is to me. Every minute, every day.”
Previously, Mimi served as the director of patient care services for TMC for Women and TMC for Children. She also served as the chief executive officer of Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services, a nonprofit multi-specialty clinic that services as a medical home for children with complex healthcare needs. As a leader, she believes honest feedback is critical to professional growth. She is dedicated to investing time in her staff to learn about their strengths and offer growth opportunities.
With 18 years as a registered nurse, Mimi says her career and her approach to work has been shaped by her teachers, women in her family, and women in her professional life. She was impacted by the women who have shown her kindness when they are most vulnerable and strength when pushed to the limits.
While women typically outnumber men 3 to 1 in the healthcare workforce, they only represent a small number of executives and board members. Fortunately, Mimi sees this changing. “Kind and compassionate leadership is not the purview of one gender or another, but those two qualities certainly are transformational for teams working on complex problems.” Men are pursuing more careers in nursing and other allied healthcare professions, offering diversity and creating a positive impact on those professions.
In addition to her role at TMC HealthCare, Mimi previously served on as board chair of the local chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and as president of the Southern Arizona Women's Foundation which collaborates to achieve social, political and economic change that empowers women and girls.
We asked what advice she has for young women looking to step into leadership roles, and she responded:
“Be positive and take informed risks that are informed by your values. You may not always get it right, but when you don't - you will know you did so with the right intentions.”
As we continue to face theses challenging times head on, we want to thank you, Mimi, for your #LeadHership!