Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Senior Living are profiling the McKnight’s 2021 Women of Distinction honorees daily July 6 through Aug. 6. To see the 2021 McKnight’s 2021 Women of Distinction awards ceremony, register for free here.
Colleagues recognize Nadia Williams for her dedication and perseverance, and her career shows why.
Armed with a master’s degree in business administration from St. Leo University and a certificate in human resources and services from Cornell University, Williams began her long-term care career as a healthcare administrator at South Heritage Health and Rehab Center in St. Petersberg, FL.
She later joined the Park Springs life plan community in Stone Mountain, GA, where she played a crucial role in leading staff and residences through a 75-day lock-in to reduce exposure to COVID-19. continues to serve her residents.
During the lock-in, Williams created a day-to-day operations plan that was designed to keep staff and residents safe from COVID-19 as well as maintain the mental and social health of residents and staff by continuing to provide quality care and prioritizing social distancing over isolation.
From her efforts, Williams’ operations plan was overwhelmingly successful — resulting in zero cases of COVID-19 in Park Springs — a number that was maintained throughout the lockdown.
Though Williams had to make sacrifices to achieve this result, including missing her sister’s wedding, she made the difficult choice to stay and serve her residents through an incredibly challenging time.
It is situations such as those that display how Williams’ main mission is to serve residents and that she often places their needs over her own. When asked about the family sacrifices she had to make during the lock-in, Williams stated: “I was able to take time at the end of the 75 days to reconnect with my family, but I was needed at Park Springs then. I was needed by my team and I was needed by my members. That is a sacrifice you make in healthcare.”
Williams has proven her ability to make difficult decisions and choose what is best for her residents, a necessary skill in healthcare administration, and she continues to serve her residents with the same composure, positivity and empathy she displayed during the lock-in.
The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Senior Living. The program’s Diamond sponsor is PointClickCare, and the Roundtable Sponsor is Paycor.
