Kristina Healey

Patient Experience Manager, Baystate Health Inc.; Age 28; Education: Springfield College (BS); Columbia University (MPH)

Healey leads a team of patient-experience specialists across the entire Baystate Health system, providing leadership and guidance for directors and managers, addressing both barriers to care and best practices, and supporting staff development through coaching, mentoring, and leading by example, among other roles.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a ballerina. I grew up dancing at the Hackworth School of Performing Arts (HSPA), and, being the daughter of a dance teacher, I shared that passion for dancing and performing with my mom. Even though I didn’t become a professional ballerina, I am continuing to share my love of dance as a member of the faculty at HSPA, as well as being an adjudicator at dance competitions across the Northeast.

What three words best describe you? Passionate, kind, determined.

What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? I am a Disney fan through and through. Sure, the movies and theme parks are amazing, but it all started because of one man’s dream. Walt Disney was not only a visionary leader, but he inspired people across generations to believe and accomplish the impossible. I’ve read so much about him over the years, but I still have so many questions to ask him about his leadership strategies and his pride in the accomplishments of the Walt Disney Company since his passing.

What fictional character do you relate to most, and why? If you asked me this question when I was a kid, the answer would have been Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Why? Because she’s a mermaid, duh. Now, as an adult, I relate most to Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. She is a hardworking woman with big goals, a vision, and a supportive family by her side. What’s even more relatable for me is that Tiana also lost her dad at a young age, and her desire to make him proud fueled her passion for becoming a girl boss. She didn’t let any excuses or barriers stop her from accomplishing her goals, and ultimately she persevered.

Who inspires you, and why? A lot of people in this world inspire me. My family, my dad, the patients and employees of Baystate Health, my dance students and colleagues — they all inspire me every day to be the best version of myself.