Assistant Director, Inpatient Rehab Services Parnassus and Mt Zion

Here is what Annette’s nominator had to say about her: 

Annette is a dedicated and extremely  values-based leader at UCSF. She demonstrates the pride values in all of her interactions and always leads by example. I am in awe of her leadership skills and ability to demonstrate such humility, insight and maturity in the face of complex and high pressure situations. She inspires and motivates staff to be the best versions of themselves at work. I am very grateful to have a successful example of the pride in action as a leader in the Rehabilitation Services Department. Thank you, Annette, for sharing your skills with us!

Nomination by: John Stack

Annette's Bio: 

I moved from Ireland to San Francisco in 2002. Having qualified and worked as an Occupational Therapist in Ireland, I decided to chance my luck and apply for a role at a world -renowned teaching hospital. I was delighted to be afforded an opportunity at UCSF as a clinician. From early on, I felt a strong sense that I belonged at UCSF. I truly felt privileged (and still do) to work with patients and staff from all corners of the globe, and I appreciated the serendipity that brought us all together at UCSF!

I took every available opportunity to learn something new every day at UCSF. I am grateful for the colleagues who invested in teaching and mentoring with me, as well as leaders who saw potential that I wasn’t aware of. (Thank you, Nora Chun-Uba, OT Supervisor). As I advanced as a clinician, I greatly enjoyed mentoring and setting others up to be successful; it was gratifying to pay forward the growth support that I had experienced.

A characteristic that I attribute to my growth as a leader at UCSF has been to always remain open to opportunities that arose. With that, I began my formal leadership journey as an Occupational Therapy Supervisor. I valued the new learning and growth opportunities, as well as having the opportunity to highlight our occupational therapists and their valuable contributions towards successful patient outcomes at UCSF.

I embraced the opportunity to become a Learning Health System coach through the mentorship of the amazing Dr. Lei Choi and the continuous improvement team at UCSF. An appreciation of A3 thinking and continuous improvement has fostered my passion for leading quality improvement in the Rehab Department.

My current role is Assistant Director of Inpatient Rehab Services. I attribute my success in this role to the exceptional mentoring support from Maurine Coco, Director of Rehab services. Maurine has fostered in me an appreciation of brave leadership and curiosity that is essential for success in the role. I am also lucky to work with an incredible team of Rehab Supervisors. Together we have learned to leverage our combined strengths to support the entire Rehab team. I am privileged and humbled to work with exceptional, compassionate, and dedicated, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech & language pathology clinicians. They go above and beyond everyday to ensure that our patients can return to their most valued and meaningful roles and routines after hospitalization.

I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow every day at UCSF.

What is on your reading list? 

I’m reading Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential – this book, backed up with research; really challenges traditional myths of what it means to be successful in life and at work. It offers eye-opening perspectives to show that leaders have the privileged opportunity to shine a light on the strengths and hidden potential of others.

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career? To a woman entering your field today?

Be kind to yourself, don’t let perfection be the enemy of great. Embrace your imperfections and have the courage to be vulnerable with others. I’ve discovered that the greatest rewards in leadership are achieved when one goes outside their comfort zone and tackles the most complex issues.

Lean on others, mentors and feedback are invaluable.

Meet other outstanding women of UCSF through Our Spotlight.