Administrative Director, Digestive Cancer Service Line, UCSF Health Adult Cancer Services 

Here is what Rebecca's nominator had to say about her:

Rebecca leads one of the largest departments in the Cancer Center. She is highly dedicated, gracious, helpful, and has a heart for all of the patients and staff she works with and beyond! CONTINUED: I've known Rebecca to come in on her day off to help train new team members. I've seen her advocate for many patients in a myriad of situations. Although constantly busy, she'll always make time to listen to others (whether staff members or patients) and do whatever she can to meet the need. She always contributes great ideas in meetings and thinks outside the box. Rebecca is amazing!

Rebecca's Bio:

My time at UCSF began several years before I was officially hired. I volunteered in the Cancer Center in my spare time, getting tea donations for the waiting rooms and handling various administrative tasks. I was looking for something that would give me a chance to contribute in a profoundly impactful way. Years earlier, I had graduated from University of San Francisco (USF) with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business, with an emphasis in Finance. After that, I worked as a Systems Analyst at Accenture. That was a great first job right out of college, but I craved more human connection and adventure, so I went to work at United Airlines. At United, I was a Reservations instructor and went on quite a few adventures to places like Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, France and Italy. Just as my career there was starting to take off, 9/11 dealt a heavy blow to United and other airlines, leading to downsizing. Our office was closed. Later that year, my son was born.  

After spending a few years as a mostly-full-time mom, I applied for a job as an Administrative Assistant Float in the Cancer Center, beginning another exciting adventure. In addition to working in the various Cancer Center practices, I had the opportunity to work in various roles, supporting our transition to APeX, implementing an electronic fax workflow that is still used today, and being part of the team that designed and opened the Precision Cancer Medicine Building (PCMB) at Mission Bay. The path to where I am now has been challenging and exhilarating. I have learned so much and am still learning how to leverage the resources for which I am responsible to achieve maximum value, to remain flexible so that I can adapt to never-ending change and technological advancements, and to stay continuously inspired. 

What has been an important success in your career? Have you had a key breakthrough moment? 

A breakthrough moment for me was when I first became a manager and made the decision to focus steadfastly on serving my team in a way that would encourage and enable them to provide top notch care to patients. A highlight of my career was being honored with a UCSF PRIDE Award. Our shared values mean a lot to me. 

Can you tell us about an important role model or mentor in your life? 

One of the most instrumental people in my career has been Laurel Bray-Hanin, Cancer Center VP/COO. I have learned so much from her including that problems are best solved by focusing on the process, any problem can be solved with the right thinking, and to always do the right thing for the patient.  

What do you like to do outside of work?  

Outside of work, I love to hike in pretty places, learn to speak different languages, travel, listen to music, eat good food, remodel my house, and spend time with friends and family and my dog, Frankie. 

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

I would tell any young woman entering the field of healthcare and/or leadership today to be prepared to work hard, stay humble, take care of your health, stick strong to your values, keep learning, and enjoy the journey! 

Meet other outstanding women of UCSF through Our Spotlight.