Through our Monthly Spotlight Series, we are taking the time to highlight the staff at KidsCare Home Health. We hope you gain inspiration and valuable advice from these successful individuals and their stories.
This month we were excited to interview MJ Roark, Community Relations Director of North Texas at KidsCare Home Health.
Where did you grow-up and what is special about your hometown?
I grew up in several small Texas towns. The smallest town was Earth, Texas which had a population of 13 and the largest town was Lubbock—go Texas Tech!! All in all, I lived in 6 towns during my childhood. It was special in the fact that my Dad was the Methodist Preacher and well, you know….
How long have you been with KidsCare and what brought you to KidsCare?
I started at KidsCare in 2013 and I was looking for a change in career from my previous Fashion career to a new career that I could channel my passions into.
What do the day-to-day responsibilities of your role as Community Relations Director look like?
My day-to-day tasks are a combination of working with my team in the field and working in the background through analytics to come up with ideas and strategies to help us increase our results each month. I work closely with the DFW / Tyler team to support their efforts day-to-day in any way that they need. I also work with the Clinical Managers, the Nursing Team, and the Operations Team to make sure the Community Relations Team is running smoothly within all company departments. I love the saying “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work”.
What is your favorite part about your current position as the Community Relations Director of North Texas?
I love working with my awesome CR Team and helping them to continue expanding our reach in our market to always be the best agency and provider of patient care! I love celebrating with my Team their results from hard work and persistence! Ask me about Sparkles, the Pink Unicorn, our official Team mascot!
How has your role changed since you’ve been at KidsCare?
I started as a CR (Community Relations) and spent 6 years in the field going to clinics, hospitals and community events telling everyone who listened about KidsCare! In working closely with Jeanette, our then Director, I leaned in on the analytical side of the business and then moved in to the managing role and when asked if I would like to remain in the CR role or take on the role of Director, I jumped at the opportunity!
When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend your time?
I love my family time with my partner Leslie and my 4-legged mini dachshunds Maddie & Hershey. I enjoy anything involving food, wine and travel. I can’t wait for the chance to travel again and enjoy the world!
What do you think makes KidsCare Home Health different from other agencies?
Our passion in helping our patients is evident in everything that we do here! We are well known as the agency that does everything in the right way and in the way to best serve our patients. Our integrity shines through always!
What is the best advice you’ve received for your career?
The best advice I ever received was from my Mom. I loved Biology and Genetics in high school but my Mom told me that I would not love being in a science career that didn’t have a creative side which fit my personality better. She said be practical and get a Business degree instead to remain open and versatile to something that I would love and be passionate about. She was so right!!
What is your favorite memory in working at KidsCare Home Health?
That’s a tough one—I have so many great memories of my time here. Some of my favorite memories are ones that I share with all of the great CRs at KidsCare. I love when we have our sales meetings and we relax at the end of the day with food, laughs, and fun activities.
What gets you most excited about KidsCare’s future?
I am excited about our continued growth in our current markets and I am also excited about our out of state expansions. I love the fact that we are spreading what is so awesome about KidsCare and going into new areas that are desperately needing another great resource for their patients. We are taking our core philosophy of C.A.R.E. to those states that need it most!
