Celebrating Women's History Month: Hear from Our AccentCare Staff

During March, we proudly observe Women's History Month to recognize and celebrate the incredible achievements and contributions of women throughout history and within AccentCare. Samia Haddad, SVP Chief Compliance Officer, shares her career journey that has led her to become a leader in our organization. 

Samia Haddad
AccentCare SVP Chief Compliance Officer

"As AccentCare’s Chief Compliance Officer, I help make sure everyone is informed and empowered to do the right thing for our patients, their chosen families, and everyone else we interact with. I feel fortunate that my job involves two things I enjoy the most: helping people and solving problems.

No one grows up dreaming of becoming a compliance officer; it took some time to find my way here. The first job that excited me as a kid was pumping gas. When my mom stopped in at the full-service station near our house, I enjoyed watching the whole process, especially when it was time to check the oil. But nothing prepared me for the momentous day when a female attendant came out to our car. Until that moment, it hadn’t occurred to me that I could potentially do a job I’d only seen men perform.

Fast forward just a couple of years, and I turned my attention to a career as a practicing lawyer. My reasons for going to law school changed a lot over the years, but from about 3rd grade on, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I headed to law school with visions of representing clients in court or negotiating major deals. But as I got some real experience with law firm life, I discovered that I didn’t like it at all. Instead of spending time really helping people, I found the work discouraging and dull. Now what?

While networking with other lawyers to explore alternatives, I connected with someone who became an early mentor. She encouraged me to pursue a job with an in-house legal department. Corporate law sounded even more boring than working at a law firm, but it turned out to be a better fit for me. I enjoyed working more directly with clients and seeing how my advice was put into action. There was just one problem – my employers were typically companies that sold things I found uninspiring.

Then, I moved into my first health care job and shortly thereafter into my first compliance job. Again, it took some encouragement from a mentor to take that leap. To me, compliance work seemed like finding problems, not solving problems – the exact opposite of helping people. Thankfully, I was trusted with transforming the existing compliance function into something that made sense to me – a group of credible and knowledgeable business partners who help people do the right thing. I still believe that doing the right thing for our patients and clients is always the best thing for our company and each other.

At AccentCare, I am grateful to be able to work with dedicated and compassionate team members, helping ensure we are providing high quality care to patients and clients who need us. "

Read additional reflections below from some of our team members as they share what this month means to them.

Nancy
Crisis Care and Continuous Care Coordinator, Hospice - Tampa, FL

“Women's History Month is an excellent reminder of where we have been, where we are now and where we are going. We have seen many changes, and our perceptions have changed as time moves forward and we have to remind ourselves that we are all human and the sex of the person should not be a factor. Equality was what women fought for in past years. They moved mountains and yet we still have work to do.

I am fortunate and proud to work in an office where our director is a female. I stand in awe of her accomplishments and strive to be as great as she is each day. She is strong, powerful, and capable. I have also worked with men in the same capacity and felt proud of them as well. This is an example of how far we have come. Women used to only be in the home. What a task that was, and yet they were never recognized for raising greatness in their children, male or female. It makes me smile to think that today, fewer women are at home, and more men are the caregivers. We have had many shining examples of women who fought for equal rights. We have also seen women just go out and do the jobs that needed to be done, such as Florence Nightingale, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa. How can we not stand in awe of their accomplishments? I celebrate them every day.”

Tonya
Regional Director of Operations, Home Health - Austin, TX

“I come from a line of strong, working women. My grandmother worked at a bookstore in the 1930's and then worked alongside her husband farming cotton in West Texas. When her husband passed, she managed the farm by herself. My other grandmother was a beautician and opened her own salon that she operated for over 30 years. My mother worked as an office manager of a car dealership and then became an independent contractor in the industry. My sister holds two master's degrees and works in education. All of these women, including myself, do this while caring for their household, husband, and children. This story is not unique to my family, but is present in most of our families. Our business is mainly led and employed by women, and many of them are working mothers. This should be celebrated in a big way. From our CEO, to our nurses, to our therapists, to our leadership, to our office staff, we are surrounded by powerful women who work in and outside of the home. It is one of my favorite aspects about home health: women leading women who care for our patients, families, and communities. We use our God-given gifts to serve and lead with compassion, nurturing those we serve. I celebrate this daily when I talk to women about their families and careers. I celebrate that we can do both. I have two daughters who I am shaping into authentic, successful women who understand that there is no limit on what they can achieve in their life. As Coco Chanel once said, “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”

Melvia
 PCS Caregiver - Amarillo, TX

“What Women's History Month means to me is being able to share the birth of our children, the experience of learning their characteristics. Each one has a unique personality, and it gives me joy to see them grow and to share pictures, from childhood to adulthood. The significance of Women's History Month should be highlighted because we share many experiences as mothers, wives, teachers, listeners, friends, and colleagues.”

Nilli
 Volunteer Services Coordinator, Hospice - San Jose, CA

“Women’s History Month seems to me like a good opportunity to reflect about an aspect in hospice which might not be on the top priority list of considerations, yet I feel it needs to be acknowledged. That aspect is the hospice female patient’s femininity and how it affects her well-being. I have a younger female hospice patient, and I have been assigning volunteers to visit her in the facility where she resides. She used to work in the beauty industry, and fashion, style, and beauty are a part of her character. I have been matching her with volunteers since last spring, witnessing her heart wrenching decline from being able to express herself to now using a communication board with not much success and a lot of frustration. One of the things that has kept her engaged is reinforcing her feminine self-image with simple gestures from the volunteers, such as polishing her nails or gently massaging her hands with lotion while playing soft music in the background. In fact, her hands have become a crucial communication tool, as she would reach out to the volunteers to hold her hands. This Women’s History Month, let us remember that there is a human being behind the patient’s file who can be acknowledged and celebrated in so many simple but meaningful ways. This human bonding, this connection between the patient, staff members, and volunteers is what makes services better and unique.”

Venezuela
 Senior Director of Human Resources for Home Health and Hospice - Dallas, TX

“Women's History Month is a time of celebration and recognition of the invaluable contributions of women throughout history. It involves actively advocating for gender equality, amplifying women's voices, and creating opportunities for their advancement in all aspects of their lives. Women’s History Month is personal to me as I have two daughters who are my legacies. My lessons to them have always been to: Celebrate yourself, cultivate healthy relationships and friendships, and cater to their self-worth by empowering their voices in every room they enter!

Women are influential, display proven strength, and powerful when they unite! On behalf of myself and every woman that I know, "You make me proud to spell my name, W-O-M-A-N" (Oprah quoting Maya Angelou).

Happy Women's History Month!”

Throughout the year, we’re committed to building a foundation of knowledge, sensitivity, and cultural awareness to foster an environment that is safe, inclusive, and equitable for all. You can learn more about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion pledge here.