122: Brenda Lopez, MBA, LSSBB Sr. Business Process Improvement Analyst

The Healthcare QualityCast

Brenda Lopez retired from the Texas Army National Guard in March of 2021 as a Master Sergeant, Senior Manager. Throughout her career in the military, she implemented the use of the Malcolm Baldrige for Performance Excellence Framework and was the lead writer for quality and performance assessments, resulting in becoming top five performing organization within the U.S. Additionally, she served as a Team Leader where she evaluated the performance of other National Guard organizations in the areas of leadership, strategy, customers, workforce, knowledge management, and operations, and provided feedback reports to the Adjutant General and Directors. In 2014, Brenda was invited by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to write an article on how the TXARNG implements the National Baldrige Framework to increase and achieve higher levels of performance. In 2016, Brenda joined the Malcolm Baldrige Board of Examiners in which she currently assesses the performance of different sectors including Healthcare, Non-Profit, Small Business, and Manufacturing, and provides opportunities for improvement to CEOs and other senior leaders. In 2017, Brenda was internationally recognized as a Business Improvement expert by Triaster, a company located in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, that provides business process management solutions through customized computer software. In 2018, Brenda wrote an article for Triaster’s blog named “7 Steps to Improve Business Performance using the Baldrige Excellence Framework”. Brenda completed her MA in Organizational Management from Ashford University and MBA in General Studies from West Texas A&M University. She graduated from Grantham University with BS in Homeland Security with a concentration in Project Management. Brenda is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Business Process Re-engineering Specialist. Currently, Brenda works for UnitedHealth Group as a Sr. Business Analyst in Austin, Texas. Here in episode #122, Brenda starts our show with an essential mindset around leading through change. We learn that Brenda is a developing health care quality improvement professional, as she shares details on her transitioning career path, extending from 20 years of military service. We geek out on Baldridge and the impact that it has on organizational culture for performance excellence. Brenda challenges us to establish a career driven by our personal mission. She shares how she uses daily check-ins to build strong relationships across her teams. Brenda reminds us of the power of going to the Gemba and walking in the shoes of those that we serve. Brenda shares why she is excited about the future of telemedicine and furthering health care innovations; and the role that quality professionals can play to support it. Brenda gives us great insights into the value of hiring military service professionals. She highlights the importance of creating and sticking to a personal plan for success; and a tremendous list centered on the importance of self-care. • Connect with Brenda on LinkedIn • Access the Healthcare QualityCast LinkedIn Group • Leaves Us a Rating • Earn Your Lean Six Sigma for Healthcare Certification • Request a Corporate Demo of our online QI Academy --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/healthcarequalitycast/message