Director-at-large
Lee Wisdom
Manager, Care Coordination
Norton Healthcare
Member Since: 2014
AARC Activities:
- Diversity & Inclusion Committee, 2021
Affiliate Activities:
- Kentucky Society for Respiratory Care
- Treasurer, January 2021-December 2022
- Jefferson County District Representative, 2019 & 2020
- Board of Directors, Executive Board Committee, January 2019-Present
- Program Committee Chair, 2021-2022
- Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2019 & 2020
- Long Range Planning Committee Member, 2020
- Program Committee Member, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
- Publications Committee Member, April 2017-Present
- Government Affairs Committee Member, 2016 & 2017
Related Organizations:
- Secretary, Kentucky Society for Healthcare Risk Management (KSHRM), 2021
- Membership & Marketing Committee Member, Coalition for Baccalaureate & Graduate Respiratory Education (CoBGRTE), 2019-Present
Education:
- Bachelor of Health Science- Respiratory Therapy, Bellarmine University, 2015
- NBRC CRT – 2015
- NBRC RRT – 2015
- NBRC RRT-ACCS – 2016
- NBRC RRT-NPS – 2016
- Master of Health Science-Healthcare Leadership, Bellarmine University, 2017
- Ph.D., Health Professions Education Student, Bellarmine University, Tentative Graduation 2022.
Elections Committee Questions:
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the AARC and what do you recommend to address it?
I believe the biggest challenge for the AARC at this time will be identifying strategies and opportunities to connect with therapists who are not involved and reconnect with the ones who are no longer members, or don’t see value in membership. The ongoing pandemic has highlighted the talents and importance of our profession, and leaders in our profession and within the AARC have said–“there is strength in numbers.” Now is the time to continue working hard to identify therapists interested in participating, growing, and mentoring. In addition to identifying these team members at the state-level, the best way to address opportunities with membership and participation is through continued collaboration with not only the state affiliates, but other organizations supporting the AARC mission, vision, and values, as well as similar goals: the NBRC, the CoARC, and CoBGRTE to name a few. I truly believe that by joining forces and collaborating, we can continue to grow our profession.
Healthcare is changing more rapidly than ever. What do you feel is the main issue Respiratory Care Practitioners are facing, and what are the key solutions that you feel should be addressed to support our profession?
In a time where we have seen practice changes daily, even multiple times per day, the biggest issue I believe therapists, educators, and leaders in our profession are facing is burnout. Traditional methods for addressing burnout include things such as actively listening, offering support, and checking in with one another on the team. As the leading organization in our profession, the AARC has an opportunity to listen to members and offer support on the national level. In this role, I would work to seek out member & even non-member feedback, work with state affiliate leaders and organizational leaders to look for innovative solutions to reducing burnout and identify solid methods to improve resilience among those within our profession. I truly believe that we must go to the members to understand the current barriers, and in this role, I’ll commit to recognizing and supporting members, listening to members, those interested in membership, and non-members within our profession.
Role-Specific Questions:
Your role as Director-at-large is to represent the general AARC membership. If given the opportunity to represent, how would you use your skills and experience to advance and advocate for the respiratory care profession?
As a practicing respiratory therapist, I cared for patients from NICU to geriatrics. I have listened actively to both patients, their families, and other caregivers who have together trained me and helped me to get where I am today. I believe these experiences have prepared me to serve in this role as a Director-at-Large. As an educator (both higher education & a clinical educator in the hospital), I have listened & explored opportunities to reach students, therapists, and interdisciplinary team members with various learning styles, and adapted my teaching methods to meet their needs. As a servant leader, my goal has always been to help others grow, and to help my teams provide the best care possible for our patients. Using the skills I have learned not only as a therapist, but also in my education and leadership roles, I will always listen actively, search for feasible/innovative solutions and work collaboratively with other leaders and members grow and strengthen the profession.
