How Executive Assistant Raina Guyer puts her skills to work for the Hospital’s mission
At Bethany Children’s Health Center, our employees truly are the heartbeat that drives the organization. Every day, through the care and service they provide, they live our mission of maximizing the potential of every child and exemplify our core values of compassion, integrity, excellence, service and stewardship.
We hope you enjoy getting to know our amazing employees through our Heartbeat profiles.
As we approach Administrative Professionals Day in April, we’re recognizing the skilled and talented administrative staff that help keep Bethany Children’s running smoothly.
Like many service-oriented individuals, Raina Guyer was attracted to nursing from a young age. She was in kindergarten when she began dreaming of becoming a nurse and caring for others. In 2002, she started her career at Bethany Children’s Health Center as a certified nursing assistant (CNA).
“I had worked with children in a mental health setting prior to coming to Bethany Children’s, and knew I enjoyed working with kids,” she says. “When I came to the interview, the first thing I saw was an employee pushing a child in a wheelchair and both were laughing. I knew this was the place I wanted to be.”
Raina ended up transitioning from nursing to purchasing, working as stocker, then a buyer. “I felt that moving to purchasing would be an opportunity for growth, while still supporting the Hospital’s mission,” she says. In 2016, she completed her bachelor’s degree in business administration. “All of the career placement tests I took in school came back highly in favor of being a business professional,” Raina recalls. “As I began to recognize my gifts and talents through my time in purchasing, I knew those tests were accurate.”
When the opportunity to apply for her current position of Executive Assistant to the CEO came up in 2022, Raina says, “I felt like I could better serve the kids by focusing on the skills that I feel gifted in. By serving as support for the leaders, I am able to allow them time to focus on decision-making for the hospital and all that it entails.”
Raina’s day-to-day responsibilities range from serving as a point of contact between executives and their internal and external colleagues, to scheduling meetings, maintaining files, producing reports and prioritizing CEO Nico Gomez’s schedule and tasks while always maintaining the utmost confidentiality.
Raina is quick to share her view that the executives at Bethany Children’s are extremely humble and easy to work with, both personally and professionally. “They are quick to help out and are flexible. They make my job pleasant and easier!” Raina says.
One of the things Raina enjoys most about her job is scheduling and assisting with employee recognition celebrations. “I love watching employees’ faces and their reactions to Nico dressing up and greeting them,” she shares.
Although her role has changed over the years, the most rewarding part of working at the Hospital is the way the children have touched her life.
“I remember starting here thinking I could help make a difference in the kids’ lives,” she says. “I quickly realized that the kids teach us far more than we could ever teach them.”
Reflecting on her time at Bethany Children’s, Raina says, “Working in different departments has given me a broader perspective of what it takes to run the facility and provide for the kids. It takes every one of us doing our jobs to make sure patients get the quality care that they receive. We are all on the same mission!”
Fun Facts:
Something people might not know: “I have been Dolly Parton’s biggest fan since I was eight years old!”
A recent accomplishment you are proud of: “I just celebrated my 21st wedding anniversary.”
Three words your best friend would use to describe you: Sweet, sassy, funny
Favorite ways to spend free time: “I enjoy going to the gym, reading, writing, spending time with others and going to the movies.”
Favorite inspirational saying/quote/verse: Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”.
If you could pick a superpower, what would it be and why? “The ability to make others realize how special they are. I believe that God has created each of us with unique gifts and talents.”