Name: Kim J. Askew
Hospital/System where you serve: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Occupation: Partner/Attorney
Family: Sisters, niece, and nephews
Hobbies: Travel, reading, and gardening
As a Board Member…
What has been most rewarding during your board service? Knowing that my service impacts and changes the lives of children. I also get to work with and learn from highly skilled and dedicated doctors and nurses and leaders of my community whose goals are to serve others and impact the lives of children.
What has been the most challenging issue for your board? From cybersecurity to a myriad of state and federal laws, healthcare is a complex and ever-changing industry. I have worked hard to understand the proper governance role for a trustee and the ongoing legislative changes that impact every aspect of healthcare on a regular basis. Learning the healthcare lingo was like a new language.
What has been the biggest surprise during your board service? I have served my community on many boards over the years, but I have been surprised at just how truly compelling and meaningful service on the Texas Scottish Rite Board has been for me. Serving an organization where doctors, nurses, and everyone works to heal children is special work. Fellow trustees have served for years on this Board, and it is because of the compelling nature of this work. There is a true commitment to service and excellence.
What was your/your board’s proudest moment? Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Board is recognized all over the country as a leading innovator in pediatric orthopedics. I never cease to be amazed at what these doctors do and how they change the lives of children. It just makes me proud to serve.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a board member? Texas Scottish Rite Hospital team has a can-do approach that is always about the children and their families. They ask how it can be done, and they do it. That has always been my philosophy of life and I like seeing it used to help others.
What are your board’s priority areas for 2024-2025? Scottish Rite has some core values that always support its priorities and they change little. We work to provide excellence in clinical care and to continue the hospital’s reputation as a national and international leader in pediatric orthopedics. We provide our patients and their families with an exceptional patient experience.
Why did you choose to become a Certified Healthcare Trustee? While trustees bring all kinds of backgrounds and unique expertise to their service, the healthcare industry is a very specialized one that requires knowledge of the industry, its regulatory structure, compliance, and governance. Becoming certified has afforded me the opportunity to learn more about the healthcare industry, to meet other trustees from around the State, and to become a more empowered trustee.
About Me…
My background: I have lived and practiced in Dallas for the last forty plus years.
Childhood ambition: To become a lawyer; I did.
My favorite person: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I recently reread “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” because while written to address civil disobedience during the civil rights era of the 1960s, it speaks to concepts of justice that resonate in today’s tumultuous culture.
What are you currently reading? I just finished Eddie S. Glaude Jr.’s most recent book, We Are The Leaders We Have Been Looking For. And I cannot tell you how many legal updates I read each day staying on top of the law.
Best city in Texas: I love Texas, but my favorite city is my hometown of Dallas.