Name: Robin Anne Palmer
Hospital/Health System you serve: Val Verde Regional Medical Center
Hometown: Del Rio, TX
Occupation: Retired Licensed Vocational Nurse, 42 years
Family: Immediate FurBaby Dog, Cats, Goat. Brother, sister-in-law, nieces, grandnieces, and nephew.
Hobbies/Interests: Too many: Rainwater, harvesting, gardening, bicycling, and motorcycling.
As a Board Member…
What has been most rewarding during your board service? Visiting with the employees during Hospital week and throughout the year, making sure that board members are visible and that we do care for them, as well as our patients and family members and our community.
What has been the most challenging issue for your board? Appointing corporate board members and trying to get the right fit for our community and board.
What has been the biggest surprise during your board service? Not everyone will agree, but we can always agree to disagree and still be congenial and shake hands afterward.
What was your/your board’s proudest moment? In my case, being trusted to be elected for the second time, the board vice president.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a board member? We may disagree and vote differently, but we need to come together and support one another on vital issues affecting our medical Center, our community, and our clients.
What are your board’s priority areas for 2023? Staying financially secure in the black, expanding our services, recruiting subspecialties. Boosting the morale of our employees.
Why did you choose to become a Certified Healthcare Trustee? Even though I have a strong background in health care, the other aspects of being a Trustee on the board can sometimes be daunting. Having this program has helped me learn much more about the nuts and bolts of my own organization. By learning and continually being educated in other areas of what a trustee is, I am fulfilling my campaign promise when I was first elected.
About Me…
My background: Singer, tubist
My childhood ambition: I always wanted to be a ballerina or a nurse. But because of bad knees, I never could do any dancing, but I could be a nurse and help others. After I graduated from college, I could not find a job teaching school, but in order to put beans on the table. I went back and worked at my local hospital, my summer job all through college, except for that year I was the Aquatic Director for the local Boy Scout camp. Later, I returned to school for one year and became an LVN.
My favorite person (living or not!): Besides my family, Dr. Marci Bowers
Last place I traveled: San Francisco
What are you currently reading? My Story by Caroline Cossey
My favorite place in Texas: Anywhere I can see a beautiful Texas sunset.