Employee Spotlight: Kanesha Boyd
Administrator, McGregor at Overlook
Kanesha Boyd has always been drawn to engaging with the elderly.
“When I look back on my life, I remember being the little girl on the street who was friends with all the seniors. I would ride my bike and talk to all of them,” Kanesha said. That continued while she completed her undergraduate education and worked as a dietary aide and receptionist for a long-term care facility. “Even then, I enjoyed talking with the seniors and hearing their life stories.”
Today, Kanesha is the Administrator for McGregor in Cleveland, Ohio. However, her journey to this position in long-term senior care was not a straight path. She spent years in the community social work field before realizing that one of her career mentors, Yuvette Bozman, was the Executive Director at McGregor. Kanesha reached out to Yuvette to discuss her goal of completing an Administrator in Training (AIT) program and asked about opportunities to do so at McGregor.
While most AITs complete their training and then begin a lengthy search for employment, Kanesha had a different experience. She was able to complete her training through McGregor and remain at McGregor after being offered the role of Administrator in 2016. While she left a good job in order to come to McGregor, it was important to her to receive her training from someone whose work ethic she knew and admired.
“I was excited to have my first role be in a small building where I can apply and sharpen the skills I learned as well as be in a familiar place where I already knew the staff and was familiar with the policies,” Kanesha said.
Advantages of Working in Non-Profit Senior Care
Kanesha noted that, compared to larger health care providers, McGregor is a smaller, but growing, organization. This allows McGregor to focus on fostering their current employees and promote from within. Employees have an opportunity to shine as their individual efforts are more easily seen and recognized.
Working at McGregor has also allowed Kanesha to work with a variety of unique individuals who have different backgrounds, experiences, and education levels. Through the pandemic, Kanesha was challenged to lead, often being called to make quick decisions with little information. “[This time] taught me a lot about critical thinking and being confident in yourself,” she said.