She's an American girl now leading the team at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach. Lisa Albensi is the new Director of Health Services, replacing Jan Gunness.

Albensi grew up in the United States. With her father being in the Air Force, she moved eight times as a young girl, then twice on her own and now five times with her husband who is a professor. Albensi says 11 years ago they moved to Winnipeg so that her husband could teach and do research at University of Manitoba.

Albensi went to nursing school in Omaha, Nebraska for her undergrad and then got her Masters in Community Health Nursing at University of Kentucky in Lexington. She has been a nurse for 25 years, which includes direct care nursing at the bedside, home care quality improvement, outpatient clinic manager, inpatient and outpatient clinic director and Chief Nursing Officer.

In late September of last year, she started in Southern Health-Santé Sud, and Albensi says the role of Director of Health Services is very different from anything she has done, but that it is a nice blend of her past experiences.

"It's been a great experience, I've had an excellent orientation, I've met so many wonderful people on site and within the region," says Albensi. "Everybody's been very willing to partner with me and help me to get settled in."

According to Albensi, what interested her about this position is the fact the organizational chart is so small. She notes in a larger hospital, you will have positions such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer, someone for patient relations, quality and patient safety. But at Bethesda, one role covers a lot of different responsibilities.

"The structure within Southern Health-Santé Sud is very different, where it's centrally led and locally delivered," says Albensi. "We don't have all of those people within the organizational chart here."

She says this is allowing her to learn, grow and cover new areas.

"There is a lot of wonderful things that are happening out here, outside the perimeter and I'm excited to be a part of it," adds Albensi.

One of her ongoing goals is staff education. Albensi says thanks to funding from Bethesda Foundation, they were able to purchase a $30,000 mannequin which can be used to practice different patient scenarios within the hospital.