Ever an optimist, Diana Schultz has the gift of seeing the glass as half full, which is especially helpful in her role as chief executive officer of Kindred Hospital.

“The jobas CEO can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if the job warrants a quick turnaround effort,” Schultz says.“However, I try to look at everything as a learningopportunity.A little nervousness is always good I say.It shows that you want to do a good job and will fuel creativity.”

Kindred Hospital is a long-term acute care hospital and is part of Kindred Healthcare, one of the largest post care providers in the nation. Kindred Hospital’s mission is to provide high-quality clinical care that assists patients in reaching optimum health care objectives. Working for an acclaimed hospital, Schultz has her work cut out for her.

One of Schultz’s challenges has been preparing for the possible changes that will come from health care reform. “From a healthcare perspective I think all health facilities are trying to figure out how to be more efficient and still provide quality to patients under the new health care reform,” Schultz says. “It is a day-to-day thing, and everything you do has a direct impact on the patient.”

Another challenge is managing roughly 200 personnel. “Any management position from line manager and up has its days that you wonder if you’re really being effective,” she says.“The keyis tohave moments of regular self-reflection.If youcan honestly tell yourself that you’re consistently giving morethan 100 percent, then you’re doing what you’re supposed to.”

Although Schultz never had dreams of one day becoming CEO of a hospital, she enrolled in college to become a counselor.

“Growing up I was always told that I was a good listener and that people foundme easy to talk to,” she says. “I enjoy helping people and learning about them and thought that a degree in psychology would further me into a career in counseling. I guess you could say I was trying to save the world one person at a time.”

Schultz, 38, has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio and a master’s of public administration from Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. After obtaining her undergraduate degree in 1995, she held several positions insocial sciences, working with individuals who had various barriers to employment and then transferred to Driscoll Children’s Hospital in 2002 as a recruiter.

“This was my first opportunity to be exposed to the business operations of a hospital,” Schultz says. “I was also attending classes towards my master’s degree and this job was able to validate someof the theories we were learning in school.”

In the middle of her master’s program Schultz took a job as human resources manager at a competitor long-term acute care hospital. After 60 days on the job the CEO resigned and Schultz was asked to temporarily fill the position while the hospital sought to hire a new CEO. After interviewing candidates, the staff signed a petition and presented it to the regional director to appoint Schultz as CEO.

“At that point they offered the job to me and I accepted. Everything just fell into place and I never went backwards,” she says.

A few years later Schultz interviewed for the position of CEO at Kindred and was hired in January 2008. Since then she has matched the challenges of staying up to date on the latest technology with a great sense of compassion for all in the hospital.

“It is a challenge to stay abreast with all the changes in health care,” she says. “There are so many regulations, but we have great resources within our company and thedifferent (HR and health care) organizations I belong to providevaluable information.”

Alongside her professional life, Schultz easily harmonizes quality time with her family. Schultz’s husband, Ronnie, is a full-time student pursuing a business degree. They have three children: Victoria, 18;Marina, 11; and Ronnie Jacob, 6.

Schultz says that meshing her professional life with her personal life has nothing to do with balance but everything to do with blending the two together.

“At any time of the day I am both (CEO and mom),” she says. “Because of my position here at work I have to be on call all the time, but I am also on call for the kids while I am at work. So if I need to leave at lunch time to go attend an awards ceremony for school I will.

“Some days are a bit more challenging than others, but I am able get home in the evenings to help with homework and baths. I just make sure I am mom when it counts, that the holidays, birthdays and things like that are never missed.

“A lot of people, especially females think they can’t take on CEO positions, so they try to choose a career that is easy to do if they plan on having a family. People tend to forget that if you’re passionate about what you are doing your kids and everyone else in your life will see your passion and will be inspired no matter what.”

Schultz encourages those who seek a career in her field to remain resilient and to network as much as possible and to get to know the area geographically and economically. “People need to stay persistent,” Shultz says.

She is never disheartened when challenges present themselves. In fact, she gladly welcomes them.

“I am one of those people who always has a goal, professionally and personally. Where I am at now I want (Kindred) to grow as a business and maintain it at a certain level of success. In the long term I would like to get a Ph.D., but for the near future I am looking at possible certification for health care executive.”