Sharlet Briggs

Sharlet Briggs has been around hospitals for many years. Her foray into health care started when she was born on a dark foggy night in a hospital in Eureka, California. She gained valuable, behind-the-scenes insights of hospitals through a tonsillectomy and many nights spent in the emergency room with her older brother. Her mother often said, “Something good has got to come out of all these hospital visits.” Little did she know that she was setting the course for Sharlet to one day become a hospital president.

Realizing that being a patient or riding along with her brother to the emergency room, wasn’t necessarily a direct path to becoming a health care executive, Sharlet took the circuitous route of a medical records clerk, moving to a director position within two years after obtaining her degree. Quickly making a name for herself, she was blessed—or cursed—with the challenge of turning struggling departments around. Throughout her career, Sharlet has overseen a variety of hospitals areas, everything from nursing units to maintenance, admitting, clinical lab, decision support, marketing and more.

Over the last several years, she has held the executive positions for clinical quality, business development and operations before being named the President of Adventist Health Bakersfield.

In addition to these roles, Sharlet is also a clinical psychologist, so yes, she’s also “Dr. Briggs.” Her two favorite things about her job are rounding to visit her employees and taking visitors on tours of the facilities to showcase the incredible work being performed every day. Sharlet is often asked, “Why would a clinical psychologist want to become a hospital president?” As she says, “It’s all about the people. Our community trusts us to deliver high quality, compassionate health care every day. My goal is to remove barriers and inspire our staff to embrace our mission of ‘Living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope.’”