Category: Health
Dr. Sharon Elliott-Bynum
Co-Founder/ Executive Director
Healing with CAARE
PhD, MA, BSN, RN
SPECTACULAR MAGAZINE (SM): Describe what makes you a successful leader in the category for which
you were honored?
Dr. Sharon Elliott-Bynum (SEB): I believe wholeheartedly in the concept of “Servant
Leadership”. This type of leadership calls for me to lead with Integrity, Intention, and
Inclusion. Healthcare in America is very complex. Our President has taken great strides
in ensuring that we have a system whereby every citizen has the right to healthcare. Still
there are those who ‘fall through the cracks”. Quality care has generally been associated
with your ability to access and afford it. Unfortunately for many citizens there are
barriers to the affordability and accessibility of quality healthcare. Fortunately I
understood early on the type of servant leadership it would take to serve those who are
unable to advocate for themselves. As a servant leader I have been charged to creating
equal access to affordable and accessible quality healthcare to those in need.
SM: Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone
who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?
SEB: There are several leaders whose lives have impacted mine. To name
a few Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Harriet
Tubman. Even though they are no longer here, I believe they attained the
closest I have observed to “self-actualization” according to Maslow’s
Hierarchy. Today the two individuals that comes to mind as often as
my mother are Dr. Louise Gooche, and Dr. LaDell Douglas who are
both phenomenal leaders with great wisdom. They both mentored me
at a very e