25th Anniversary Staff Spotlight: Cindy

When Cindy graduated from physical therapist assistant (PTA) school, she knew Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation was where she wanted to be.

Living near Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, she had heard great things about the organization and was drawn to its reputation for exceptional care and its spiritual foundation.

After submitting her application, however, she didn’t hear back right away.

A Call That Changed Everything

At the time, Cindy was working elsewhere and had recently made the difficult decision to leave her position. With a new baby at home and uncertainty about what came next, she found herself at a crossroads. Then, just days later, everything changed.

“The director called and said she had come across my resume and asked if I was still looking," Cindy recalled. “I said, ‘Yes, yes, I am!’ I interviewed, loved it, and the rest is history.”

Nearly 12 years later, Cindy has built a career defined by growth, service and leadership.

Stepping Into Leadership

She began as a PTA Level I at the Rockville outpatient clinic before advancing to PTA Level II. A few years later, she helped launch our outpatient clinic in Downtown Crown, where she’s now the site supervisor. Along the way, she also supported the transition of the outpatient clinic in Silver Spring to its new home at Adventist HealthCare White Oak and helped keep services moving forward during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Cindy did not envision when she first joined Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation was becoming a leader.

“Going from being one of the team members to leading people I’d worked alongside for years was a big change,” she said.

With encouragement from outpatient leadership, Cindy embraced the challenge. Their encouragement also inspired her to continue her education. Balancing a full-time job, leadership responsibilities and family life, she earned her bachelor’s degree in healthcare services management last December with help from Adventist HealthCare's tuition assistance program.

“There were times I didn't want to keep going,” Cindy admitted. “But I had so much support from my leaders, my husband and my two daughters.”

Over the years, Cindy has watched Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation grow from just a few outpatient locations to a thriving regional network. She’s especially proud of how team members came together during the height of COVID-19, stepping into new roles and supporting one another to ensure patients continued receiving care.

Looking Forward to the Future

For Cindy, the organization’s 25th anniversary is a celebration of a legacy built on compassionate, high-quality care and the people who make it possible every day.

Looking ahead, she hopes Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation continues expanding its reach, investing in its leaders and becoming the region's first choice for rehabilitation services.

“We stand out because of the connections we make with our patients,” Cindy said. “It's not just about the numbers. It’s about how we make people feel and the care we provide.”