Meet Zakiya Imon Robinson
By Lori Nichols, RN, MSN, CCRN, ACNS-BC, CTTS, clinical nurse specialist, program manager, Senior Emergency Center, Atrium Medical Center
Like fine ingredients define the quality of a cake, high quality personalities and talent make our organization great. Meet Zakiya Robinson, system director of Nursing Finance.
Much like a recipe, Zakiya is a combination of experience, education, values, and know-how, and she arrived at Premier Health to be “stirred and sifted” in a fellowship program. Let me walk you through the pantry, eh, pathway, of Zakiya’s journey to Premier Health. Zakiya means intelligent in Swahili, and her middle name, Imon, means gift of faith. “My mother wanted her children to have names with real meaning,” she said. Zakiya was born in Cincinnati, and her family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, when she was younger. She completed her undergraduate studies at Indiana University and earned her master’s degree from Purdue University. Zakiya knew from a very young age that she wanted to have a career in health care, as both her mom and aunt are nurses. She also participated in a health care careers program during her sophomore year of high school, in which students rotated through various direct patient care departments within a local hospital. It was during this program that Zakiya learned she has a squeamish stomach. As a solution, the class’ teacher suggested she consider pursuing health care administration, and the recipe for her career began its “pre-heated” phase.
After graduate school, Zakiya applied for and was accepted into the Fellowship Program at Premier Health, spending time at each of the hospitals and System Support in operations, finance, human resources, sourcing, nursing, the Innovate teams, surgery, Fidelity, Samaritan Behavioral Health, and the foundation. A pinchof this and a cup of that. “After my fellowship, I became the Business Manager of Nursing Operations at Atrium. Several years later, I transitioned to this role,” Zakiya said. “I now manage nursing resources, including budgets, staffing, productivity, financial statements and work force strategies!”
Zakiya has been “baking” in Dayton for seven years now. “I came kicking and screaming,” she said. “I never saw myself living in Dayton, Ohio, but it all worked out and has been the best decision I could have made.” Zakiya also is active in the local community through the American Red Cross and MUSE Machine, being a College Promise mentor, and volunteering at her daughter Sariah’s school. Thank goodness Zakiya ran track in high school, as her daughter keeps her very busy!
I had to ask, you know, “Ohio State or Michigan?”
Very diplomatically, Zakiya assured me she is becoming more and more “an Ohio State fan.” Those words left a very sweet flavor in my mouth.
Zakiya Imon Robinson makes Premier Health better!
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Source: Premier Health Nursing
