Angelita Rodgers didn’t just find a job at Regional One Health—she found her purpose. Today, she’s shaping the next generation of nurses with the same compassion and creativity that guided her own journey.

When Angelita first walked into Regional One Health in Memphis, she knew she had found her home. Starting as a staff nurse in 2015, she quickly rose through the ranks to become Nursing Director of Emergency and Medicine Services. Along the way, she discovered her true calling: building stronger systems of care and mentoring the nurses who will carry that mission forward.

Angelita’s journey to nursing was anything but traditional. Before nursing, she studied architecture, where she learned to see patterns, design systems, and imagine better ways to build. When she leaped into healthcare, she brought that same structured, creative mindset into every hallway and handoff, reimagining workflows, improving patient safety, and lifting her colleagues along the way.

Now, her impact is felt across the hospital. Angelita helped design fall and pressure injury prevention protocols that are now used system-wide. She built a Nurse Manager Leadership Development Program that gives new nurse managers the tools to succeed. And she has worked hand-in-hand with HR to refine hiring practices, bringing in nurses who reflect not just clinical excellence, but a shared commitment to the hospital’s culture of patient-centered care.

Equally important, Angelita leads by being present. She frequently rounds with frontline staff and nurse leaders, ensuring that every voice is heard and that nurses feel supported in their practice. She collaborates across disciplines, building bridges between nursing and medicine that improve communication and patient outcomes. And she mentors rising leaders, encouraging them to pursue professional growth and model compassionate, accountable care.

For Angelita, nursing is more than a profession—it is a calling. It’s shaped by her design mind, Southern roots, and her grandmother’s wisdom. By mentoring new leaders and strengthening the systems around them, she is ensuring Regional One Health remains a place where care runs deep and the future of nursing is in good hands.

Read more about Angelita here.