Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Mack.
Hi Megan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and telling us your story.
My interest in healthcare started in high school after shadowing a school occupational therapist, as well as while spending time with my grandmother as she went through rehab after a stroke. Occupational therapy (OT) helps people achieve their highest functioning, which is very motivating and drew me to the profession. I graduated from Keuka College in upstate New York with my OT degree and came down to Hilton Head and Beaufort for my clinical rotations. It was then that I fell in love with the Lowcountry! We had been vacationing for years in Hilton Head, but once I lived in the community, I knew this was where I wanted to start my career. I also met my husband, Rodney, here, which motivated me to stay in the area.
After finishing my clinical rotations, I had job offers in Beaufort and Charleston. I accepted an OT position at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, splitting my time between outpatient pediatrics and inpatient acute care. I had the best of both worlds(pediatrics and adult) and loved working for an organization that was truly working to improve the health of our community and provide superior care! After about five years, I knew I wanted to return to school for my master’s in healthcare administration. I thought I wanted to open my own clinic, but while in school I soon discovered that was not my calling, and I fell in love with hospital operations!
I have been fortunate to grow my career throughout my tenure at Beaufort Memorial and extend my leadership reaches outside of rehab. In my current position as rehab director, I am privileged to work with multiple teams who care for patients in acute care, inpatient rehab, and at five outpatient locations in Beaufort, Okatie, and Bluffton. I also work with cardiac and pulmonary rehab specialists and our community gym, LifeFit Wellness Services.
Have there been any obstacles/challenges along the way?
While my healthcare career is not what I imagined as a new graduate 19 years ago, I would not change anything about my journey! It has had its highs and lows, but remaining positive and forward-focused has helped me to ride those waves. I feel very fortunate not only to have found a career that I love and am passionate about but also an organization that has allowed and helped me to grow.
What type of involvement do you have in your community?
While in my MHA program, I learned the importance of networking and how much I enjoyed it! While I have lived in the Lowcountry my entire career, I have been fortunate to have a handful of influential mentors throughout the country. I would not be the leader I am today without them. The power of networking still amazes me to this day. It has opened so many opportunities and experiences that I only would’ve been there connecting with the right people at the right time. My passion for networking led me to connect with the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. Their mission to connect, support, and promote local businesses drew me in. I saw firsthand how making connections helped new and seasoned businesses thrive. I joined the chamber board of directors and have enjoyed being a part of the growth of our chamber and Bluffton as a whole. We are a thriving community, and being part of that growth has been rewarding. I grew up in a small community in Maine and learned the importance of community service and involvement from my mom’s actions. It was her modeling of community service that led me to Rotary. The motto of “Service Above Self” resonated with me. I joined the Bluffton Rotary Club in 2015 and love being part of an action-oriented club about service. My family and I are truly fortunate to live in a town as amazing as Bluffton, and I want to be part of increasing that community strength.
This year I started a leadership book club for chamber members in collaboration with Natalie Osterman, CEO of the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. My goal was to give back to the leaders of community businesses and connect them with other strong leaders. I have been fortunate to have strong leaders in my career, and wanted to help others have the same. Our inaugural leadership book club was an enormous success and is morphing into a leadership series. Seeing so many business leaders eager to learn and increase their skillset has been very rewarding.
What is the best accomplishment outside of your career?
Quickly becoming a mom has been my best accomplishment! I had no idea how much I would enjoy motherhood until we adopted our beautiful daughter Amiyah a year and a half ago. She has brought so much joy to our lives, and it feels like she has been part of our family forever. Her smile, outgoing personality, and pure joy for life have positively impacted our lives in such a short time.
What has been your key to success/essential qualities?
I make a point to focus on positivity, a sense of humor, and gratefulness daily. These qualities have made my professional and personal journeys possible and a lot of fun! There will always be hard days, weeks, and maybe months, but telling yourself there is always light at the end of the tunnel helps to stay strong during tough times. I am an avid paddleboarder and relate all life lessons to my time on the water. I love paddling on the May River, but tidal changes always challenge half the paddle. I paddle against the current for the first half when I am most rested and to get the hard part done first. My best friend and I called paddling against the current “shoveling shit.” You are doing a huge amount of work, making slow progress, and if you stop paddling to take a break, you float backward so fast you lose the distance you just worked so hard to achieve.
When you are physically working that hard, especially by yourself, it is easy to go to a negative place in your head, and you may convince yourself that it is too hard and turn around before reaching your destination. However, if you embrace the “suck” and find joy in the constant hard work, you can persevere through the hard stuff! Just as in life, if you have a positive team, the hard work becomes more manageable, and when your motivation diminishes, your team can step in.
The destination and feeling of accomplishment are always worth the hard work. Keeping the end goal in mind, knowing you can ride the tide home (as long as you time the tide and winds correctly!) makes the journey easier. Surrounding yourself with positive people is key!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bmhsc.org
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ megan-mack-fache
