As Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States celebrates Nurses Week May 6-12, the organization would like to especially recognize Machelle Behzadi, MHA, RN, Vice President, Delivery System Operations, District of Columbia and Suburban Maryland, for 22 years of service with Kaiser Permanente.
Machelle was inspired to become a nurse when visiting her grandparents in Clifton, Tennessee, a small farming community at least an hour away from the nearest hospital. Machelle’s aunt, a nurse, often visited Clifton at the same time as Machelle’s family. As Machelle observed this remarkable nurse care for people in the community, she saw her aunt provide a “lifeline” to maintain the health of this mostly elderly population.
Today, Machelle reflects on how her Aunt’s work informs her own work in continuing to close the gap in healthcare disparity – not just for different racial and ethnic groups but also different age groups – especially the elderly.
Machelle began her career as a Neuro-ICU and Labor and Delivery nurse. She joined Kaiser Permanente in 1995 as a lead RN. Over the next 9 years, she practiced in various clinical and management nursing roles, achieving the position of Medical Center Administrator for the KP offices along the Maryland 270 corridor. In 2007, Machelle accepted an executive leadership position as the Northern Virginia Area Administrator and later transitioned in that role to DCSM.
Machelle now serves as a Delivery System Operations Vice President. In this capacity, she has been deeply involved in some very significant successes, including establishing our Newborn Care Center, establishing our Perinatal Service Center, and bringing our flu clinics front-and-center in our medical office buildings.
Thank you, Machelle, for representing the nursing profession proudly with your high level of excellence and professionalism and for serving as an inspiration to those who aspire to leadership in nursing.
