Each year, the Florida Health Care Association reviews applications for their highly selective healthcare leadership program. Shonda Taylor, the executive director of San Jose Health and Rehabilitation in Jacksonville, Florida, had the distinct honor of being chosen as one of the 22 individuals in the Florida Leaders Class of 2020. Through the program, Taylor was able to learn alongside fellow up-and-comers, participate in community service, and even spend time behind the scenes at the state capitol.
When you learn about Taylor, it’s clear why she was selected as a member of the Florida Leaders class of 2020. She is passionate about the industry and asserts that “her residents are everything.” Taylor has been the executive director of San Jose for two years, though she has been in the healthcare industry for her entire career. She doesn’t hesitate for even one moment when you ask her what motivates her each day. “My residents are first and my team is a close second. I look forward to coming in to work each day and seeing the change. Residents change, perceptions change, and my team changes every day.” She loves learning from her residents and teammates each day. She said that each resident and staff member has interesting stories from earlier in their lives.
Taylor’s commitment to her residents is evident as she tells the story of one resident’s creative idea, and the steps she and her staff have taken to transform his idea into reality. One gentleman had the idea that a movie should be filmed in the care center called “Wheelchair City.” He was so determined, he promoted his idea to every person who walked through the doors of San Jose. He told everyone, including EMTs, regional staff, and family members about his plan. So, pre-COVID, with the aid of the staff, all of the scenes were written out, and the movie making began. Each scene was started with a Hollywood movie clapboard. Due to the pandemic, filming has been put on hold until residents are able to congregate again in “Wheelchair City.”
Taylor cites Integrity as the most important of Consulate’s core values. “It’s most important to mean what I say, and say what I mean,” said Taylor. “If I say I will call you at a certain time, I follow through and give my undivided attention.” We can look forward to working with Taylor into the future as she plans to “continue to grow and make a positive impact on the lives of those I serve.” We are so thankful that Shonda Taylor chose to serve at San Jose Health and Rehabilitation.
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