Spectrum Health Systems recently added Susan Panos to our Business Development team as Regional Business Development Liaison. To shine a light on our network of top talent in the company, this week’s Q&A dives into Sue’s background and what she loves the most about the behavioral healthcare field.
What is your background and why did you want to work at Spectrum Health Systems?
Prior to joining Spectrum, I worked in marketing, fundraising and public relations for South Shore Mental Health — a non-profit behavioral healthcare provider in Quincy. My time at SSMH gave me a deeper appreciation for the struggles faced by people living with mental illness. It also taught me that with the proper treatment and support, people living with mental health conditions can lead happy and productive lives. At the end of the day, it’s important for me to work for an organization with an admirable mission, so when the opportunity became available to join the Spectrum team, it felt like a natural transition.
Tell us a little bit about your job at Spectrum.
My primary role as part of the Business Development team is to cultivate and maintain relationships with other healthcare providers and community resources who may not know of Spectrum’s full continuum of services.
Because addiction treatment facilities often provide varying levels of care, it’s important for us to collaborate with each other to ensure that clients have access to the best and most appropriate treatment programs and services available.
I also act as a liaison to the community at family support groups, local task forces, conferences and other industry events where there is opportunity to share Spectrum’s mission and let people know what kind of resources we have for families struggling with addiction.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I’m greatly moved when I listen to the stories of people in recovery and I witness how these stories provide hope to families of people who are still struggling. It’s easy to focus on all the bad news and statistics surrounding addiction, but that’s not what I’ve seen in my short time at Spectrum. People in recovery are passionate about Spectrum’s cause. They’re eager to share their personal journeys to help others remain optimistic that with the right programs and the right treatment, recovery is attainable.
If you’d like to learn more about our Business Development team, you can also read all about our VP of Business Development, David Nefussy here and our Regional Business Development Liaison, Cheryl Bedard here.
