Skagit Regional Health is excited to share that three team members recently graduated from local leadership programs. Michelle O’Bryant, Operations Manager of Food Services, graduated from Leadership Snohomish County. Scott Shields, Supervisor for Security Services, and Patsy Good, Administrative Supervisor of Kidney Dialysis, graduated from the Leadership Skagit program.

Skagit Regional Health is a proud sponsor of both Leadership Skagit and Leadership Snohomish County. Each year, Skagit Regional Health leaders are selected to participate in these nine-month intensive leadership programs. Participants receive leadership development education, meet and work with leaders from other organizations on service projects and represent Skagit Regional Health in the community.

Learn more about Michelle’s, Scott and Patsy’s learnings and team experiences.  

Michelle O’Bryant, Leadership Snohomish County Class of 2025

Michelle’s Project and Learnings

Michelle and her team developed a Community Impact Project titled, “Operation Food Pantry Cookbook.” The objective was to create a free, practical resource to help address food insecurity within the community.

Through collaboration with Edmonds College, the Edmonds College Food Pantry, the Edmonds Food Bank and Seattle REconomy, the team developed a cookbook aimed at giving food pantry patrons the tools they need to prepare healthy, filling meals with ingredients commonly found at local food banks. 

 “We had several people contribute recipes, including myself. I helped gather the recipes and design the overall layout of the book,” Michelle shared.

When reflecting on her experience with LSC, Michelle shared, “My biggest takeaway was learning about my own leadership strengths through an assessment everyone takes before beginning the program. Knowing our own strengths while working through our projects, class activities and the reading materials was extremely eye opening. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program and to my own SRH leadership team for recommending me.”

Scott Shields, Leadership Skagit Class of 2025

Scott’s Project and Learnings

Scott and his team developed a project titled, “A Path of Hope – Building Bridges.” The team sought to bridge a dialogue between the unhoused and community leaders to better address resources and community needs. The goal was to ensure the unhoused individuals have a voice and are able to provide input on issues that directly impact them.

When reflecting on his experience with Leadership Skagit, Scott shared, “My Leadership Skagit experience has challenged me in ways I did not expect, encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zone and reflect deeply on who I am and how I lead. I have learned that setbacks are not failures – they are opportunities to pause, learn and recalibrate. Along the journey, I discovered leadership is not a destination, but a daily practice rooted in authenticity, adaptability and the courage to show up wholeheartedly.”

Patsy Good, Leadership Skagit Class of 2025

Patsy’s Project and Learnings

Patsy’s team chose the name “Bridge Builders” as they quickly developed an idea around creating a project that would support underserved youth and provide STEM related activities on and near the water. The goal was to bring youth and their families from fresh water Skagit County to salt water Skagit County, building a bridge between the two communities that sometime seem far away or unfamiliar. They reached out to several organizations and soon formed a partnership with an enthusiastic Anacortes Waterfront Alliance (AWA), and created an event titled “Family Fun Day.”

When reflecting on her experience with Leadership Skagit, Patsy shared, “Working with my team and the broader community through Leadership Skagit, my eyes were truly opened to all of the good work and also the many challenges currently facing our community. Through this experience, I have learned so much about the workings of this county that, as a fifth-generation Skagitonian, I was unfamiliar with. I was also immensely encouraged to see and meet so many people attending Leadership Skagit who are not originally from Skagit County and are looking for ways to serve this community. I was definitely inspired to approach leadership in a new and effective way.”

Congratulations to Michelle, Scott and Patsy on your accomplishments!