Cindy Lira
Master of Health Administration, Class of 2024
Linden, NJ
Certificate: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Activities at Rutgers: President, Rutgers Graduate Society of Healthcare Leaders, 2023-2024 school year; Secretary, GSHL, 2022-23 school year
Personal interests: spending time with her family (and dog, Lulu), reading writing, journaling, listening to music, dancing, and visiting new restaurants.
After graduating the Bloustein School in 2019 with a BA in public health, returning for a Master of Health Administration degree was an easy decision for Cindy.
“I knew the Rutgers MHA was the type of environment I could see myself growing in as a professional,” she said. “Knowing I wanted to pursue a healthcare career made the decision easier because I would be in the healthcare hub of New Brunswick, not that far from New York City.”
Though she admits it may sound cliché, Cindy knew as a child that she wanted to help people. “I know a lot of people have the value of helping others—we all want to go somewhere and leave it better than how it was when we first got there.”
She shared a childhood memory that inspired her healthcare path. “Around the age of 8, my stuffed dog got a tear in it. I set up a makeshift operating room, putting a sign on my bedroom door that said, ‘surgery in progress,’” she recalls fondly. “I took a thread and needle from my dad’s sewing kit and started suturing my beloved stuffed animal’s ear. The patient did great on the surgery, and made a full recovery.”
With an initial dream to become a physician’s assistant, she began her journey with an AS in biology from Union County College before transferring to Rutgers as a biological sciences major.
“After that first year, I realized that the biological sciences was not for me, so I changed to a public health major. This journey and the public health experience helped me realize my love and passion for community health and empowerment.”
In high school, Cindy also participated in DECA, a business club that prepares emerging leaders for careers in marketing, finance, management, and business. “The Rutgers MHA lets me combine my passion for public health with early interest in business in the perfect program suited to my goals and pursuits,” she continued.
A first-generation Peruvian-American, Cindy said what really drove her to pursue the Rutgers MHA was the desire to better the health and wellness communities of people of color, especially that of Hispanic populations. “When I interact and communicate with Spanish-speaking individuals, I see my mom, my dad, my grandparents, aunts and uncles. All of my ancestors before me, all rooting for me,” she said.
“Healthcare administration is truly “business with a heart,” she said. “Seeing myself grow as a part-time student and full-time working young professional has contributed to my personal, academic, and professional development. I knew that the Bloustein School was a supportive, diverse community that would help me develop into the person that I always wanted to be, while still striving and growing more with my network and community.”
Currently, a Senior Patient Coordinator at Weill Cornell Imaging at New York-Presbyterian in Manhattan, she serves in an administrative capacity to deliver quality, person-centered care to patients coming in for imaging exams. After graduation she would be starting a new role in the Population Health Department at Hackensack Meridian Health JFK, working as a Social Determinant Intern focusing on food security and working with a team to bring food security to patients and communities, keeping public health at the forefront of the intersection with health administration. “I am excited to utilize my bilingual, Spanish-speaking skills to build relationships with the care partners of the hospital system as well as engage in community outreach empowerment.”
After completing her practicum in August 2024, she hopes to continue with HMH. “I am excited to grow with such a phenomenal healthcare system in New Jersey,” she said. “Whether in a public health role or a healthcare administration role, I am excited to explore the different niches in healthcare including hospital operations and problem-solving, to contribute to my overall professional development and growth.”