Fatima

Fatima Villarreal’s summer internship at Children’s Health did more than provide her with valuable experience — it unveiled the countless careers and opportunities available for people in health care.  

That summer marked the beginning of her seven-year-long career at the hospital system, and a call to give back. 

As Program Manager for Strategic Partnerships on the Workforce Development team at Children's Health, Fatima fosters relationships with academic, professional and community organizations to build non-clinical talent pipelines that bring new team members to the hospital system. 

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People think that to make an impact, you have to be a physician or nurse to work at a health care system, but there are so many other possibilities.

— Fatima

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Fatima often visits high schools to talk to students about the different career paths that exist in health care beyond clinical roles. At colleges and universities, she shares about entry-level positions and internship opportunities at Children’s Health for undergraduate and graduate students. 

“I get to provide access to the communities that the hospital system serves, so they can learn more about non-clinical roles they might be interested in,” Fatima said. “It’s exciting to be a resource for others. I get to do what I love every day.” 

Born into a family of physicians, Fatima knew early on that she wanted to continue her family’s legacy by working in health care. Originally from El Paso, her time spent volunteering at an area hospital and doing office work for her dad, a physician, helped confirm she was on the right path.  

And when she moved to North Texas to study at the University of Dallas, she found the place where she could carve her own story. 

“I started learning more about Children’s Health, and I knew that’s where I wanted to be,” Fatima said.  

Before joining the Workforce Development team, Fatima began in the Children’s Medical Center Foundation, where she learned about how philanthropy supports the hospital system.   

Her fundraising experience allows her to understand it takes everyone coming together to help Children’s Health make the impossible possible for the next generation of children. 

Beyond contributing her time and talent each day, Fatima has continuously supported the hospital system’s efforts through donations.   

Team members can provide Children’s Health with ongoing support through payroll deductions, an easy way to make pre-tax contributions that add up over time and provide the system with regular source of funding. They can also make one-time or monthly gifts and include Children’s Health in their will. 

As the hospital system experiences incredible growth with the construction of its new Dallas pediatric campus, Fatima is excited to be part of the movement to make life better for children — and she hopes to inspire other team members across Children’s Health to join in. 

“We’ve come so far already, but there’s still so much to do for our community,” Fatima said. “Supporting the growth of Children’s Health ensures we are able to meet the needs of more patients and families for generations to come.”