Special Edition 10 Year Anniversary Employee Spotlight – Leah Puccio

What was your first role here?

I was introduced to Vital Decisions by a former co-worker. I was hired as a Director of Operations & Client Relations in 2010. At that time, Vital Decisions was a young start up, had a handful of employees, and was gaining momentum in the marketplace.  In my first year we were able to triple the size of our business while continuing to deliver high quality services. Ten years later it is a privilege to lead this organization and ensure we remain focused on our people, the clients we serve and the culture we co-create together.

Is there anyone or anything that you feel was vital to your success?

I have had several mentors throughout my career journey and I was determined to learn from every leader I worked with.  One of the most influential leaders to me both personally and professionally is my dear friend and most recent mentor Mitchell Daitz.  Mitchell’s foresight for my capabilities took me outside of my comfort zone.  His ability to see opportunity,  cast a clear vision and then trust me and those around me to operationalize and turn that vision into a reality has led us down a path that I am honored to drive forward.

What’s been your greatest learning moment during your career?

There was a time in my career that I had to take a step back in order to take two steps forward. Looking back that was a powerful and pivotal experience. I learned a lot about myself; that even in moments of disappointment it was important to handle myself with professionalism and class, while also staying true to myself. I have since realized that this test is common for leaders and the way that you handle these moments’ matters, allowing setbacks to refine you. How you address these moments in life and your career ultimately can be the thing that later propels you forward. During this time I also learned that great leaders of people empower others and get out of their way. Being a “doer” myself, that was a powerful shift of focus.

You’ve learned and grown a lot with Vital Decisions over the years – what do you hope to accomplish with the company in the future?

Three things I am laser focused on. First – continuing to propel our mission forward.  Our organization is resilient and I am committed to ensuring we use the platforms and capabilities we have to change the way people are cared for during advanced illness.  Second – our employees are our greatest asset. I have witnessed the power of their work, positively impacting so many individuals and families.  Every employee across all departments has an undeniable desire to help others.  It is a truly remarkable gift we have. I believe it is my responsibility and the responsibility of those around me to care for our staff, who in many ways are caregivers themselves.  Finally – we have spent the last several years collaborating and aligning with many great organizations that share similar vision and fundamental values core to achieving our goals.  No one person and no one company can shift the healthcare industry alone.  We are committed to working together and expanding our impact through collaborations.

As I look to our future I look forward to Vital Decisions…

Continuing and deepening the impact we have on individuals and their families who are facing serious illness. To do this, I want to ensure that we do good work and do well by our employees. I believe business can be an agent for change in the world and that we must do well by our people to be successful.  Sometimes that means valuing people and impact over profit or reinvesting profit back into our people.

Leah has impacted many people during her decade of service to Vital Decisions. When asked to describe Leah in just one word here is what our employees had to say: