Phyllis Peoples

Phyllis Peoples is serious about healthcare from the bedside to the boardroom. Experienced as a nurse and an administrator, Peoples was named to her current post as chief executive officer of Terrebonne General Medical Center in April 2003.

She became the second woman to head TGMC, after Sister Bertrand Lieux (1968-74), since the medical center emerged from Terrebonne General Hospital in 1954. Prior to that Mother Marie Blanche Brisolaro (1954-68) was administrator when Terrebonne Parish leased the hospital to the Sisters of St. Joseph. But TGMC traces its roots to Ellender Memorial Hospital, which was opened in 1935 by cousins Dr. Willard Ellender and Dr. Stephen Ellender.

From a 27-bed facility to a campus complex that now employs 1,400 individuals, Peoples recognizes that her career is part of an established tradition and history still in the making.

After working as a registered nurse, Peoples’ interests quickly expanded toward healthcare administration. Her career advanced at TGMC from the time she arrived in 1995, first in the finance office, then as clinical services director, followed by working as chief operating officer, then into her role as chief executive. With that progression, she knew that clinical people needed to understand finances and financial people needed to understand clinical positions.

“You need to see the whole picture. It is getting more difficult in healthcare with all the government regulations,” she said. “People see the expensive level of healthcare [and] people are living longer and taking better care of themselves. Really the goal is to help people. But how do you pay for that?”

Peoples said that having a personality she describes as “driven” does not necessarily mean she has to be hard in the world of executives. “I don’t think you have to be tougher, but you have to stand for what you are trying to achieve,” she said.

During the past decade more women have been entering into executive positions within the medical field and Peoples said that having the combination of clinical and administrative experience offers an edge to anyone eying those jobs.

A subdivision of the state, TGMC offers Peoples the opportunity to run a non-profit facility with a corporate approach as a self-sustaining entity.

“The high point of my career is being able to watch people in their roles. To watch this team be able to support this organization [and] their talents [is] excellent,” she said.

Like many executives, Peoples identified her biggest disappointment as being the long hours that often take away from family life. In turn, she and her husband, Michael, make family time a priority when away from work.

As for younger women in the health-care business, Peoples said they should be flexible. “Any opportunity that you have to learn any aspect of health care n take it. Read all you can read. Read the newspaper. Watch television. Understand what health care reform means. Be aware of your future by watching what the next step will be,” she said.

For Peoples, a direct approach is not intended to be harsh. It simply indicates that she is serious about the business of healthcare.

Title: Chief Executive Officer, Terrebonne General Medical Center

Age: 48

Family: Husband, Michael; children, Jacob (18) and Mitchell (13)

Education: Sc.D. in healthcare management at Tulane University pending dissertation.

Career Experience: 26 years in health care and administration.

Who was your biggest influence: Parents Oliver and Terryellen LeBlanc.

If you were not doing this what would you like to be doing? Running a private company.

What one word described you: Driven.