From the time she was 14, Jackie Concepcion has felt called to work with people who are vulnerable and dealing with difficult situations, to help them overcome obstacles.
The New York City native came to Lancaster in 1989 seeking “more green space and a slower pace,” and immediately fell in love with the area.
Concepcion, 52, is CEO at Welsh Mountain Health Centers, which serves more than 15,000 patients a year from four offices in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.
Concepcion has over 20 years’ experience in the non-profit health industry. She has served the Lancaster and Lebanon community for the past several years, most recently as Director of Community Wellness and Development at Welsh Mountain Health Centers, where she oversaw all aspects of the organization’s outreach initiatives.
In her new role, Concepcion oversees 100 employees.
“My journey up until now has been a difficult one. I started out in the helping field about 25 years ago working at the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster where I quickly discovered my passion for helping people. I also realized that if I wanted to make more of an impact in the life of others and the community, I needed to further my education,” Concepcion says.
In doing so, she also took on positions with more responsibilities.
“I have to say real life experiences have forged the passion I have for this job,” she explains.
Concepcion hopes to serve the community at a level where she can make a big impact. She believes the community health center model brings it all together.
“The model integrates medical, dental, behavioral health and addresses social determinants. It doesn’t get more patient centered than that,” she says.
How exactly does she balance the need to think strategically with the challenges of running such a complex business?
“I think the complexities of the organization can be a challenge. As a non-profit, we are always trying to do more with less. That is the nature of the beast. Staying focused on the mission certainly helps.”
One of such challenges is caring for patients who are immigrants and whose primary language is not English.
“We make accommodations to meet their needs. We employ bilingual staff, use translation iPads and do whatever it takes to provide the best service,” she says.
Family: Husband James Williams; four grown children — Joel Baez, Melisa Baez, David Baez, and Christian Baez — and a beautiful 10-year-old granddaughter that I adore.
Education: Master’s degree in human services from Lincoln University in 2004.
Languages: I am bilingual in Spanish-English.
Where you live: West Lampeter Township.
Your hobbies: Gardening, hiking and going to the beach. I like to get out to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic at least once a year.
People might be surprised that: Many people see the position that I’m in and the work that I do but don’t realize that there’s a side of me that is a little shy.
I admire: If there is one person I could say embodied true humanity I would say it’s Mother Teresa. What a humble woman!
Favorite music: Salsa and Marc Anthony. I really get into my Spanish music. But my husband has introduced me to new music, and I’ve enjoyed transitioning a little bit from Spanish to rock.
Best advice anyone ever gave me: If you want something, go get it. Things are possible if you work hard at it and never give up.
Faith: Has kept me focused. Having faith in people, in a higher power, is what keeps me going. A big part of it steers you toward serving and seeking the greater good in our community.
Book on my nightstand: Currently, True North by Peter Sims and Bill George, but always the Bible.
You watch: Action movies are my thing. I love to get into a good spy movie, a good Bourne movie or Mission: Impossible, things like that.
Advice you give: “Always take an opportunity to learn and move forward.”
