As Vice President of Culture and Engagement at Ignite Medical Resorts, Alexandria Zavala leads with a philosophy rooted in a simple but powerful belief: take care of the people who take care of others.
With a career shaped by early exposure to healthcare and a defining realization that her true passion lies not at the bedside but in supporting those who serve there, she has dedicated herself to strengthening the employee experience across the division. Her leadership bridges the gap between culture and operations, ensuring that engagement is not a separate initiative but a daily commitment woven into every conversation, decision, and strategy.
By empowering directors, leveraging data and technology, and fostering trust through intentional presence and follow-through, Alexandria creates environments where team members feel valued, heard, and connected to their purpose. She believes that meaningful culture is built in small, consistent moments – and her work continues to inspire leaders and caregivers alike to show up with compassion, accountability, and excellence.
Healthcare Starts with Those Who Give It
Alexandria’s path to pursuing a healthcare career started at an early age, when she saw that healthcare is not only about clinical care; it’s about people, service, purpose, and the human connections formed during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
“Healthcare has always felt deeply personal to me. I originally thought my path might lead me into nursing, but over time I realized my passion was not at the bedside. It was in supporting the people who serve at the bedside and throughout every part of the healthcare experience,” she recalls.
That realization shaped the direction of her career, and she was drawn to the employee experience and to the role culture plays in helping team members feel valued, heard, and connected to their purpose. She believes that the caregivers, leaders, and support teams who show up every day deserve environments where they feel encouraged, equipped, and appreciated.
That passion is what ultimately led Alexandria to Ignite Medical Resorts. She shares that for nearly five years, Ignite has allowed her to focus on culture, engagement, and leadership support in a way that aligns closely with her values. “It has allowed me to help strengthen the experience of our employees, knowing that when we invest in our people, we directly impact the care, compassion, and excellence they can provide to our guests and families,” she observes.
“You can be both the fire that challenges people and the warmth that makes them feel valued.”
Culture Is How People Feel Every Day
Alexandria shares that she was fortunate to grow up surrounded by strong women who served in many different areas of healthcare. Watching them care for others, support families, and show up with compassion and resilience gave her an early understanding of how meaningful the healthcare industry could be.
Realizing that her heart was not in nursing, what stayed with her was a deep respect for the people doing the hard work every day. “That experience shaped one of the core values that guides my leadership today: if we take care of the people who care for others, we strengthen the entire healthcare experience,” she affirms.
Alexandria narrates a defining moment in her professional journey when she realized that culture could not be viewed solely through the lens of events, celebrations, recognition programs, or the “fun things” that bring people together. “Those moments absolutely matter, and they play an important role in helping employees feel appreciated and connected. But I came to understand that true culture runs much deeper,” she reflects.
She explains that culture is reflected in how employees feel when they walk into work each day. It’s shaped by how leaders communicate, how consistently concerns are heard, how accountability is handled, and whether team members genuinely believe their voice matters. It shows up in the everyday moments: the conversations, the follow-through, the support, and the trust that leaders build with their teams.
“When I began seeing leaders shift their mindset from viewing culture as an activity to understanding it as a core part of the employee experience, it confirmed that this work was where I was meant to be,” Alexandria says.
That shift showed her the real impact culture and engagement can have, not only on employee morale, but on retention, leadership effectiveness, and ultimately the quality of care they provide. It reinforced her passion for helping leaders create environments where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to do their best work.
“I don’t want to simply hold a seat at the table. I want to make the table better because I was there.”
Empowering Leaders to Build Culture Together
For Alexandria, balancing personal priorities with the demands of leading culture and engagement initiatives has come from being intentional about growing the Directors who report to her and helping them develop their confidence, critical thinking, and resourcefulness to navigate situations with a broader perspective.
“Over this past year in my role, I’ve seen tremendous growth in how they approach challenges. They’ve learned to think outside the box, use the tools and resources available to them, and lean on one another to talk through situations as a group rather than feeling like every decision must come directly through me,” she reveals.
On Alexandria’s divisional calls, the Directors share best practices around specific topics, and are then able to roll those ideas out across all our buildings. Creating that team approach to best practices has made one of the biggest impacts because it builds consistency, strengthens leadership ownership, and allows the division to grow together.
“It’s also created space for me to stay focused on my personal priorities and the larger strategic work, knowing that the leaders under me are equipped, supported, and empowered to lead with confidence,” she observes.
Alexandria’s greatest focus and discipline come from staying connected to the employee experience every day. That means listening for patterns, identifying barriers, following through on feedback, and ensuring engagement remains part of operational conversations, not separate from them.
“It also requires accountability,” she notes. “Culture is not owned by one person or one department; it is created daily through communication, recognition, leadership presence, and the way we respond when employees tell us something is not working.”
“Bring the fire, lead with heart, and never forget the people who make the work matter.”
Connecting People, Culture, and Care Every Day
Alexandria’s leadership has focused on strengthening the connection between people, culture, and operations at Ignite Medical Resorts. She notes that, in healthcare, the employee experience directly impacts the guest experience. When team members feel valued, supported, and connected to the mission, they’re better able to bring compassion and excellence to those they serve.
“By helping leaders see engagement as a business and care priority, I believe my work supports Ignite’s broader impact in the healthcare industry: creating environments where both employees and guests can thrive,” she says.
One of the most important strategies that Alexandria has introduced is placing a heavier focus on the full employee experience, especially from the moment someone joins the organization. She’s continually looking for ways to enhance current programs, explore new initiatives, and better support new hires as they begin their journey with Ignite.
Alexandria explains that the VPs of Culture are collaborating to identify new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve as the HR landscape continues to evolve, including exploring AI platforms and other technology-based tools that can help teams work more efficiently and thoughtfully. Their focus is on finding practical solutions that give directors access to the guidance and resources they need to navigate situations with greater confidence and consistency, enabling them to lead effectively without always relying on direct involvement from the Culture team.
Another strategy Alexandria has been using is monthly data tracking, not simply as a way to collect information, but as a foundation for meaningful discussion and growth. She believes that data should tell a story and help identify trends, understand where employees may need more support, and create thoughtful strategies that move the culture forward.
“I believe engagement must be proactive, not reactive. It should include listening, retention efforts, recognition, celebrations, leadership visibility, intentional follow-up, and the willingness to turn feedback into action. Innovation in culture begins when we combine heart, accountability, and the right tools to help leaders better support the people who make the work matter,” she insists.
Alexandria also believes in building trust and connection with employees by being present, listening with intention, and following through. She notes that employees can tell when leaders are simply checking a box versus when they truly care.
“Across different teams and settings, I try to meet people where they are, understand their experiences, and create space for honest conversations. Trust is built when employees know their feedback will be respected, even when it is difficult to hear. Connection grows when people feel seen, valued, and included in the future of the organization,” she explains.
“Be the kind of leader who makes people believe they are capable of more.”
Culture and Operations Must Work Together
One of the most meaningful experiences in Alexandria’s career has been the journey that helped her truly understand where her passion belongs. She began at Ignite as a Director of Culture and Engagement, and later had the opportunity to sit in an operational leadership role for about a year.
“That experience was incredibly valuable because it challenged me, expanded my perspective, and showed me that while I could lead with an operational mindset, it was not operations alone that filled my cup. It was during that season that I became even more certain that my true passion is culture and engagement,” she recalls.
That time in operations became one of Alexandria’s greatest strengths as a culture leader. It allowed her to approach engagement with a practical understanding of the daily pressures their leaders face, while still keeping the employee experience at the center.
“I often find that I bring a unique perspective because I understand both the operational needs of the business and the cultural work required to support our people. It’s also allowed me to work more closely with my Vice President of Operations to reinforce culture initiatives in a way that feels realistic, aligned, and connected to the success of each building,” she elaborates.
This experience influenced Alexandria’s leadership approach by reminding her that culture and operations are not separate; they must work together to create meaningful, lasting impact. She also shares that one of her greatest challenges has been helping others understand that engagement is not a single event, survey, or initiative, but an ongoing commitment.
“Changing that mindset takes time, patience, and persistence. I overcame this by building trust, sharing honest feedback, connecting engagement to real operational outcomes, and helping leaders see their role in shaping culture every day. Progress happens when people understand that culture is built in small daily moments, not just large, planned ones,” she reflects.
Prioritize People to Deliver Exceptional Care
One of the most critical insights Alexandria has gained throughout her career is that healthcare leaders must treat employee experience as essential to organizational success. “Recruitment, retention, engagement, and quality care are all connected. Today’s workforce wants more than a job; they want purpose, communication, support, growth, and leaders who listen,” she observes.
She adds that healthcare is demanding work, and leaders must be intentional about creating environments where employees feel invested in, not just depended on. “The organizations that prioritize their people will be best positioned to serve their communities with excellence,” she predicts.
Alexandria hopes that her work inspires future healthcare leaders to understand that leadership is not only about strategy or outcomes; it’s about people. “I want future generations to see that culture is something they create through their presence, their communication, their decisions, and the way they respond to those they lead. If my journey encourages someone to advocate for employees, listen more deeply, or lead with both accountability and compassion, then I will feel that my work has made a lasting impact,” she concludes.
Conclusion
Alexandria Zavala’s guiding philosophy remains simple yet profound: take care of the people who take care of others. She advocates for healthcare leadership rooted in connection, accountability, compassion, and action, and believes that when employees feel genuinely valued and supported, they’re empowered to do their best work – and that is how meaningful culture is built.
As Alexandria continues her work at Ignite Medical Resorts, she remains committed to ensuring that the voices of team members are heard, their experiences matter, and the environments they work in reflect the same care and dignity they extend to guests and families every day.
