Nicole Paliotti ’19 (M) finds a new career through Salve’s healthcare administration program
Nicole Paliotti ’19 (M) recently left a six-figure job in marketing and sales and completely changed her career path to work in health care at South County Health in South Kingstown. It’s a decision that has ultimately been one of the most rewarding journeys she’s ever taken both personally and professionally.
After earning a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Johnson & Wales University, Paliotti climbed the ranks at Schneider Electric for 10 years, starting out as a field marketing specialist and making her way into a sales position responsible for driving new business growth within New England.
She had made it. She was successful, she had a great paycheck and she was providing for her family. So what made Paliotti pivot? And why did she choose health care?
Seven years ago, Paliotti’s mother received an abrupt cancer diagnosis and died within two years in a large health care system where Paliotti and her sister felt they had to constantly remind the hospital that their mother needed attention. Not long after her mother’s death, Paliotti’s father passed away in his sleep after visiting the emergency room because his feet started to turn blue – only to be dismissed by an understaffed ER and told to follow up with a cardiologist.
“[My parents] were both young,” Paliotti said. “I was an orphan at 35 years old.”
These painful experiences were the catalyst for Paliotti to realize that unless more people were willing to work in health care to change and improve the system, more patients would inadvertently fall through the cracks like her parents. And even though she came from a non-clinical background, Paliotti realized with her marketing and business background that she could still make a difference.
Graduate program in healthcare administration
As Paliotti began looking at master’s programs for healthcare administration, she fell in love with Salve Regina because of the flexibility of the program. As she dove into the program, Paliotti was impressed with how well-rounded it was, especially since she already had an MBA. The classes were both enlightening and engaging, and she also loved the small faculty-to-student ratio.
“In most of the classes I took, I was the only person not currently working in health care, and it was very interesting to hear their perspective,” she said. “I learned even more than the average student being brand new to health care, because I would hear their stories and their experiences.”
During her last semester in the program, Paliotti landed an internship at South County Health. Through this internship, she procured an interim position as an analyst of infection control, employee health and professional development. She left her job in marketing and sales and has never looked back.
“I’m basically rebuilding my career, but it’s something I feel passionate about,” she said. “And I actually love getting up and going to work every day.”
While an interim analyst, she ran the entire flu clinic for the hospital and offered invaluable marketing and business advice. And her hard work paid off. Paliotti was offered her dream job at South County Health as the facilitator of performance excellence and strategy in February. Her intention was always to get into leadership, and in this position she can truly speak to the systems that she wants to improve.
