Alumnus Spotlight – Regional Vice President is All About Diversification in Education

Justin Oram, MHA | As a professional who holds five — yes five — WSU degrees including an MHA, Justin Oram recognizes that diversifying is key.

“My WSU education truly diversified me and set me apart a bit,” said Oram, who now serves as regional vice president of clinic operations at Skagit Regional Health. Skagit, a not-for-profit public hospital system in northwest Washington, has two acute-care hospitals and 35 clinics.

As a member of the executive leadership team, Oram has a myriad of responsibilities including recruiting physicians, opening new clinics and setting the strategic direction for Skagit Regional Health’s medical group. On top of all of this is dealing with COVID-19’s impacts on the industry and maintaining a growth mindset.

Oram’s education and career in healthcare began with nursing. “The first 10 years of my career was all nursing, then the next 10 years was all operations,” he said.

When it came time for the operations side of his career, the MHA program came in handy, setting a firm foundation for the work that was to come. Lessons learned from earning that degree back in 2010 translated to adept strategizing. “I hit the ground running,” Oram said. “I was phenomenal at that type of project management.”

Two of his WSU degrees, an Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science, are in nursing. He’s still a licensed nurse.