Gina Rapaport
Wellness Program Manager
Alameda Health System

I didn’t necessarily pursue a career in health care; I would say health care pursued me. I have a lot of doctors and nurses and psychiatrists in my family, so it’s in my blood.

I started working at Alameda Health System through an internship while I was a graduate student at the California Institute of Integral Studies. After I graduated, I interviewed and the stars aligned.

The AHS Employee Wellness Program is relatively new, and my goal is to continuously make the program more holistic, for total well-being, not just physical health.

We have on-site fitness and yoga. We offer chiropractic services and acupuncture. We have seasonal nutrition classes, gym discounts, email-based health challenges, and newsletters. And we’re always trying to improve and evolve to better suit the needs of our employees.

Health care is just a tough industry. Our people work super hard to provide care for our community. And I think sometimes caregivers can be so compassionate and giving that they forget to take care of themselves. I’m here to remind them of the importance of self-care, and offer programs that support the mind, body and spirit.

I think that to cultivate a culture of well-being, it takes each and every one of us every day to make the decision to embody well-being, which really is beyond our physical health — treating each other well, being curious and kind and supportive. So I hope that employees and leadership know that how they show up and what they offer — their emotional energy and their spiritual energy — how much they offer that to their team is hugely impactful.

Regardless of your position at AHS, whatever that may be, everyone plays a role in the bigger impact that AHS is making in our community. I think that’s pretty cool.