By Sara A. Mayo
A little bit of rain never hurt anyone.
But for Cheryl Atkinson (M.H.A. ’97), it was a little bit of rain that confirmed she was exactly where she needed to be to make a meaningful impact through her role in health care leadership.
“We had a huge rainstorm in the area that flooded the basement of our hospital,” Atkinson recalled.
With nearly six inches of water creeping into the maternity center and the hospital’s laboratory, Atkinson took action, leading an incident command team to protect patients, facilities and essential operations.
“Everyone who was available responded to the situation as quickly as they could,” Atkinson said. “It was during this event that I realized the true power of teamwork, kindness and calm leadership in a crisis.”
That moment would come to reflect the leadership approach Atkinson has carried throughout her career, one shaped by experience, mentorship and a foundation built during her time in the University of Florida’s Master of Health Administration program, now celebrating its 60th year.
Today, Atkinson serves as senior vice president of operations at U.S. Acute Care Solutions, where she serves as chief of staff to the organization’s chief clinical officer. In her role, she oversees several management services operations teams that support administrative functions across the organization, including scheduling, credentialing, clinician advocacy and purchased services contracting. USACS provides services to approximately 400 care locations across the United States.
Leadership, however, isn’t born overnight.
Atkinson’s first “real” health care administration role began in 2006, when her mentor Chris Hummer, M.H.A., hired her into a leadership role at Atrium Health. At the time, her professional experience revolved primarily around consulting and administrative support roles, rather than leading teams in a health care facility.
“Chris took a leap of faith and gave me a chance,” Atkinson shared. “He mentored me, let me fail, picked me back up and gave me feedback and encouragement exactly when I needed. He helped me build my confidence.”
One lesson from Hummer has stayed with her throughout her career: “You can teach people some things, but you can’t teach them how to care.”
That belief continues to guide how Atkinson builds teams and approaches leadership today. Kindness, she says, is not a soft skill but a necessary one, especially when navigating complex systems, problem-solving and team dynamics in health care.
In her current role, Atkinson is particularly proud of launching a premium pay incentive program that standardized how and when incentive pay is provided to clinicians across USACS. The initiative reduced premium pay spending by 15 percent over the past 15 months and contributed to improved team engagement, reflected in rising Net Promoter Scores.
Even so, Atkinson is quick to shift the focus away from herself.
Strong teams, she said, are what make the work meaningful.
“My team is 100% committed to the needs of our organization, our clinicians and their own teams,” she said. “And we have fun together! It’s important to celebrate accomplishments and laugh together, whenever possible.”
As a UF M.H.A. alumna, Atkinson credits the program with helping her develop both the practical skills and confidence required to lead in health care. Through applied coursework, real-world case discussions and collaborative projects, she learned to think strategically, communicate effectively and approach challenges from a broader, system-level perspective.
As the UF M.H.A. program marks its 60th anniversary, Atkinson’s career reflects the program’s long-standing emphasis on developing leaders who combine operational expertise with a people-centered approach, preparing graduates to navigate complex health care environments with confidence and care.
A continuous learning leader, Atkinson also recognizes opportunities for growth. She describes herself as a servant leader who is learning to delegate more intentionally after feedback from her teams.
“They have told me they learn more when I get them involved in new projects,” she said. “Delegating is good for their professional development, too.”
As part of the UF M.H.A. program’s 60th anniversary year celebration, Atkinson recently participated in the inaugural M.H.A. Student/Alumni Webinar Simulcast, where she engaged with current students, answered questions and shared insights from her professional journey.
Her advice to students reflects both experience and perspective: Be patient. Early roles may not be forever roles. Growth often comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking on opportunities that stretch your abilities.
She offers similar advice to her younger self: have confidence in your abilities, don’t rely on external validation and don’t take yourself too seriously. Taking risks, she said, is part of the process.
At the end of the day, Atkinson’s motivation begins at home.
“I want to make my daughters proud and show them they can do anything they work hard to achieve.”
When she’s not leading teams or tackling operational challenges, Atkinson enjoys reading, traveling, walking her dog, Tucker, and spending time with her daughters Taylor, 22, and Lauryn, 17.
Sixty years into the UF M.H.A. program’s legacy, Atkinson’s journey reflects what the program continues to cultivate: leaders who pair operational expertise with empathy, confidence with humility and success with a commitment to supporting others.
It is a reminder that effective leadership is not only measured by outcomes, but by the care, kindness and collaboration that make those outcomes possible.
Learn more about the M.H.A. 60th Anniversary .