Women's Yellow Pages of Greater Philadelphia

WOMEN OF ACCOMPLISHMENT 24th Edition

PASSION:
Dogs; my retirement plan is to own a dog hotel and spa.

Yvette Bright

Chief Administrative Officer, Independence Blue Cross

1901 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 241-2056
yvette.bright@ibx.com
www.ibx.com

FIRST JOB: A lifeguard at a city-run pool in New Orleans.

MOST PROUD OF: Mentoring people of all ages and stages in their lives.

KEYS TO SUCCESS: Hiring talented and motivated people.

I WISH I HAD KNOWN YEARS AGO: How important writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication skills are.

MENTORS: My mom, the most tenacious person I've known, who taught me to live with purpose, be diligent and persistent. And my mentor, Alana Robinson, who hired me as an intern at IBM.

LEADERSHIP TIP: Listen to your employees; they are closest to the customer and offer great ideas.

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: Continue to celebrate successes and recognize the people who work with you and for you. People go the extra mile when they feel appreciated.

HOW/WHY CHOSE FIELD: I was a computer engineer and knew that sitting in a lab wasn't for me. I went to work for IBM in sales and marketing, developing skills and talents that helped me transition into the health care field.

DEFINING CAREER MOMENT: Leaving IBM. Most people stay for their entire career, but I took a leap of faith to try something different.