EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: Natalya A.

What did you do before joining Neighborhood?
I have always had a passion for health care. I initially started my undergraduate degree as a nursing student at the University of Rhode Island (URI), but was instantly intimidated by my first Anatomy class. Once I realized I couldn’t deal with the clinical aspect of nursing, I decided to pursue a degree in Business. Upon graduating from URI in 2009, I worked for CVS Caremark as a Sales Auditor. After three years with CVS, I decided I needed a change in scenery and moved to Maryland. While in Maryland, I worked as a Contract Specialist for the Association of Public Health Laboratories. After becoming homesick after only nine months, I returned home and worked in a few different roles prior to obtaining a position at Lifespan as a Contract Administrator. Lifespan is where I gained a lot of experience of the provider world. It’s also where I had the pleasure of working alongside Liz D. for the first time – prior to her transitioning to Neighborhood. Funny enough I was very familiar with Neighborhood as I managed the organization’s partnership with Lifespan. Luckily for me, an opportunity opened up at Neighborhood and Liz was willing to give me a chance. Working for Neighborhood has really been one of the best experiences of my career. Thanks, Liz!

Of all the projects you have worked on at Neighborhood, which one stands out as being especially meaningful to you?
Most definitely, it was streamlining the process for providers to join Neighborhood’s network. At a high level, my primary role is to negotiate agreements with providers so that they are able to provide services to our members. My team manages the request to join the network so, in many instances, we are the provider’s first interaction with Neighborhood. Previously, in order to join our network, the provider would visit Neighborhood’s website and follow instructions to fax over specific information to be considered for in-network participation. Over the course of a year, our team worked closely with the Information System team to identify ways to streamline this process to make it more efficient with hopes that it would help enhance the provider’s experience. Together, we developed a process that allows providers to submit their requests through an electronic form on our website. In addition, we converted all of the contracting and credentialing documents to electronic forms to minimize administrative burdens for the providers. By doing so, providers no longer had to print out the forms. They could simply complete them all online.

This project was a real game changer and, I believe, has assisted Neighborhood’s efforts to provide a positive experience for the provider. Professionally, this was the first time I had actually taken the lead on a project. I was really proud of my ability to execute the tasks while managing other competing priorities. Receiving positive feedback from management really assured me that I am in the right place in my career and will only continue to grow.

Tell us a little bit about the years you spent growing up – sharing what helped shaped your future.  
I grew up on the South Side of Providence where I lived with my mother and grandmother who both immigrated to the United States from Honduras. Since my parents separated when I was young, I was lucky to be blessed with two households both filled with lots of love and support. My mother is a very loving, opinionated and powerful woman. My father is compassionate, charismatic and a great protector. I like to think I am a perfect combination of the both of them. My favorite pastime has always been spending time with my friends and family. I especially enjoy going to family parties because I love to dance. My family is both Honduran and Cape Verdean and anyone familiar with these cultures knows that means I have a HUGE family so the gatherings are always memorable!

Many people inspired me as I was growing up, but most importantly my siblings and my Uncle Craig. I have three siblings – one sister and two brothers. As the oldest, every decision I made was done with them in mind. I always wanted to ensure they were proud to call me their sister. My Uncle Craig is a man who faced many challenges, but was able to overcome every barrier and make the best of every opportunity he was given. I knew I had to do the same.