Senior laboratory leaders play a critical role in shaping both operational performance and the culture that supports it. Through strategic decisions, workforce development, and collaboration across organizations, these leaders help laboratories deliver high-quality results while adapting to evolving demands.
Lab Manager’s Leadership Excellence Awards recognize professionals who demonstrate this level of impact, and the Lab Director Excellence Award honors those who guide large, complex laboratory organizations with vision and accountability.
The 2026 recipient, Stephanie Whitehead, serves as vice president of pathology at University Health, where she oversees one of the region’s largest healthcare laboratory systems. Under her leadership, the organization has strengthened accreditation outcomes, expanded services, and advanced automation while fostering a workplace culture centered on mentorship and professional growth. In this Q&A, Whitehead discusses the leadership principles that guide her approach to directing laboratory operations.
What does receiving a 2026 Lab Manager Leadership Excellence Award mean to you at this point in your career?
I’ve been in the laboratory profession for over 20 years, and most of that time has been spent in leadership roles. At this stage in my career, this award feels less like a personal milestone and more like a reflection of collective leadership.
Early in my career, recognition felt validating, like external proof that I was capable and that I belonged in the rooms I was stepping into. Now, recognition feels affirming because it signals that the way I’m choosing to lead, intentionally and collaboratively, and with a long-term lens, is making a measurable impact.
About 10 years ago, I seriously considered leaving the laboratory profession. Burnout and management fatigue are real, and I experienced both. What shifted everything for me was redirecting my energy toward developing others. I stopped trying to carry the weight alone and started investing in mentoring, coaching, and building future leaders.
That decision didn’t just renew my sense of purpose in my career, but it also helped to redefine it. Now, this award represents growth and the power of choosing to build people instead of just building systems. And that’s the legacy that matters most.
How do you define effective laboratory leadership at the executive level?
Executive laboratory leadership is fundamentally about alignment and influence.
In the laboratory, at the bench level, leadership is operational through ensuring quality, accuracy, and efficiency. At the executive level, it becomes strategic. It’s about aligning diagnostic strategy with organizational priorities, translating laboratory impact into both financial and clinical language, anticipating workforce challenges before they escalate into crises, and building sustainable systems instead of simply managing daily fires.
Effective executive leaders learn to see around corners, develop other leaders intentionally, and consistently position the laboratory as a clinical partner rather than a cost center.
At the executive level, you’re no longer just managing tests; you’re shaping how diagnostics influence the performance, outcomes, and direction of the entire health system.
Your laboratories achieved record-setting accreditation outcomes. What drove that success?
Consistency and culture are what drove our success. I have the privilege of working alongside incredibly talented, scientifically gifted professionals, and excellence was already in the room when I arrived in 2014.
What we did was create an environment where that excellence could be consistently demonstrated.
Lab Quality Management Certificate
The Lab Quality Management certificate is more than training—it’s a professional advantage.
Gain critical skills and IACET-approved CEUs that make a measurable difference.
Accreditation outcomes don’t begin 90 days before an inspection—they begin years earlier, when standards are embedded into daily behavior. We focused on clear expectations, visible leadership, and ownership at every level of the organization. We intentionally made compliance part of professional identity, not an episodic event tied to survey preparation. When people understand why standards matter, not just what the standard requires, performance noticeably shifts.
Our teams don’t “gear up” for inspection season; they operate in a constant state of readiness because quality is woven into how we work every day.
What actions have had the greatest impact on your workplace’s culture?
Three actions made the biggest difference in shaping our culture: leader presence, clarity, and coaching over correction.
Presence matters more than perfection. People don’t expect their leaders to have every answer—they want visibility and to feel supported. I make it a priority to round regularly, ask questions, and actively listen. Clarity is equally powerful. Role clarity reduces anxiety, and clear expectations improve performance. When people understand what success looks like and how they contribute to the bigger picture, confidence and accountability increase. Finally, we intentionally shifted from a mindset of “Who made the mistake?” to “What system failed?”
Interested in lab leadership?
We also have open conversations about retention and professional growth. When people feel seen, supported, and developed, engagement naturally rises.
What’s the most important lesson or takeaway you’ve learned in your career so far?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that leadership is less about control and more about capacity. Early in my career, I believed strong leadership meant having the answers, solving problems quickly, and carrying responsibility personally. Over time, I realized that approach isn’t sustainable—and it doesn’t build strong teams.
Real leadership is about creating systems that function well without you at the center of every decision. It’s about developing people so they can think critically, act confidently, and lead in their own right. Sustainable success in laboratory medicine doesn’t come from one strong leader; it comes from a network of capable, empowered professionals who trust themselves and each other.
What advice would you offer lab managers preparing for executive roles?
If you’re preparing for an executive role, start thinking beyond your department now. The shift from manager to executive requires a broader lens. It’s no longer enough to understand laboratory operations exceptionally well, you need to also understand how the laboratory fits into the financial, clinical, and the entire organization.
If your knowledge stops at laboratory workflow, your impact will stop there, too. So, be intentional about expanding your exposure by asking to sit in on budget meetings, volunteering for system-wide committees, and understanding what influences care delivery decisions.
Above all, invest intentionally in developing the leaders around you. A true test of readiness for executive responsibility is whether your department can operate smoothly without your constant presence. If everything depends on you, the structure isn’t strong enough yet. Senior leadership (at any level) isn’t about being at the center of activity; it’s about creating durable systems that function with consistency.
