M.B.A. 2016 Graduate Profile: Diane Weston, Jewish Healthcare Foundation Fellow

Meet Diane Weston

Current fellowship: Death and Dying Fellow, Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Degrees earned: M.B.A. with a concentration in Health Systems Management, Point Park University, 2016; B.S in Business Administration/HR, DeVry University, 2012
Grad school activities: Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Leadership Luncheon, Point Park Alternative Spring Break, Point Park focus group participant, Ethical Leadership Essay Writers Forum, Career Development Center Etiquette Dinner, National Black M.B.A. Association and Pittsburgh Human Resources Association
Scholarship from Point Park: Graduate Merit Scholarship
Hometown: Gainesville, Fla.
High school: Miami Edison Senior High School
Now living in: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Hobbies/interests: Cooking, decorating, repairing things, technology, outdoors activities and attending church for spiritual strength that keeps me anchored
LinkedIn: Diane Weston

Tell us about your fellowships with the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.

"Diane was selected for this fellowship based on her experience and academic studies, personal statement of interest in the subject matter and letters of recommendation."

-- Deborah Murdoch, MPH, Quality Improvement Specialist, Jewish Healthcare Foundation

"Classes such as Health Economics, Health Care Policy Analysis and my special topics courses in the health field provided me with the knowledge I needed to work with my fellowship team to build a plan for a new health system."

-- Diane Weston

As a death and dying fellow for the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, I have learned how to confront and discuss the legal, medical, social, cultural, familial and spiritual aspects of death and dying within a multi-disciplinary group. With my fellowship group, I am developing community action plans for health care organizations throughout the Pittsburgh community.

In 2016, I was a Jonas Salk Fellow and a Patient Safety Fellow. As a Jonas Salk Fellow, I worked in a cross-disciplinary team of six to create master designs of a health system. These designs were structured to get the best possible health outcomes at the most reasonable cost for adolescents, ages 11 to 17.

As a Patient Safety Fellow, I also worked in a cross-disciplinary team of six. In this fellowship, we applied Toyota Production System Model and Lean Startup methodologies to promote quality improvement, eliminate waste and improve patient safety in health care.

Why did you choose Point Park to pursue an M.B.A. degree?

2013 M.B.A. alumna Quiana Perciavalle recommended Point Park to me. I also chose Point Park because it offered affordable tuition and is located in Downtown Pittsburgh, which makes it easy to access internship and fellowship opportunities. Additionally, the expertise of Point Park's professors played a role in my decision.

How have your M.B.A. classes helped you as a fellow?

Classes such as Health Economics, Health Care Policy Analysis and my special topics courses in the health field provided me with the knowledge I needed to work with my fellowship team to build a plan for a new health system. Also, I used the information I learned in my Financial Management of Health Care class to help design a compensation system.

What are your career goals?

I aspire to be a health care manager or administrator, or a human resource manager working in a health care setting. Moreover, I would like to also offer my time by serving on a nonprofit board.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you to my husband, Teofiel Weston, for his love and support while I attended graduate school full time. I couldn't have done it without him. Also, special thanks to Professor Archish Maharaja, Professor Lori Molinari, Stephanie Marks and Laura Dulaney who supported me throughout my time at Point Park University.

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