Get to know: Wanda Cole-Frieman

Wanda Cole-Frieman is the Senior Vice President, Talent Acquisition for CommonSpirit Health. She has been with CommonSpirit for nearly 8 years and is based in San Francisco.

How do you see your work within CommonSpirit Health helping to fulfill the organization's mission and vision?
The Talent Acquisition team plays an integral role in helping to attract top talent to our organization. We aim to have broad outreach in order to attract a diverse talent pool in order to support CSH’s mission. When we attract diverse and culturally competent talent, we fulfill our mission to ensure all people have access to great care. Our role is to have our team’s reflect the communities we serve.

What does the Workforce Equity fund mean to you and why is it important to support it through philanthropy?
I have always believed in giving not just of my time and talent but also my treasure. Giving to the Workforce Equity fund is an extension of my love to help people have access to opportunities to grow and develop in successful careers. The goal of the Workforce Equity fund is to help enable CSH to be able to ensure we are doing our part as the largest faith-based healthcare organization in the country to move the needle on these very important matters. There is an opportunity to reach out to our communities including academic and community organizations which focus on building career paths in healthcare.

Why do you give to our ministry?
I give because my family has a value in helping to make this world a better place not just for a select few but for all. Growing up my mom put an emphasis on giving back. We were a family that tithed in our church, volunteered for many causes that were meaningful to us. At that time, we were not able to give financially often but we gave in other ways. The value of giving back was strong in our family. There is a quote that resonates with me, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

What does gratitude mean to you and does it play a role in why you give?
Absolutely gratitude plays a role in why I give. Gratitude means being grateful and ready to show appreciation for and return kindness. I am so blessed.

What about your work gives you the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction?
My greatest fulfillment comes from the Talent Acquisition team. This is a team of mission-driven people who dedicated to delivering inspired talent to the organization. They show up every day looking to make a difference and seek talent that will provide strategic leadership and high-quality care to our patients. Their dedication to their work inspires me every day.

What is one fun fact that others might not know about you?
I absolutely love to dance and will dance to just about any type of music with a beat. I can be found first out on the dance floor at weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, you name the celebration and I am there ready to move. My nickname with friends is the “party starter."