CHRISTIANE ZELENYANSZKI

Christiane is highly experienced strategic, senior healthcare service manager with extensive clinical grounding, who also brings a PhD in Health Psychology and a BSc in Psychological Sciences. In 2019, Christiane led a service improvement initiative i.e. for improving the accessibility and of breast screening for women with learning disability in Surrey and received the British Institute of Radiology: Make it Better Service award.

“Don't give up, work hard and pursue your dream”

Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

I was born in Germany and have one older sister. My father is Hungarian and my mother is German. My father left Hungary in 1956 and emigrated to Germany. 

My sister and I were raised in a loving, multi-cultural household. My father was a mechanic and my mother was a nurse. I am the first family member who went to University and my whole family supported me.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

• Exhaustion and anxiety post COVID

• Competitive work environment

• Work life balance

• Vulnerability

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

• Learning a new language - work and study

• Non acceptance mixed race relationship - my husband is non-white and I am white. We have been together for 31 years and married for 21 years. We encountered racism over the years – we have to maintain integrity and be true to ourselves.

• Being a women in a leadership role

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

As a senior leader myself, I feel it is imperative that I learn and grow in my role as a leader. Leadership is a skill which needs to be acquired and maintained. This programme will enable me to learn and become a better leader at work and in my personal life.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity!

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

Don't give up, work hard and pursue your dream. Ask for help and seek different view points.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

Charles Depasse, my mentor, is very helpful. He is an inspiration!

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women in senior positions at work (I work in Healthcare). Organisations have to report the diversity of their workforce, particularly in leading roles. Workforce strategies now have to ensure they have a representative workforce; value-based recruitment instead of competancy-based recruitment

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

Maintain your integrity and enjoy what you do.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

I would launch a consultancy for 'struggling healthcare providers'.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add? 

Growth, mentorship and leadership all require psychological safety.