Charlene Hess (Timms)
Nick named "The People Whisperer". A results-driven Nurse Executive with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience directing perioperative, critical care, surgical, and hospital operations within academic and tertiary healthcare systems. Experienced leading Operating Room, Pre-Admission Testing, Pre-Op, PACU, Sterile Processing, outpatient procedural services, and critical care departments while overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets, workforce planning, physician partnerships, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance.
Proven ability to improve surgical throughput, optimize staffing and workflows, develop high-performing nurse leaders, and collaborate with surgeons, anesthesia, and executive leadership to achieve operational excellence. Recognized for driving patient safety, employee engagement, fiscal stewardship, and evidence-based practice while leading complex multidisciplinary teams of more than 130 direct reports. Comprehensive regulatory compliance knowledge, with an ability to lead teams through successful surveys and accreditations.
Previous UCLA leadership experience provides familiarity with UCLA's culture of excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, Magnet principles, and continuous quality improvement.
Work History
Manager, Perioperative Services
3 Years 3 MonthsProvide operational and clinical leadership for perioperative services including Pre-Admission Testing, Pre-Operative Services, Operating Room, PACU, and Sterile Processing supporting ambulatory and inpatient surgical care.
- Direct operational oversight for Pre-Admission Testing, Pre-Op, Operating Room, PACU, and Sterile Processing with responsibility for approximately 60 clinical and support staff.
- Partner with surgeons, anesthesia providers, nursing leadership, and sterile processing to optimize surgical scheduling, patient throughput, and operating room utilization.
- Lead hiring, onboarding, coaching, succession planning, and leadership development for perioperative staff.
- Improve operational efficiency through workflow redesign, staffing optimization, and daily leadership huddles.
- Collaborate with physician leaders to improve quality metrics, patient satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and surgical capacity.
- Oversee budget performance, productivity, supply utilization, and capital equipment planning.
- Ensure compliance with Joint Commission standards, infection prevention initiatives, and perioperative best practices.
- Support cross-training initiatives across perioperative departments to maximize staffing flexibility and operational efficiency.
Critical Care & Burn Service Line Director
11 Years 3 MonthsManaged 130 FTEs across multiple inpatient and outpatient clinical departments. Managed $6.2M operating budget, while meeting productivity and quality goals. Led recruitment, onboarding, retention, succession planning and leadership coaching. Successfully developed four direct patient care nurses into managers and directors. Partnered with surgeons, anesthesia, ICU , OR, PACU and Sterile Processing to improve flow. Led business growth initiatives, focused on referral sources. Led daily multidisciplinary rounds and operational huddles. Implemented staffing optimization plans, reducing premium labor. Improved and maintained patient satisfaction above the 75th percentile. Developed evidenced based clinical workflows. Led performance improvement initiatives using operational metrics. Led the Burn Service Line through initial and two subsequent successful American Burn Association verification surveys.
ICU Charge Nurse
1 Year 10 Months- Supervised ICU staff in a fast paced Cardiothoracic and Neurovascular ICU, ensuring adherence to protocols and high standards of patient care.
- Developed and implemented efficient workflows to enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Coordinated multidisciplinary team meetings, fostering communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals.
- Monitored patient progress, adjusting care plans based on clinical assessments and interdisciplinary input.
- Actively participated in unit based process improvements
- Participated and advanced in the clinical ladder program.
- Led Code Blue and Rapid Responses hospital wide.
Assisstant Unit Director
8 Years 4 MonthsICU nurse 2002-2004
ICU Charge Nurse 2004-2007
ICU Assistant Unit Director 2007-2010
- Supervised daily clinical operations of a 22 bed ICU.
- Developed ICU staff nurse competencies and annual education.
- Led daily multidisciplinary quality rounds initiative. Presented findings at UCLA Evidenced Based Practice Conference, ICU Daily Rounds, 2009
- Served as Chair of Model of Care Committee
- Selected by CNO to participate on the Magnet committee.
- Member of ICU, Code Blue, Rapid Response, Nursing Pharmacy and Hospital Outcomes Hospital Committees
Education
Master of Science - Healthcare Administration
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Associate of Arts - Nursing
Skills
Accomplishments
Awards:
Recipient of the "See It, Say It" Award, West Hills Hospital, 2017
Assisstant Unit Director of the Year; UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, 2008
Presentations:
- Quarterly Burn Care Pre-Hospital and Emergency Room WebEx Education Series, 2020-present/ongoing
- West Hills Hospital & Medical Center, Emergency Department EDAP Presentation , March, 2023
- Ventura County, Emergency Nurses Association Conference, Burn Presentation, October, 2021
- Queen of the Valley EDAP Symposium, Emergency Burn Care, 2020
- UCLA Evidence Based Practice Conference, ICU Daily Rounds, 2009
Certification
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Advanced Burn Life Support Instructor
- Policy & Procedure Manual (PPM)
- Registered Nurse, CA
- Harvard School of Business Leadership Institute
- HCA Leadership Institute
- American Nurses Association
- American College of Healthcare Executives