Taylor Markward

Redwoods Resident 2017
Regional Operations Director– Fusion

Throughout my time as a leader in the Village, I have grown in many ways. The one that stands out to me is improvement in communication. As a regional operations director, you bring the same message to many people—DaVita teammates, physicians, hospitals, peers and superiors. You have to find a way to connect with the audience that is present and tailor your presentation in the way that will be most impactful. Being able to communicate the same message to vastly different groups is a leadership tool that I have improved at DaVita.

The Redwoods program provided tremendous experience and growth to me as a business leader through education sessions, high quality training and mentorship. That said, the most impactful thing I gained from the program was a cohort of peers who are working across the country. They are a great resource professionally, but, more importantly, they have become friends.

My advice for candidates is to take advantage of the breadth of the program. Our Village is large and has many teams that do great things. As a Redwood, you will have the ability to learn about these teams and understand what resources are spread throughout DaVita. That knowledge is tremendously helpful.

I received a degree in political science in the United States Army, and my MBA and MS in environmental science at Ross School of Business.

Fun fact: I grew up "chasing" hot air balloons in the summer. This meant helping to launch, track down and stow the balloon. It also allowed me the opportunity to fly in hot air balloons dozens of times!

DaVita Journey: Redwoods Summer Associate > Redwoods Resident > Group Facility Administrator > Director Strategy Operations