New Jersey native Ugochi Opara wears many hats. Mother, wife, friend, marketer, and Marquis ambassador just to name a few. While serving in her role as the Regional Director of Strategic Development, she acts as a conduit between sales, marketing, and operations within the Mid-Atlantic division. With this role being created based on Ugochi’s talents, she has persevered with Marquis for the past five and a half years and cultivated a culture of success.  

What inspired her career in healthcare? Her mother. “My mom is a nurse, she’s an RN. I became a receptionist at a nursing home and that’s how it all started.” With her feet already on the ground within skilled nursing, she has experienced many different titles before reaching marketer. “My first opportunity as a marketing director. The building I was in was both assisted living and skilled nursing, and at the time I was an admissions coordinator. I had moved from receptionist to admissions coordinator after finishing college, and it was still during the recession, so honestly, I just needed a job—that’s how I became a receptionist in the first place.” 

While she faced challenges achieving her leadership role, Ugochi paused to reflect on the biggest challenge in her career growth. “I thought my age would be a barrier. I thought my race would be a barrier. And I’m sure at times they probably were, but in the end, I feel like the things that made me different actually helped me. There have been many roles where, honestly, it was my attitude and my work ethic that got me there more than my qualifications. We all get in our own heads and can be our own worst enemies, but it really comes down to work ethic. Having that resilience and being willing to outwork challenges can help you overcome a lot.” 

After being promoted from within Marquis, Ugochi credits her success to her team and their constant support. “At this point in my career, the nature of my role is very behind the scenes.” Shares Ugochi, adding, “But having people who are advocates for what I do, who speak to where I’ve influenced, trained, supported, developed them, that’s the win for me. I’m a thousand percent certain that’s a big part of what success looks like for me. It really is like that idea of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Everyone is working together, lifting each other up. I work with such a hardworking team, and they’re incredibly supportive.” 

Ugochi is a mother of two, both children she refers to as her “Marquis babies” as she became a mother during her time at Marquis. “Being a mom has forced a level of patience, organization, and due diligence that I didn’t realize I was capable of. Even if you love someone deeply, you’ll never love anyone the way you love your own kids, and they influence everything.” Shares Ugochi, who becomes vulnerable when asked what lesson she has learned in being a mother with a leadership role. “I think the greatest lesson has been this: I work in sales, I’m very typeA. Give me a target and I’ll make it happen. Having kids is the complete opposite of that. You can have the best plan in the world, and then your kid gets sick and the entire plan is blown apart. I thought I was organized before, but having kids, while working in sales and working at Marquis, has taken that to a whole new level. I’ve become more organized, more flexible, and more patient than I ever imagined I could be.” 

Now with over fifteen years in the industry, Ugochi reflects on advice she would give to her 22-year-old self. “What I would tell my 22-year-old self is this: take the risk, take the chance, say yes. Do stretch assignments. Don’t be the person who only does the 9-to-5 and sticks strictly to a job description. Those extra opportunities matter. Growing up in an immigrant household, all I knew was hard work. Much of what I learned early in my career had very little to do with what I learned in school.” 

After creating successful marketing campaigns and initiating sales focuses, Ugochi has learned to lead with heart and humility. “At the core of everything is humility” says Ugochi, continuing, “I know what I know, and I’m comfortable saying what I don’t. I’ll push back where I have confidence, but where I don’t, I listen and learn. Being a learner requires humility.” 

Lasting advise from Ugochi for women growing in leadership roles? “Be good to people. Learn from everyone. Stay humble. Keep learning. You never know where people will land, and the colleague next to you today could be your next opportunity tomorrow.”  

Balancing leadership across five East Coast states with the demands of parenthood; Ugochi remains grounded in strength, fueled by the unwavering support system she has built around her. Adversity has never defined her path; instead, it has sharpened her resolve. With an unrelenting commitment to excellence and a clear vision for success, Ugochi exemplifies what it truly means to be a Woman of Influence. 

Inspired by Ugochi’s story? If you’re passionate about making a difference in healthcare and want to grow your career with a supportive, mission-driven team, learn more about opportunities at one of the centers we support by visiting our Careers Page: https://mqshealth.com/caring-careers/

Written by Alex Halfinger, Social Media Manager at Marquis