Meet Shannon

Shannon Gately works on our Government Affairs team supporting state government relationships.  She connects with state legislators to provide education on dialysis treatment and our patients to help them make informed decisions regarding patient care.  Shannon is co-creator of the "Beyond The Walls" program that launched in 2019.  This program further enhances the connection and relationship between top legislators and Fresenius Medical Care North America employees. 

LET’S HEAR WHAT SHANNON HAD TO SAY:

Q: Why did you join the FMCNA team?

A: I ran my own professional event planning business for over 10 years.  After my son was born I was looking for something different and I found Fresenius Medical Care North America where I started my journey as a contractor for the HR department.  Over my tenure with the company I worked as a Program Manager in Strategic Business Integrations which then led me to Government Affairs as a State Government Affairs Specialist focusing on grassroots advocacy.  Each of these roles allowed me to make a difference and they were all possible because of the support, encouragement, and vision of the amazing people I have the opportunity to work with.

Q: How do you feel that your role is a “vital part” in supporting our patients and our company?

A: One of my colleagues said it best when asked about what government affairs does and her reply was, “…there is a lot of work behind the scenes but it can all be summed up in one word: Advocacy.”  One of my primary roles is to work with state legislators across the country and connect them with the clinics in their districts to tour and learn about the facilities and teams.  Our goal is to educate legislators about dialysis, our patients, and the work that we do in order for them to make informed decisions regarding patient care. I have seen first-hand how these tours have had positive impacts on patients which is such a rewarding feeling. COVID-19 is not slowing us down when it comes to these tours. I am proud to say that my colleagues and I created virtual legislator clinic tours to connect these groups through technology.  Our move to virtual has been very successful due to teamwork and collaboration among many different departments.

I also had the opportunity to co-create a new program called Beyond The Walls, that was developed and launched in 2019 by the State Government Affairs Department. This program is designed to connect Regional Vice President's, DOs, and now any Fresenius Medical Care North America employee with their local, state legislators in a proactive manner in order to create relationships by attending legislator district events. This is another way of legislators getting to know us, what we do, and how they can help our patients.

Q: Describe an experience or feeling that stands out when thinking of your career with FMCNA, it could be in relation to one of our four pillars (below) or simply a story that describes why you do what you and why you choose FMCNA to do it with.

A: Grateful. Working at FMCNA has provided me numerous opportunities to grow personally and professionally. I was introduced to the Women’s Employment Resource Group (WERG) and am currently serving my second year as the Social and Networking Chair. Being a part of this group has allowed me to host some incredible events like Fireside Chats with Executive Leaders, social events, and led me to be on the Young Professional Advisory Board for the National Kidney Foundation New England Chapter.
Throughout all of these opportunities and more, I have been fortunate to meet extremely incredible and talented people. At the end of the day, helping people and working with a company that feels the same way is extremely important to me. What I appreciate most about this company is that they practice what they preach from putting patients first, supporting their employees to incorporating our core values in all that we do.
I am about to start my 5th year and I can honestly say that I still love going to work every day and I am excited to see what my future holds!

About Fresenius Medical Care

We have become a global leader in healthcare because of the unwavering dedication our people bring to work every day. Whether that means developing new-to-market dialysis technology or educating patients, our team touches the lives of more than 190,000 patients through innovative care and profound, personal connections.

With Fresenius Medical Care North America, you will “be the difference,” enabling patients to thrive, providing comfort to families, supporting coworkers so they can realize their goals, compelling our company to achieve through innovation and performance, and driving the development of your career.

Our team is made up of over 70,000 dedicated employees in North America. All of them focus on being the difference and delivering the highest-quality care to people with kidney disease – helping them to lead longer, better, and healthier lives.

Why Join our team?

• Rated as one of Forbes’ U.S. Best Employers
• Paid one-on-one training
• Tuition reimbursement
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(K) and much more