Cathy Lee’s Classic LifeCare journey began in 2012 as an Administrative Assistant. Since then, she has shown remarkable growth fueled by her diligent work ethic and ambition. Swiftly after joining, she transitioned to a Client Care Coordinator where she worked for 6 years. From there, Cathy made history at Classic LifeCare by becoming the first Service Coordinator within the company. This role allowed her to manage and mentor a team of Client Care Coordinators in Vancouver. In 2023, Cathy was promoted to Operations Lead, where she now oversees Classic’s four branches. She is the go-to person for inquiries and is always looking for opportunities to enhance the business.
Over the years, Cathy has met and supported many employees and clients. One memory stands out from her early days in scheduling: “Building relationships is an integral part of Classic and we always try to visit our clients so that they can put a face to the name. It helps us to get to know each other better. There was one client that I found quite challenging. One day. I went to visit this client and I was so nervous. However, the visit has always stuck with me because it was such an eye-opening experience. It showed me the impact of our services on our client’s lives. It helped me to have empathy and understand the pain and challenges that they face daily. After that meeting, we had a better relationship as there was a mutual understanding.”
Pioneering Leadership and Embracing Learning Opportunities
Cathy often carries out employee onboarding and educates others about the company culture. One of Cathy’s favourite projects was developing the Client Care Coordinator manual. “I am very proud of the manual because it is still used today and has helped many Client Care Coordinators within Classic LifeCare. Back when I started with Classic, there was a lack of documentation, all the training was done verbally. It was the start of the documentation process for Classic, where we transformed the knowledge that was in our heads onto paper. I wanted to create something more user-friendly, easy-to-understand, that reflected what Classic was all about.”
Cathy credits Classic LifeCare for fostering her diverse skill set, allowing her to delve into departments like HR, Marketing, and Finance. Her advocacy for personal and professional development within the company echoes her dedication to ongoing learning.
“COVID was difficult in so many ways. During this time, I was heavily involved in recruitment and training. The pandemic forced us to move our in-person orientation and training modules online to our employee website. During this time, I created presentations, videos, and voiceovers for each module. This project pushed me to learn more design skills, something that I never anticipated learning. I began exploring different platforms and it was a year where I saw substantial growth in my skill set.”
Milestones and Reflections:
Cathy’s recent promotion to Operations Leader marks a pivotal moment in her journey. Reflecting on her 10-year anniversary, she feels a deep sense of gratitude and hopes to extend similar opportunities for others’ growth within the company.
For Cathy, the heart of Classic LifeCare lies in its people—colleagues who’ve fostered her growth and made work enjoyable. Describing Classic as “caring, motivated, and supportive,” she emphasizes the meaningfulness of the healthcare industry’s work.
Cathy’s vision for Classic LifeCare is to continue growing while staying grounded in its values and roots, preserving the personal touch. Her hope is for Classic to always prioritize its people and maintain its heartfelt essence.
