FAMILY VALUES

DR. JOYCE ASHAMALLA values family, both in her home and at the office. Gracefully balancing both her family and her career, Dr. Ashamalla has provided care and services to furry friends for more than 16 years as the managing partner of Hinsdale Animal Hospital.

What does the idea of power mean to you? The idea of power insinuates leading by example. Behave in the manner you would like to see in others.

What has been the most significant barrier in your career and how have you persevered? A barrier in my personal journey was learning to manage my work life as well as my home life. Having three children, including those with special needs, I wanted to be fully present and 100 percent in for both. The key to navigating has been to keep the main objectives at hand—ensuring my family feels loved, supported, and cared for, but also being an example of hard work has aided in that balance. At work, communication is everything with both the team and clients. That dichotomy has helped keep perspective. Perseverance is just that—keep going.

What are you most proud of doing? I certainly take pride in my career and family. Practicing the best medicine while operating an animal hospital including the administrative aspect and managing the team with excellent client service—it’s quite important to be well-rounded. By this I mean the importance of families. I love my work family and I’ve also been blessed with a wonderful husband and three fantastic children which I find an enormous sense of pride and gratitude in.

What is the most important characteristic of an effective leader? To be an effective leader you must be able to actively listen.

For more information, visit hinsdaleanimalhospital.com.