Courtney Contrades

Name Courtney Contrades

Age 28

Town/Moku Kapaʻa

Island Kauaʻi

Leadership Category Education

Nominated by Kahealani Peleras

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

I am currently an Emergency Medical Technician on the island of Kauai. We respond to emergencies around the island and provide first aid and life support to sick or injured civilians with expeditious transport to definitive care. On my free time I enjoy running, weight training, jiujitsu, and spending time with my friends and family.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

The work that I do is important to me because I care about my community. Working in an environment where people are calling you to help them at a time where their life may depend on it, allows me to feel like I am making a positive impact in my community. We respond to emergencies in various environments. It is important to constantly be prepared for all types of medical emergencies because our community relies on us to be ready at all hours of the day. I have always felt a need to serve my community, and working as and EMT is a humble step toward fulfilling that goal.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

Some of the qualities of leadership that I admire include Integrity, resilience, and communication. I incorporate integrity into my everyday life by being honest with my colleagues, patients, and family. I have the integrity to be an advocate for patient's who may not be able to take care of or speak up for themselves. I also have the integrity to admit when I have made a mistake during and outside of my work environment. I do not let my failures set me back from reaching my goals and aspirations in life. I am resilient and use my failures as fuel to my fire, and continue to practice and train for the next opportunity. I use communication throughout my daily life. It is important to make sure that my medic and I are transparent with each other when we are delivering patient care. I have good communication in all aspects of my life, making sure that I am clear and honest with my colleagues, family, and friends.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

My father and brother has inspired me to be a first responder. My father being a retired police officer, and brother being a firefighter, has encouraged me to also serve my community in this way.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Growth

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

Change