Remarkable Women: Part 1 — Chris Sikes

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the vital role women play in history and their contributions to society, and locally, multiple women have taken on leadership for programs that are making an impact on the community. Chris Sikes is doing this as a Nurse Manager for Houston County Health Department, giving back to her hometown in her current role.

Growing up in the school district, Sikes faced a challenge ahead as a teen that shaped her future and her perception of the community. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, and underwent chemotherapy for 15 months.

“That is where I discovered my passion for education and nursing,” Sikes said.

After recovery, she went to Georgia Southern University and the Georgia College School of Nursing, taking a job at Houston Healthcare after graduation.

After a few years at the hospital, she had the opportunity to interview for a position within the public health department, and while she initially didn’t know what it entailed, she took the chance after learning that it combines her passions.

“Everything they said about the opportunity to combine education and to grow in the state employment system and to serve Houston County was exactly what I wanted to do, and use my nursing skills that I just gained,” Sikes said.

Working in public health for two decades, Sikes transitioned to leadership and has served as nurse manager for 12 years.

Sikes cited a solid background in nursing, medical and surgical experience through Houston Healthcare, her faith and her passion for serving the community as factors responsible for success in her current role, saying she was excited to give back to the community that has helped her in years past.

“The summation of the experiences I’ve had in this community, combined with the road bump of having cancer as a teenager, that gave me the passion and the commitment. My faith in God and my spiritual faith gave me the desire to serve in this capacity and to be a servant,” Sikes said.

In becoming a leader, Sikes was inspired by her community, her upbringing in a military family and proximity to strong female leaders in her family, her friends, and at work. Work leaders preceding her and an opportunity to attend leadership conferences with Mercer University made the workplace a conducive environment to developing leadership skills.

“Here in public health, I’ve had some very strong leaders before me that were kind enough, and generous enough to let me watch and grow with them. They allowed me to grow and make mistakes, and make decisions that someone would make as they were growing, and they allowed me to learn from those,” Sikes said.

Improving her leadership ability is a constant mission for Sikes.

“I try to take everything as an opportunity to learn, but I don’t think anyone will ever perfect leadership, because the people you lead are all unique and individual,” Sikes said. “So you can’t apply the same thing to each person, and you always have to adjust to what individuals need.”

Sikes describes herself as a servant leader, and said leadership is all about understanding the overall mission and goals and opening communication on that goal, as well as addressing individual needs within the team, working alongside whenever possible.

“I love nothing more than to be boots on the ground, doing the actual work, but I’ve also been taught through very generous people who have helped me to be able to pull back and know when I need to have a more broad view,” Sikes said.

Through this method, Sikes serves as a central figurehead for multiple clinics and projects that make healthcare more accessible to the public, and caring for people while working with a dedicated team of providers is something she is honored to take on.

“I view my work as a privilege and an honor, to be able to serve Houston County in this way,” Sikes said. “The county gave so much to me — they gave me my education; they gave me their support as a young person going through medical struggles. When I was younger, they were there for me and so this is something that I feel entrusted with and it’s a privilege to be able to do this.”

Sikes wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I absolutely love doing it and I can’t imagine myself doing anything or being more passionate about any other type of work that there is. To be able to teach people to set them up for better success, to increase their knowledge and hopefully do something to make their lives healthier and better, I mean, you can’t ask for more than that.”

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