Cape Fear Valley Health

Britt-Angela Ward

Workforce Excellence Champion

Britt-Angela Ward is a results-driven talent acquisition leader known for building highperforming teams and delivering exceptional candidate experiences at scale. She is passionate about transforming the hiring journey into a seamless, engaging and world-class experience from application through onboarding.

Ward leads with a strong commitment to the 4 Es, a philosophy that anchors her approach to talent strategy and candidate engagement. Under her leadership, the talent acquisition function consistently delivers thoughtful, inclusive and high-touch experiences that ensure every candidate feels valued and respected regardless of the outcome.

Leading through Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

I am a collaborative and servant leader who sets clear expectations and provides steady and strategic guidance to my healthcare team. I am passionate about fostering innovation through continuous improvement and empowering my teams to share new ideas. I am known for building strong, high-performing teams and I consistently drive successful outcomes while cultivating a culture of trust, accountability and excellence.

Addressing Today’s Healthcare Workforce Challenges

Healthcare organizations today are navigating an unprecedented workforce crisis defined by two deeply interconnected challenges: a persistent nursing shortage and escalating employee burnout leading to high turnover. These issues are not isolated. They form a reinforcing cycle that directly impacts patient care, operational efficiency and financial sustainability. For talent acquisition leaders, this environment demands a shift from reactive hiring to strategic workforce planning and retention-focused solutions.

The shortage of nurses is one of the most pressing concerns in the healthcare industry. While workforce gaps have existed for years, recent pressures have intensified the issue. A major contributing factor is the aging nursing workforce. Many experienced nurses are nearing retirement, creating a knowledge and experience gap that is difficult to fill quickly. At the same time, the pipeline of new nurses is constrained. Nursing schools across the country are turning away qualified applicants due to limited faculty availability, insufficient clinical placement opportunities and capacity restrictions. This bottleneck prevents the profession from scaling at a pace that matches demand.

Demand itself continues to rise sharply. An aging population, coupled with increasing rates of chronic illness, is driving greater utilization of healthcare services. Healthcare systems require more nurses across acute, ambulatory and long-term care settings. The imbalance between supply and demand has forced organizations to rely heavily on contract labor, increasing costs and creating inconsistencies in care delivery.

Elevating the Candidate Experience

Candidate experience is everything. From the moment someone applies to the day they are fully onboarded, every touchpoint should feel seamless, thoughtful and exceptional.

I lead with the 4 Es, ensuring we consistently deliver a world-class talent acquisition experience. I am proud to lead a team that is committed to creating an environment where every candidate, regardless of outcome, feels valued, respected and inspired.

Together, we are building a best-in-class Talent Acquisition function that delivers the 4Es eExceptional candidate Eexperiences, Eevery day, for Eevery candidate.

Building a Culture that Develops Future Leaders

Healthcare organizations are facing unprecedented workforce challenges, most notably nursing shortages and rising employee burnout. While strategic talent acquisition and retention efforts are critical, equally important is defining and cultivating the qualities that enable healthcare professionals to thrive in this demanding environment. Beyond clinical expertise, today’s healthcare workforce must embody a set of core attributes that support resilience, innovation and compassionate care. These qualities are not simply ‘nice to have.’ They are essential for navigating complexity, improving patient outcomes and sustaining the workforce in the face of ongoing pressure.

Healthcare is evolving rapidly, requiring professionals who can think beyond immediate tasks and anticipate future needs. Visionary individuals understand the broader impact of their work and contribute to shaping better systems of care.

For talent acquisition leaders, identifying and hiring individuals with these qualities is just as important as evaluating technical skills. Behavioral interviewing, valuesbased hiring and leadership assessments can help uncover these attributes early in the hiring process.

Equally important is creating an environment where these qualities can be developed and sustained. This includes leadership development programs, mentorship and coaching opportunities, supportive workplace cultures that prioritize well-being and clear career pathways and growth opportunities. Organizations that intentionally cultivate these traits will not only improve performance but also strengthen retention and engagement.