Connect

This is the latest installment in our Connect article series “Hope at Work” — showcasing inspiring stories about how our team members contribute to UVA Health’s 10-year strategic plan: “One Future Together Health and Hope for All.” No matter where you work, you have an opportunity to inspire hope in others. These stories show how.

And March is Women’s History Month — a time to celebrate the lasting contributions of women throughout history and within our own community. This year’s theme, “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations,” celebrates the profound influence of women whose leadership has propelled teams, families, and communities to succeed. Hilary Woodier, RN, MSN, CCRN (third from left) Nursing Supervisor at UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center, is one of these women:

All in the Family

After more than three decades serving in various nursing roles around the country, Hilary moved to UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center 11 years ago. She inspired her daughter to follow in her footsteps — Caroline Mastrangelo, RN, BSN, (right), has been a nurse since the late '90s. She's part of the nursing staff at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center’s Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab.

Hilary’s grandson, Cameron Haynes (top photo), works in the Materials Management Department at Haymarket Medical Center, delivering and stocking system supplies. 

Head of the Class

Hilary’s decades-long nursing career almost didn’t happen. As she prepared to graduate high school at the top of her class, her guidance counselor called her in and asked, “What do you want to do for college — do you want to be a nurse, a teacher, or a secretary?” 

“Those were the choices for women back then,” Hilary says. “That’s how it was in the '60s. Things were changing, but not that fast at the time.” 

Considering that she didn’t know anything about nursing and hated typing, she decided to pursue her love of history and become a history teacher. When her long-time boyfriend returned from Vietnam, they got married. Shortly after, she started working and going to college part-time. It wasn’t until her first child was born, that her career path took a turn.  

Career Switch

“I had a really rough experience with delivery and aftercare,” Hilary recalls. “The nurses who took care of me were gruff and rough. That should be a very happy time and I thought, ‘I can do better than that!’ I was interested [in this field] because I had a child to take care of, so I was reading a lot of medical books, learning about different diseases, and so on.”

Hilary applied to the new nursing program at a nearby community college, and despite heavy scrutiny about how she would balance nursing school along with being a wife and a mother, she was accepted. Whitier excelled in nursing school, graduated, and began her career just as she had hoped — as an obstetrics (OB) nurse. Over the next three decades, Hilary earned her associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.

She gained nursing experience in specialties including orthopedic and neurosurgery, intermediate care, cardiac critical care, and women’s care — as her career took her to Mississippi, Hawaii, South Carolina, Florida, and finally to Virginia. She spent 24 years at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she helped open the cardiac and women’s centers, led the effort for Epic integration and go live for the nursing staff, and became the nursing director for the women’s center. After more than two decades in Fairfax, she was ready for her next chapter. 

Heart of Haymarket

“I decided to take a leap and just fell in love with the people and culture at UVA Health Haymarket [Medical Center],” Hilary recalls. “I welcomed the chance to start something new with a new culture and be the ‘heart of Haymarket’ as I call it, serving our community ... we have all ages, all populations, all religions — it’s just a really interesting mix of people.” 

“When I went to interview, I was really taken with the experience,” she continues. “I was in my 60s at that point … but instead of being looked down upon because I was older, I was welcomed for my expertise. I felt like I was valued for what I had already accomplished. I told myself I could give this two to three years — and here it is, 11 years later — and I don’t want to go anywhere!” 

Since joining the UVA Health team, Hilary certainly has been recognized for her expertise, being promoted to Manager of Acute Care Service, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, and now, Nursing Supervisor. 

Legacy of Mentorship

There are numerous women Hilary credits for helping her grow throughout her career. She admiringly recounts that her nursing manager in Fairfax encouraged her to apply for a management position — a conversation that motivated her to become an assistant manager, manager, and later a director at Inova. 

“I did love that job — it was my first management job. I was always grateful to her for recognizing something in me and encouraging me, and because of that, I’ve encouraged other people.”  

Growth Opportunity

Hilary remembers other women who have pushed and challenged her along the way, including the director of nursing in Fairfax who called on her to lead the Epic go live for all five Inova hospitals. “I told her that I’m not a computer person … and I remember she said to me, ‘I don’t want you for your computer skills. I want you for your ability to reach people, communicate, and care about them. That’s what you do.’ It ended up being a fabulous opportunity and I got to meet and support so many wonderful young people coming into the profession. It’s never something I would’ve applied for, but it was such a growth opportunity for me.” 

Hilary also honors the tremendous influence of Barbara Hocking, EdD, MPA, BSN, the beloved former Chief Nursing Officer for UVA Health’s community medical centers and clinics in Northern Virginia and Culpeper, who passed away in 2023. “Barbara asked me to be Associate Chief Nursing Officer. I never would’ve applied for that otherwise,” Hilary says. “I told her, ‘For you, I’ll do it!’ It’s never a job I would’ve gone for, but it was a great opportunity and I’m proud that I did.” 

'A Place I Can Be Proud Of!'

As she reflects on the remarkable career she’s had, there is still so much Hilary wants to accomplish. 

“My biggest goal is to make UVA Health be the absolute best and serve our community as it grows,” she says. “We are the ‘heart of Haymarket’ and I mean it. We want to be the place people trust, where they know they’re going to get great care. Our culture since we opened has been one of attracting good people and keeping them — it’s a place I can be proud of!  My opportunity now is to help make it the best place it can be.”