Melanie Sleime named chief human resources officer at Adirondack Health

SARANAC LAKE – Melanie Sleime joined Adirondack Health as chief human resources officer in June.

???????????Sleime and her family relocated to the Adirondacks from Florida.

???????????She most recently served as vice president of people and culture at VNA of the Treasure Coast in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a focus on human resources and is on track to complete her masters of business administration from Florida Tech later this year.

???????????The Sleimes were drawn to the Adirondacks by its sense of peace and the community atmosphere they felt while vacationing here. She said they’re enjoying the scenery and culture of the Adirondacks, like going to the Saranac Lake Farmers Market, walking at the Paul Smith’s Visitor’s Interpretive Center, and hanging out in Lake Placid.

???????????Over her 32 years in healthcare administration, Sleime said she realized that connecting with people and developing trust is more important than any policy or rule.

???????????“I’ve been very lucky to work in a position where I have the opportunity to connect with people,” she said. “Trust is a key component of culture for any organization, and that’s my daily challenge: how do I get people to trust me and the organization, and how [do I] approach someone with sincerity versus a sales pitch?”

???????????Her goal is to let employees know that even if they’re meeting with HR to discuss something difficult, the employee can still be successful if something hasn’t gone well.

???????????“They can still make a patient’s life better,” she said. “That’s the appeal of the job to me.”

???????????Sleime said she’s proud of her human resources team, which includes Tatiana Wilson, Teri Stiles, Courtney Bubner, and Trevor Beaudette, and credited them with acclimating her to her new role here.

???????????“My whole team has gone out of their way to make sure I feel welcome and understand process and things about this role,” Sleime said.

???????????Two of Sleime’s major goals are to increase employee engagement and make sure the organization is competitive from a compensation standpoint.

???????????“We need innovative ways for our employees to grow within the organization,” she said.

???????????Outside of work, Sleime and her husband (who are big Pittsburgh Steelers fans) look forward to the next stage of their life, becoming “empty nesters” this month as both their daughters head to college in North Carolina. Sleime also enjoys socializing with friends, gardening, collecting Christmas ornaments, and traveling with her family.