Team Member Spotlight: Danielle Apple, Clinical Research Coordinator

How long have you worked at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and PolicyLab?

I have been with CHOP and PolicyLab for a little over a year and half. ??????????????????

What is your role within PolicyLab and CHOP?

I am a clinical research coordinator for the Gender and Sexuality Development Program, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness (CPCE) and PolicyLab.

You’re also the staff lead of PolicyLab and CPCE’s Culture Workgroup. Can you tell us about the workgroup?

The Culture Workgroup (CWG) is a team of leaders and staff across PolicyLab and CPCE who organize events and initiatives to enhance employee engagement and well-being. We are a diverse group of voices who want to make PolicyLab an engaging, supportive and fun place to work.

Tell us about some of the activities the Culture Workgroup hosts for the center.

One of my favorite programs we started this year is the Movement Series, which offers monthly opportunities for team members to move together. As a group exercise instructor myself, I am a huge advocate for joyful, intuitive movement that brings people together, and I was so excited to bring my passion to PolicyLab.

We also partnered with the Center for Professional Growth at CHOP to create a 6-month personal development series called “Thrive in Transition.” Each month, our colleague, Greg Hedler, leads us through a different topic that focuses on how we can navigate and thrive during these challenging times while optimizing our professional, personal and emotional well-being. Greg is a brilliant content creator and has brought so much joy to our center.

We also host events for new employees, organize group volunteer and social events, and continually seek feedback on what our employees want. This winter we are excited to bring back our holiday volunteer event where we “adopt” local families and work together to fulfill their holiday wish lists! I love that we can offer a variety of events to reach as many employees as possible.

Why do you think it’s important for organizations to intentionally focus on workplace culture?

Workplace culture is everything. When people find themselves in toxic, negative or unsupportive work environments, everything is affected. Mood, engagement, satisfaction, connectedness—all of these critical components of an optimal work life are compromised.

If organizations want results and efficiency, they need to understand that its employees are human and require more than just a paycheck. Happy workers translate to better performance, and we can create the conditions to be happy at work by focusing on workplace culture. I would love for all organizations to have a workgroup like ours, and I am so grateful that PolicyLab makes culture a priority.

You mentioned that you also work with CHOP’s Gender and Sexuality Development Program and CPCE, meaning you sit within different departments at CHOP. Does that experience give you a unique perspective on how to build a sense of community among teams and encourage a positive workplace culture?

That’s an interesting question. I think it does. One thing I’ve learned from my role in the Gender Program is that creating an inclusive, supportive environment is critical to the emotional, relational and physical well-being of all individuals. Our trans and nonbinary youth are rejected and treated with such indignance in so many spaces simply for who they are. I am more conscious than ever of not just supporting the LGBTQ+ community, but also fostering positive interactions with every person I meet.

Kindness is the simplest yet most underutilized way of connecting with people and making them feel safe and supported in your presence. You never know what people are going through, and if we could just treat each other with respect and humility, there would be so much more happiness in the world. So, to answer your question, I try to embody that perspective in my role as a leader to create community and a positive working environment.

How do you see your role in leading the Culture Workgroup contributing to your professional growth?

My role in the Culture Workgroup affords me the opportunity to develop and utilize my leadership skills, which is very beneficial as I aspire to hold leadership positions in the future. It also allows me to connect with different individuals within and outside of CHOP that I do not work with on a daily basis and learn about various programs and initiatives happening inside and outside of work.

I love connecting PolicyLab employees with the many opportunities and resources available to them, and this position allows me to exercise my coordinating and planning skills outside of a research context. It also keeps my creative muscle active and, overall, has contributed to my professional and personal development.

And lastly, is there anything you do outside of work to cultivate the positive energy you bring to your roles at PolicyLab?

A big part of my life is movement and exercise, and I find that I perform the best at work and in life when I prioritize my physical and mental wellness. It’s so easy to let the little things that bring us joy in life slip away when we are busy and overwhelmed, but focusing on movement keeps me grounded, optimistic and energized.

I also value my relationships with friends and family; having positive interactions with the people I love fills my cup and supports me on days when I’m not feeling my best. One thing I’ve learned to do more is practice self-compassion. Some days I won’t be as positive or productive as I’d like to be, and that’s okay! We need to give ourselves the same grace and patience we give our loved ones and recognize when we need to take a step back. Mental health is so important, and in order to show up as our best selves at work, we need to give ourselves permission to just be when life gets hard.