By Katie McKiever, Vitals contributor

A proud U.S. Air Force veteran, reality television show winner, and healthcare leader, Vecepia Robinson’s heart for serving others, plus her focus and drive have formed the foundation for her success.

Robinson comes from a family full of veterans. Her grandfather, father, two brothers, and sister also served their country.

It’s been 35 years since basic training where Robinson learned how to deeply connect with her fellow airmen and women. In her role as an Air Force military security police officer, she patrolled a fence line, crewed an F-15 fighter jet, and help maintain a defensive fighting position in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. She was named Airman of the Year and inducted into the U.S. Air Force Sports Hall of Fame.

Vecepia Robinson on “Survivor: Marquesas”

In 2002, she deployed her exceptional interpersonal skills to capture the top spot on the fourth season, “Survivor: Marquesas,” of the competitive reality television series “Survivor.” She was the hit show’s first African American champion.

Flash forward to today. Robinson uses her interpersonal skills in her role as the director for the Office of Patient Experience at Sutter Bay Medical Foundation. She says she looks forward to huddling with her supportive team and helping them throughout their day.

“I don’t even look at myself as their leader because they have skills that I don’t have and I have skills that they don’t have and we just mesh together so well,” Robinson says. “As a veteran, a good leader always wants a strong team that has their back. I just love working here at Sutter because we really do have the cream of the crop.”