By Rachael DiCicco, Vitals contributor

During Women’s History Month, Sutter Health honors the women whose dedication, leadership and compassion have strengthened care for generations. Together, Janet Steiner and Cristina Camozzi represent 87 years of service, spanning clinical excellence and operational leadership and reflecting the lasting impact women have across every corner of healthcare.

Though their paths differ, both women built careers rooted in purpose, growth and a deep commitment to patients and people.

Legacy of Care at Sutter

Janet Steiner, a radiologic technologist at Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, has a legacy that spans an incredible 46 years of service. Steiner’s path into healthcare began as a teenager working after school for an orthopedic surgeon. She knew she wanted a career in healthcare but hadn’t yet found her calling until her boss suggested she become an X-ray technologist.

“He told me I’d always have a job and be able to support myself,” Steiner says. “I thought X-rays were interesting, so I followed his advice and applied to the Peninsula Hospital School of Radiologic Technology.”

After graduating in 1981, Steiner got a job at Peninsula Hospital, now Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. Today, she continues to serve the Burlingame community as a radiologic technologist.

“It’s hard to believe I’ve been here 46 years,” she says. “It feels like I just started yesterday. It doesn’t feel like work to me. I’m just doing something I enjoy doing.”

In the early days of her career, Steiner performed a variety of diagnostic imaging tests, including mammograms, CT scans and interventional radiography. For the last 25 years, her work has focused on bone density exams that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.

Steiner sees nearly 80 patients each week and has built long‑standing relationships with many of them, finding deep fulfillment in the personal connections and shared familiarity that develop over time.

In addition to her clinical work, Steiner teaches one day a week in the hospital’s radiography program, giving back to the very school where her own career began. As an educator, she helps shape the next generation of radiologic technologists with both expertise and humor.

“I’m training the students who are going to be taking care of me someday, so I want to make sure they know what they’re doing,” she says. “It also keeps me on my toes because they’re always asking questions.”

Steiner’s commitment to education ensures that her impact extends far beyond the patients she sees today.

Over the past 46 years, she has seen dramatic advancements in imaging technology. What hasn’t changed, she says, is Sutter’s commitment to patient care and investing in tools that support high-quality outcomes.

Reflecting on her journey, Steiner feels thankful for the opportunities she’s had, the team she works with and the meaningful work she continues to do every day.

“Sutter has given me many opportunities to grow over the years,” she says. “I work with a great team, and I feel blessed in so many ways.”

Enduring Impact at Sutter

For more than 41 years, Cristina Camozzi has dedicated her career to Sutter Health and helping shape the patient experience across the Bay Area. During Women’s History Month, her story stands as a powerful reminder of the impact one woman can make through perseverance, growth and a deep commitment to caring for others.

Camozzi’s journey reflects Sutter’s mission to care for patients first and people always. Over four decades, she has not only witnessed the evolution of healthcare, but she has helped lead it.

Camozzi joined Sutter shortly after relocating from Seattle, beginning her career as a biller and coder for emergency department visits at Peninsula Hospital, now Sutter’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. While the work was meaningful, what left a lasting impression was the people.

From her first days in the business office, Camozzi felt welcomed and supported, a sense of belonging that would define her experience at Sutter for decades to come.

As Sutter expanded, so did Camozzi’s career. She progressed through roles in the follow-up unit, patient advocacy, cash posting and eventually moving into management overseeing the follow-up and contract unit. Each role strengthened her understanding of operations and reinforced the importance of patient-centered care.

In 2016, she assumed her current position as Director of Patient Access and Registration for Bay Area hospitals, where she continues to play a key role in supporting both patients and frontline care teams.

Her career mirrors Sutter’s transformation, from a smaller organization to a far-reaching, integrated health system. Along the way, Camozzi helped guide teams through major milestones, including hospital mergers, the transition to Epic, revenue cycle transformation and ongoing work aligned with Sutter’s 2030 vision.

“These changes didn’t just reshape the organization,” Camozzi says. “They changed how we support our teams and how we care for our communities.”

Today, Camozzi’s role focuses heavily on revenue cycle operations and process improvement. She works closely with managers across Bay Area hospitals to identify opportunities that directly impact patient access and experience.

Her leadership style is grounded in collaboration and mentorship, shaped by decades of hands-on experience and a deep understanding of how operational excellence supports quality care.

When asked what made a 41-year career possible, Camozzi points to the relationships she’s built along the way. Supportive leaders, talented colleagues and strong partnerships kept her inspired and engaged year after year.

Many of those professional relationships grew into lifelong friendships, another reflection of the strong culture Sutter fosters.

“Sutter shaped who I am as a professional and as a leader,” Camozzi says. “I grew up here.”

For those just starting their careers at Sutter, Camozzi encourages openness and self-advocacy. “Speak up, ask questions and share your ideas,” she says. “Sutter is a place where you can grow if you stay engaged and advocate for yourself.”

A Lasting Legacy

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Steiner and Camozzi’s stories highlight how meaningful careers are shaped over time through commitment and care. Across clinical practice and operational leadership, their work reflects the many ways women strengthen healthcare every day.

Together, their 87 years at Sutter and Mills-Peninsula tell a story not only of service, but of relationships built, teams supported and patients cared for across generations. Their influence continues through the people they mentor, the systems they help guide and the standard of care they model for those who follow.