Charleston Women-Summer 2021

www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. I ns tagram. com /Char l es tonWomen CW - 31 C hristina Oh, newly appointed President and CEO of Trident Health System, didn’t grow up expecting to pursue a career in health care administration. With family roots in West Virginia, she initially wanted to become a nurse like her grandmother. The two were extremely close, and Oh described her grandmother as her best friend. A trail blazer in her own right, Oh’s grandmother was both a divorcee and single mother who became certified as a public health nurse during a time when all three were less common. She used her career to advocate for families, women and children within her community. Oh remarked, “People who carried a torch like that back then sort of paved the way.” Her grandmother didn’t look down on others with disdain, and instead provided much-needed health care education and advocacy. Oh’s father was also the first in the family to go to college, and Oh always admired his business sense, crediting him for passing it along. Her mother and grandmother knew firsthand what personal adversity looked like and imparted their sense of conviction, compassionate strength and people skills to Oh. As thoroughly practical people, Oh’s parents moved to many locations to follow her father’s career. She shared, “It was BY FAY M. BOUDE T Family Ties Meet Christina Oh, President and CEO of Trident Health System charleston women Chr i s t i na Oh’s grandmother was her greates t i nspi rat i on .