Meet Lowcountry Service Coordination Director Gale Parker
Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025
Lowcountry Service Coordination Director Gale Parker has dedicated her 18 years with DPH and DHEC to fostering growth. For her, professional development isn’t just a priority; it’s a passion that defines her approach to public health.
Gale believes that empowering employees to enhance their skills not only enriches their careers but also leads to lasting, positive change in the communities they serve.
What originally attracted you to work at DPH?
Almost 18 years ago, I was excited about the opportunity to train staff in new technologies and encourage them to never stop learning. As Workforce Development and Training Coordinator, it was my mission to ensure every staff member was provided the opportunity to grow professionally, strengthen their skills, learn new skills that would support career goals, and ensure customers received top notch service because of those skills.
DPH provides countless opportunities for staff to upskill. Whether people stay with the agency or take those skills elsewhere, they can always say that DPH supported their professional growth and afforded them the opportunity to meet career goals.
Designating time for staff to participate in the training of their choice speaks volumes about how the agency views professional development and growth. Learning is not only beneficial internally, but we are better able to serve our communities when we are equipped with knowledge of what is necessary to impact health and quality of life for the people we serve.
What do you value most about working here, and what has kept you from leaving?
My position has changed over the years, but my passion for public health has grown with every opportunity to promote healthy people in healthy communities. By supporting community outreach activities, emergency response efforts and coordination of services in our clinics, I witness firsthand the impact DPH makes in the lives of people all over the state. I am proud of the work that is done to ensure every person in need of public health services can receive top-notch, quality support from DPH.