Jessica Gutierrez-Rodriguez

Jessica Gutierrez-Rodriguez is the proud mother to Marianne, a 7-year old born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, pulmonary valve stenosis and a ventricular septal

defect. Marianne has had a Glenn Shunt and the Fontan Procedure. Jessica never realized

that her personal experiences with her daughter would have such a profound impact on

her career in healthcare.  She is currently the Director of Clinical Support Services at the Texas Center for Infectious Disease and previously worked at the San Antonio State Hospital. Surviving Marianne’s two open-heart surgeries allowed Jessica to understand patients better, especially the importance of making them feel like they are the only ones that exist.  Jessica is recently the recipient of the Founder’s Award for Generative Space, which is a concept that is used in the design of healthcare facilities and environments. She also sits on two national boards including the Healthcare Facilities Symposium Advisory Board and the Caritas Advisory Board.