A new role often brings a mix of excitement, new challenges, and opportunities to grow. For Kenya Fontanez, BSN, RN, stepping into her role as Health Services Administrator at Chaves County marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in a healthcare career that has already spanned more than 15 years.
Kenya joins CorrHealth with experience across several areas of healthcare, a passion for administrative nursing, and a personal connection to the profession that began long before she earned her nursing credentials.
As she settles into Chaves County, we are excited to welcome Kenya and give our CorrHealth team members and city and county partners an opportunity to learn more about the person behind the role.
A Healthcare Journey That Started With a Personal Experience
Kenya brings more than 15 years of healthcare experience to Chaves County, including five years as a Registered Nurse. Throughout her career, she has worked in Labor and Delivery, Long-Term Care, adolescent health, medical and chemical dependency rehabilitation, and now correctional healthcare.
Each setting has provided Kenya with a different perspective on patient needs and strengthened the experience she brings to her new position.
But her interest in nursing can be traced back to a much more personal experience.
As a teenager, Kenya became a mother. During that time, the nurses caring for her left a lasting impression.
“My inspiration to become a nurse was from the amazing nurses that cared for me when I was a teen mom having a baby,” Kenya shares.
That experience helped inspire a career centered on caring for others. Years later, Kenya now has an opportunity to make that same kind of meaningful impact for patients and the healthcare professionals she supports.
Finding the Right Opportunity at CorrHealth
Administrative nursing has long been an area of interest for Kenya, so when the opportunity arose to become the Health Services Administrator at Chaves County, the position felt like a natural progression in her career.
“Administrative nursing has always been a true passion of mine,” Kenya says. “When I was approached about the opportunity to serve as the Health Services Administrator for Chaves County, accepting the position felt like a natural next step.”
Her decision was also influenced by a connection between her own values and CorrHealth’s mission.
“CorrHealth’s mission to ‘Do Right’ strongly aligns with both my personal values and professional goals.”
As Kenya begins this new chapter, she is especially looking forward to continuing to learn, growing professionally, and making a meaningful impact on both the Chaves County team and the inmate patients they serve.
Stepping Into the HSA Role at Chaves County
As Health Services Administrator, Kenya oversees the daily operations of the medical department at Chaves County, with a focus on maintaining safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services.
Her responsibilities include supervising nursing team members, managing staffing needs, supporting compliance with CorrHealth policies and regulatory standards, coordinating with correctional and healthcare partners, and promoting ongoing quality improvement.
It is a role that requires balancing many responsibilities while remaining responsive to the needs of inmate patients, team members, and the facility.
Kenya believes integrity, adaptability, and strong communication are especially important when guiding a healthcare team in a correctional environment.
“I believe in leading by example,” she says. “A successful leader must also be able to remain calm under pressure, make informed decisions, and balance the needs of patients, staff, and the facility.”
Her broad clinical background gives her valuable experience to draw from as she navigates the unique responsibilities of correctional healthcare.
Learning, Growing, and Navigating a New Chapter
Kenya is joining the Chaves County team during an important period of transition, which means one of her immediate priorities is helping maintain a smooth transition while becoming familiar with new systems and processes.
That includes learning to navigate the facility’s new electronic health record system, while becoming familiar with her team, workflows, and day-to-day operations.
Rather than viewing the learning curve simply as a challenge, Kenya sees it as part of the professional growth she was looking for when she accepted the position.
She brings a philosophy to the role that is both simple and deeply personal:
“Love generously, listen attentively and reassure gently.”
It is a belief that Kenya says guides both her personal and professional life. In healthcare, where listening and communication can be just as important as clinical knowledge, that philosophy offers a glimpse into how she approaches relationships with the people around her.
Continuing Her Education Beyond CorrHealth
Kenya’s professional growth does not stop when her workday ends.
She is currently attending graduate school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where she is studying to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.
“Wreck ’Em,” she adds proudly.
Pursuing an advanced degree while taking on the responsibilities of an HSA reflects Kenya’s continued interest in expanding her knowledge and building upon the experience she has gained throughout her healthcare career.
Kenya is also fluent in Spanish, another skill that complements her healthcare background and her ability to communicate with people from different communities and backgrounds.
Getting to Know Kenya Outside of Healthcare
Away from work and graduate school, Kenya’s favorite place to be is with her family.
“My husband and kids are my life,” she shares.
And while some people recharge by filling their schedules with activities, Kenya is perfectly happy when the weather provides an excuse to slow things down.
She especially enjoys cozy, gloomy, rainy days spent at home watching movies with her family.
It is a simple way to recharge before returning to a schedule that includes family, graduate school, and her new responsibilities at Chaves County.
Welcome to Chaves County, Kenya!
Kenya brings years of healthcare experience, a passion for administrative nursing, and an eagerness to continue learning to her new role with CorrHealth.
From the nurses who inspired her as a teenage mother to the diverse clinical experiences that shaped her career, each chapter has contributed to the healthcare professional she is today.
Now, as Kenya begins her next chapter as Health Services Administrator at Chaves County, we are excited to see the relationships she builds, the growth she experiences, and the impact she will make alongside her new team.
Welcome to CorrHealth and Chaves County, Kenya. We are happy to have you with us!