Pamela Hewitt
Senior Administrative Assistant II
Patient Care Services Administration

Soon after Pamela Hewitt gave birth to her first daughter, she knew she couldn’t keep working overnight shifts as a patient care technician at Baylor University Medical Center.

Her sister, Paula – her best friend and surrogate mother – worked as a nurse at the former St. Paul Hospital at the time and encouraged her to apply for a Unit Secretary position there. Ms. Hewitt followed her advice, interviewed, and was hired on the spot. That was 45 years ago.

“The time just sneaks up on you,” says Ms. Hewitt, who has held several positions through the years and now works as a Senior Administrative Assistant in Patient Care Services Administration at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. “Being here this long, I’ve seen the changes. I’ve grown with the facility. You just roll with the punches.”

Part of her longevity, she adds, is she never stops learning – how to collaborate with others, how to be a reliable co-worker, and how to lead with compassion for everyone whose path she crosses in the hallway.

“Some visitors are lost,” she says. “They’ll be holding a piece of paper that says where they need to go, and I’ll say, ‘Come with me’ and walk them there.”

Not one to seek the spotlight, she prefers working behind the scenes and finds satisfaction in knowing that she – and every colleague she’s worked with through the years – has played a role in UT Southwestern’s mission and success.

“My co-workers and I support each other,” Ms. Hewitt says. “If one is going through something, I’ll tell them, ‘Just let it roll like water; everything will be OK. Now, what can I help you with?’”

Serious when she needs to be, Ms. Hewitt isn’t shy about showing a little silliness when someone needs a smile. And while she attributes many of her professional qualities to her time at UT Southwestern, she credits God for her patience and genuine love of people. Her foundation remains her faith and family – her husband of 47 years, Gerald, and their two daughters, both of whom have built careers in the U.S. Navy.

“God grants us what we need to help others,” she says. That includes what we need ourselves, she adds, which in her case involves creamer-sweetened coffee, computer games, and Twilight Zone TV marathons.

“They are how I de-stress,” Ms. Hewitt says, readying herself for another day of making a difference.