From admitting representative to future nurse: One team member’s story of growth at AdventHealth

When John Read joined AdventHealth as a 20-year-old college student helping patients through the admitting process, he had no idea how this decision would propel his career.

Ten years later, he is a leader at AdventHealth Palm Coast, serves as a mentor and has returned to school to become a nurse.

Read, 31, of Palm Coast, is an example of how AdventHealth supports its team members to grow, thrive and achieve their dreams.

“AdventHealth has guided me and helped me build an incredible and fulfilling career while also obtaining my education,” he said. “This is a place where people are invested in and encouraged to grow.”

Read’s journey began in patient access as an admitting representative. Encouraged to apply for this role by a colleague at his retail job, he immediately fell in love with the culture at AdventHealth.

“What hooked me wasn’t just the work itself, but the way my leaders trusted me and valued my voice,” he said. “I felt like my opinion mattered and that motivated me to grow and contribute in meaningful ways.”

With the help of AdventHealth’s tuition reimbursement program, Read earned both a bachelor’s degree from Daytona State College and a master’s degree in business management with a focus on health care from Western Governors University – all without any student debt.

The impact of AdventHealth extends beyond Read’s professional life. It’s where he met his wife, Abigail, nine years ago. Together, they’ve built a family with children Brylee, Major and Margo.

“I’ve used the parental leave program twice to soak up all the ‘firsts’ with my little ones,” Read said. “That time was priceless.”

Outside of work, Read mentors youth in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, helping kids build confidence and discipline – values he also applies when leading his team at AdventHealth.

“Whether it is coaching athletes on the mat or team members at work, it is all about growth and transformation,” he said.

Faith is also a central theme in Read’s journey.

He describes his role in consumer access as being more than just a job – it is part of AdventHealth’s healing ministry, helping prepare patients for care with a welcoming and faith-filled first interaction with the hospital.

“Being the first friendly face patients see and helping them prepare for their care is incredibly meaningful,” he said. “It’s why I’m still in love with it nearly 10 years later.”

For Read, his journey is far from over, but it already serves as a powerful reminder of what’s possible at AdventHealth, the only national non-profit health care system headquartered in Florida. With 100,000 team members, AdventHealth is among the largest faith-based systems in the U.S., spanning over 50 hospitals across nearly a dozen states.