From dropout to difference-maker: Jesse Cotter’s path to purpose

For Jesse Cotter, lead of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at AdventHealth Avista, a career in health care wasn’t always part of the plan—or even something he believed was within reach. Raised amid poverty, drug abuse, domestic violence, and dangerous individuals, Jesse’s early life offered few clear paths forward. But a spark—ignited by his grandmother’s compassion as a health care provider—planted a seed that would eventually grow into a calling.

“She was an amazing teacher,” Jesse recalls. “The passion she had for her patients was a major influence on my future.”

Still, Jesse’s road to a career in health care was anything but linear. After dropping out of high school, he was advised by a family friend to consider a career in X-ray technology, a recommendation that ultimately proved pivotal for his future.

“That day I sort of just set my mind to it and went after it relentlessly,” he says. “Luckily, I found out that I absolutely adore caring for people.”

While working full-time in materials management and later in sterile processing, Jesse juggled overnight shifts and full-time coursework at Red Rocks Community College. He often was only able to sleep for 30 minutes in his car before heading into clinicals. But his determination never wavered.

“I finished my competencies early so I could shadow specialty departments like MRI, Cath Lab, and IR,” he explains. “I fell in love with the Cath Lab and spent my remaining clinical hours there as on the job training.”

That love turned into a career. Today, Jesse serves with purpose in one of the most high-stakes environments in the hospital.

“During a STEMI, our patient is the most critical in the hospital. The adrenaline is exhilarating. After two hours with a team I trust like family, we can see immediate results and a life saved.”

But for Jesse, the most meaningful moments happen before and after the procedure.

“If I can gain the patient’s trust, make them smile and laugh before or after a major procedure, then my passion is complete. The procedure is my job; the patient is my passion.”

He credits his team’s unique chemistry—equal parts precision and compassion—for making the Cath Lab feel like home.

“The level of trust and the connection that I have with each of my coworkers in the Cath Lab is truly special. The concentration we all put in when the procedure starts is paramount. When that switch flips, we become almost robotic in our skill and seriousness, yet we still maintain humor and kindness. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Jesse now gives back by mentoring at-risk youth through the Gateway to College Program at Front Range Community College—the same program that helped him finish high school and launch his career.

“I always tell the students about how this program changed my life. I was poor, disadvantaged, and in a bad place at a young age. It could have been an excuse to be a victim, but instead I let it teach me how to deal with difficulty and through federal funding it even paid for my college career.”

His advice to new grads?

“Don’t be a victim, be a survivor. Volunteer. Shadow. Ask questions. Find work you’d do for free. And never let someone tell you that you can’t do something.”

He lives by the words of Winston Churchill:

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”