Dream big and build connections. That was the advice Wendy Brandon, CEO of UCF Lake
Nona Hospital, gave the graduates of University of Central Florida College of Health
Professions and Sciences, College of Medicine and College of Nursing during her
commencement address at during the ceremony at Addition Financial Arena on Friday, May 3.
Brandon was welcomed and introduced by UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. Speaking
from the experience of a successful 30-year career in hospital leadership at HCA Healthcare,
she emphasized the impact of relationships, especially for those called to a career in healthcare.
Brandon encouraged the graduates to never forget the life-changing impact of trusting
relationships, not just with their colleagues but also with their patients.
“When you encounter your patient, they will often be at their most vulnerable—sick, injured,
scared, needing your help, expertise, compassion, and wanting a good outcome,” Brandon said.
“When you can give them what they need and want while building a connection with them, that’s
when the magic truly happens for you and for your patient.”
Brandon went on to share her advice for building relationships with people in all walks of life.
“Invest time to get to know people. Be interested and curious to learn what they value.
Communicate to build trust with them. Present yourself as a happy, positive, approachable
person. Have empathy for the life circumstances of others. These approaches can lead to real
connection and relationship with others,” she said.
Brandon is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Since 1995, she has held
numerous leadership positions in hospitals owned by HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s
leading providers of healthcare services. For the past seven years, she has served as CEO of
UCF Lake Nona Hospital, a partnership hospital between the University of Central Florida
Academic Health Sciences Center and HCA Healthcare. She led the design and development of
the hospital campus and built a premier team of talented people to serve Lake Nona and the
communities in Southeast Orange and Osceola counties through this technologically advanced
medical facility.
Through her volunteer leadership, she has worked to improve quality of life in the Orlando
region by serving as a trustee and chair of the board for Seminole State College. She currently
serves as a board member and former chair of the board of CareerSource Central Florida and is
a member of the Orlando Economic Partnership Board of Directors. Additionally, she has been
part of the executive committee for the American Heart Association (AHA) Central Florida Heart
Walk since 2023 and will serve as event chair in 2025. She is a member of AHA’s Circle of Red
and serves on the board of Shepherd’s Hope.
The commencement for College of Health Professions and Sciences, College of Medicine and
College of Nursing was one of six UCF commencement ceremonies this week. Other speakersinclude former Sen. Bill Nelson, NASA administrator; Kevin Thibault, CEO of Greater Orlando
Aviation Authority; Ericka Pace, division president for Lennar Orlando; Steve Hogan, CEO of
Florida Citrus Sports, and Robert Long, president and CEO of Space Florida.
UCF awarded about 9,800 degrees this spring, sending a talented group of highly skilled
graduates into careers in in-demand fields across Central Florida and the state. Those degrees
include nearly 3,000 in STEM fields, about 1,400 in engineering and computer science, about
1,400 in business and about 400 each in nursing, digital and emerging media, and hospitality
management.
Located in the heart of Orlando’s Medical City, UCF Lake Nona Hospital is a 64-bed, full-service
medical and surgical acute care hospital serving Lake Nona and surrounding communities in
Orange and Osceola counties. UCF Lake Nona Hospital offers 24/7 emergency care, luxury
family birthing units, inpatient and outpatient surgery including minimally invasive and robotic
technology, oncology, diagnostic imaging, weight loss surgery, laboratory services and a
cardiac catheterization lab. The hospital employs the latest innovative solutions and life-saving
technology, including non-invasive focused ultrasound incisionless brain surgery for the
treatment of debilitating tremors and Parkinson’s disease. UCF Lake Nona Hospital is a
partnership between UCF Academic Health and HCA Healthcare North Florida Division.
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 650 affiliated sites
of care, including hospitals, physician practices, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care
centers. United as a statewide network in 2022, HCA Florida Healthcare includes approximately
11,100 experienced doctors and more than 84,000 colleagues working together to deliver
equitable, evidence-based collaborative care through more than 11.6 million patient encounters
each year. HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to improving more lives in more ways and
giving back to the communities it serves. The network provides more than $903 million in
uncompensated care and contributes nearly $2.2 million to community organizations across the
state. In addition, HCA Florida Healthcare offers patients access to highly-trained specialists,
including the state’s largest cardiovascular network. A strong advocate for the next generation
of healthcare professionals, HCA Florida Healthcare is also a major supporter of university-
based healthcare programs and residencies and fellowships throughout the Sunshine State. For
more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
