About the Author
Aurora P. Realin, MBA, CDM, was born in the Philippines. She moved with her family to Queens, NY, when Aurora was thirteen years old. “In New York,” she recalls, “I attended public school for the first time in my life. All my life, I had grown up with people who looked and acted like me. I wasn’t used to seeing different people from all walks of life. Talk about culture shock! I also noticed that most of the students gravitated toward people of their own kind, or people they liked, and they could be quite unkind to others. Most of them weren’t open to other views and ways of life. By contrast, I did my best to make friends with the ‘outcasts,’ partly because I thought of myself as different, so in essence, I felt like we were in the same ‘boat.’ Even back then I dream of a world where differences between people would not be an issue, where everyone - no matter who they were, or where they came from - would all get along, and the word ‘diversity’ would no longer be an issue because accepting others would just be part of our everyday life.”
More About Aurora Realin
Aurora grew up in a medical family with a physician for a grandfather, a pharmacist for a grandmother, and a brain injury rehab certified registered nurse for a mother. As a result of their experiences, she developed her own passion for helping others from all walks of life, especially within the context of healthcare. She earned a BS in Communicative Disorders (Speech Language Pathology) from the University of Central Florida and an MBA, with emphasis in Healthcare Administration, from Southern Adventist University. She also holds a Certificate in Diversity Management in Healthcare (CDM) from Simmons College.
Today, Aurora serves as the Manager for Diversity and Inclusion at AdventHealth – the largest admitting hospital in America – where she has worked since 1998. She also serves as the Chairperson for The Beacon Network – a community organization whose focus is to promote diversity and inclusion in the Central Florida community, and is also an active board member in both her church and children’s school. She is married to Chris, a Police Officer First Class for the City of Orlando, and they have two sons, Christopher and Christian. Her mission in life is to accept, include, and love all people and help them to do the same for each other. She considers it truly a God-given privilege and honor to serve in her current role, which affords her the opportunity to help build relationships and further enhance the concept of inclusion at Florida Hospital and the larger community she serves.
Publications
Personalizing Patient Care: A Reference Guide for Healthcare Professionals, 4th Edition