Women’s History Month Spotlight: Cené Aje

Cené Aje,

Regional Director of Operations, Environmental Services, Inova and Johns Hopkins Health Systems

I joined Crothall in 2012 as part of the Manager in Training program in Environmental Services. Since then, I’ve worked as an Operations Manager, Assistant Director, Director, and now as a Regional Director, in many different environments. 

Throughout my journey, many women have played a key role in advancing my career. For example, Kim Fortino, who was one of the first EVS Directors I reported to, not only taught me the operations, but also instilled in me the importance of showing appreciation to the teams that we manage. She prioritized recognition and engagement, and therefore early on in my career, I adopted this value.  

When I moved to Northern Virginia to work in the Inova Health System, I had the opportunity to be surrounded by many women in company leadership including the RDO who I reported to, Amie Falvo (formerly Amie Hatt) and other fellow Directors. I was fortunate to witness first-hand how Amie excelled in keeping clients happy and meeting demands of the company, balancing it all. I was encouraged to incorporate these leadership qualities as I continued to grow. Despite this industry being predominantly male led, the women I encountered inspired me.  

Mentoring Others

All of the guidance I’ve received has prepared me for the responsibilities of my current role.  I oversee approximately 700 people at 9 hospitals and several ambulatory sites. Of the 10 Directors in my region, four are women, which makes me proud. 

Before joining Crothall, I worked for one year as a manager at Walgreen’s. I will always remember the challenge of starting from ground zero, so I try to recruit and guide other women who can be successful here; I’m always on the lookout to find women who will be a good fit for our company. A few years ago, I hired Faith Ralston, who was working at the Panera Bread on the campus of Inova Fairfax Hospital. She was very pleasant, and I had a good feeling about her. I told her about the company and hired her as an Operations Manager. She was a fast learner and very talented. She has moved up the ranks to becoming one of my high performing EVS Directors, currently working at Howard County Medical Center.  

Managing for Success

I’ve been managing teams since the beginning of my career; smaller ones at first, now larger ones. I believe that to build a strong team, it’s important to prioritize developing others, and to create culture of teamwork, mutual support, and open communication.  

My team has received many company awards within the region that we’re very proud of, including Platinum-Plus account awards, awards for safety, awards for HCAHPS, and recognitions for meeting and exceeding financial targets. The team works so hard to achieve outstanding results and remain a flagship account for Crothall.  

Life Outside of the Office

My family is the most important part of my life. I spend free time trying new restaurants and attending sports events with my husband. And we have a two-year-old daughter, Noelle, who brings us so much joy! It’s been very fun and rewarding raising her. 

I love to listen to music, podcasts, and a lot of audio books, ranging from motivational books to personal memoirs. 

I also enjoy traveling, especially to beach destinations. The Dominican Republic has my favorite beaches, but any place warm is on my list. 

I try to make everyday count by making someone smile, or learning something new.