“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others”. My journey to a long career in public service and health care was partly shaped by that quote and an early encounter with a friend who had a hard life. Being in healthcare during COVID-19 AND in New York City was challenging. But all of us have been impacted by the pandemic—either healthwise, financially, or emotionally. It is time to recommit to helping others and to stepping away from the cocoons many of us retreated into over the last several years. Donna Lynne has had a 47 year career in public service and not for profit healthcare organizations. She has served as the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Operating Officer for the State of Colorado, focusing on accountability, transparency and performance measurement. Her healthcare roles include CEO of Denver Health, COO of Columbia University Medical Center and Executive Vice President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan. Her passion for public service and health care comes from a belief that everyone deserves access to essential services. Her Tedx talk looks back on certain defining moments in her life, her career choices and a call to action for each of us in the post-pandemic world. Donna finds the following quote to be the most inspiring “The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others" This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx