From Dishwasher to Director: Jesse Rowley's Journey Through Heart, Hustle and Service
July 29, 2025
When Jesse Rowley walked through the doors of Canyon Vista Medical Center in 2019, he wasn’t expecting to lead a department one day. Hired as a “Nutrition Aide,” Jesse started where many great leaders do— on the ground level. From stocking nutrition rooms and delivering trays to patients, to overseeing a full department as the Food Services Director today, Jesse’s journey is one of quiet determination, humility, and a deep belief in service.
“I remember how busy we were on my first day—the patient count was in the high 80s,” Jesse recalls. “But what stood out to me most wasn’t the pace. It was how much the team cared about the service we were providing.”
That spirit stuck with him. Through long hours, learning curves, and challenges—including a stretch where he worked 31 days in a row without a break—Jesse stayed grounded in one thing: the patients. “They need our support. We can’t let them down.”
As Jesse moved up, first to cook, then supervisor, and eventually into leadership, he began to see a bigger picture. “I started to understand how food service is a vital part of the healing process,” he says. “If we serve poor-quality meals or lack compassion, it affects our patients’ health and experience.”
He credits much of his growth to the people who mentored and believed in him—like Interim Director Hunter Hying and Executive Chef Fernando Delgado, both of whom modeled consistency, positivity, and dedication to excellence. “Hunter gave me a clear path and helped me stay on it. Chef Fernando had a work ethic that said, ‘keep going until the job is done.’ I try to emulate that every day.”
But Jesse isn’t just looking back—he’s investing forward. Under his leadership, CVMC’s Nutrition Department has cultivated a culture of internal growth. “My Production Manager, Retail Manager, and Culinary Supervisor all started as hourly employees. When your team sees that their leader started in the same place they did, it changes what they believe is possible.”
That belief has led to tangible success. His department has maintained a retention rate above 90% for the past three years and continues to receive praise for both quality and service. Jesse himself is still growing, too—he’s currently earning his business degree in Healthcare Support Systems with the help of a scholarship from HHS, CVMC’s food service partner.
Reflecting on his journey, Jesse says he’s proud of his adaptability and mindset, but most of all, of his team. “We’ve built something special here. We still have room to grow, but we’re on the right path—and we genuinely care about what we do.”
For Jesse, food service isn’t just about meals. It’s about moments of dignity, comfort, and care. “We always ask ourselves, ‘If someone we love were upstairs, what kind of care would we want them to receive?’ That mindset guides everything we do.”
In Jesse’s story, we see more than career progression. We see the heartbeat of CVMC—people who grow, lead, and serve because they care.
