Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska manager Cynthia Hume doesn’t just openly embrace the company’s value of community service. She lives it.
Hume, a BCBSNE claims manager, serves on the boards of eight nonprofit organizations, including Susan G. Komen, the Iowa West Foundation and 100 Black Men of Omaha, to name a few. When it comes down to deciding which boards to serve on, Hume said she considers what interests her.
“The way that I look at it is what fills your bucket?” Hume said.
As a 13-year breast cancer survivor, serving on the board of Susan G. Komen is one way Hume fills her bucket. Recently, she had the opportunity to speak at the organization’s annual Full Circle Breakfast. Her speech highlighted the fact that African American women are 41 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than Caucasian women.
While Hume’s history influences her decision to serve on boards like Susan G. Komen, others, like her spot on the Centro Latino board, are born from curiosity.
“We at Blue Cross support inclusion,” Hume said. “I want to learn about cultures I don’t know a lot about.”
So how does Hume find the time to serve on eight boards? She said it’s not as difficult as people might think.
“People think it’s a lot of time, but it’s really not,” she said. “I can watch a movie for more than an hour. Instead, I use those hours to leave a positive impact on the community.”
Hume recommends that people who want to get involved in the community try volunteering at an organization that interests them because nonprofits can always use volunteers.
“It’s how they survive,” she said.
As for BCBSNE’s involvement in the community, Hume said the organization is “generous” when it comes to providing employees with the opportunity to serve.
“BCBSNE gives employees the flexibility to participate,” Hume said. “It sends a strong message to the community that BCBSNE supports them.”
