A Career Built Around Mission: Angie Sickmon Reflects on 25 Years with Pathways
For Angie Sickmon, a career with Pathways was never simply about having a job. It was about finding an organization whose mission resonated deeply with her and becoming part of a team committed to making a difference.
Today, Angie serves as a Clinical Documentation Specialist at Pathways, but her journey with the organization has taken her through just about every corner of clinical care. Her path to Pathways began more than 30 years ago when she started her nursing career as an LPN, working primarily in long-term care. After moving to Colorado, she worked at North Shore, where she encountered the Hospice of Larimer County team, which later became Pathways.
“I just appreciated so much what they did,” Angie recalls. That experience inspired her to return to school to become an RN, with the goal of eventually becoming part of the organization she had admired.
After completing her RN education, Angie applied at Pathways and was hired. She began by wearing many hats, stepping in wherever she was needed. She eventually moved into the role of RN Case Manager while also assisting with on-call, after-hours, triage and the Care Center when needed.
After years in direct patient care, Angie moved into leadership, beginning as a CNA Supervisor before serving as a Clinical Team Director and eventually as Director of Clinical Services. Earlier this year, she transitioned into her current role as Clinical Documentation Specialist, where she continues to support quality care and the clinical teams through documentation and education.
While her roles have changed considerably, one thing has remained constant: her connection to the Pathways mission.
“I would say what has kept me connected to Pathways over the years has really been our mission,” Angie says. “The work that we do is so meaningful, and the people that we do it with are the best.”
Angie has witnessed tremendous change during her time with Pathways. When she started, the organization served a census of approximately 70 to 80 patients. She remembers the excitement of reaching 100. She has seen the organization transition from pagers to cell phones, from paper charts to electronic medical records, and ultimately become part of the broader Care Synergy Network. Through all of those changes, she says, being part of the organization’s evolution has been an honor.
For Angie, the key to navigating change is simple: stay focused on why the work matters.
“Things are going to change. Things get tough,” she says. “But if we all continue to focus on the mission, focus on supporting one another, we always get through it.”
After 25 years, Angie’s advice remains simple: “The work we do is really important, and I think that is why so many of us choose to give so much of ourselves to it. We give our time, our energy and our hearts to a mission we truly believe in. It is rewarding work, but it isn't always easy, and there will always be challenges. Through it all, it takes all of us—working together, supporting one another and remembering why we are here. When we stay connected to the people we serve, the mission we believe in and each other, we are able to face both the good times and the challenging ones together. I think it is the relationships we build, the trust we have in one another and the way we show up for each other that help us not only keep going but find a way forward through whatever comes our way.”
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