What Really Matters

Shana Crabtree ’96 on Happiness, Healing, and Purpose

BY SUSIE ZIMMERMANN
PHOTO BY DESILU PHOTOGRAPHY

Many people start their day with a to-do list—work assignments, errands, appointments, and other deadline- and task-oriented items. Shana Crabtree ’96 has a different list.

“Growth mindset is the journey—and the outcome becomes the application of what is learned.”

Shana with her mother Phyllis, her sister Summer, and Summer’s children, River ’38 and Parker Rose Pomeroy ’37.

The Predictable Path

At SSSAS, Shana learned early how to balance her time, juggling academics with athletics. She appreciated the school’s academic rigor and credits it with preparing her for success in college and medical school. She also began developing what she now recognizes as a growth mindset, although her understanding of the concept has evolved.

“I always thought a growth mindset meant learning, and I was always learning knowledge—in school and in my medical career,” she says. “But it’s really about how you approach life when the going gets tough. It’s a shift in reframing from fear of failure to learning opportunities. Growth mindset is the journey—and the outcome becomes the application of what is learned. 

Lacrosse was both a passion and a priority for Shana, and she continued playing in college at Vanderbilt. “It shaped who I am today,” she says. “It taught me about teamwork, time management, and the importance of exercise. Exercise builds discipline and relieves stress, two critical life skills. I didn’t realize that at the time, but now I appreciate the emphasis on it in high school.” 

Shana also values the spirit of helping the school instilled in her. Rather than a specific volunteer program, Shana remembers how helping others in the classroom or on the field was simply part of everyday life. “It wasn’t something for a college application, but part of who I was then, who I am, and who I aspire to be.” 

While majoring in math and preparing for medical school, Shana also made time to enjoy college life and Nashville’s country music scene. After graduation, she worked in medical research, studying smallpox antibodies and genetic screening for Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. She found the work to be fascinating and it confirmed her decision to pursue medicine.

She specialized in pediatrics at the University of Louisville because she “loved the resilience of kids and how quickly they recover.” After completing a residency in general pediatrics, she decided to pursue further training in pulmonology. “I had asthma growing up and spring lacrosse season was always a challenge,” she explains. “I didn’t want any kid to be held back from sports.”

The Turning Point

For years, Shana’s life followed a clear, structured, and predictable progression—high school, college, research, medical school, residency. 

There was always another step and a new goal. “I worked hard for each one, but I forgot to enjoy the present,” she reflects.

Once she entered private practice, she expected a sense of fulfillment. Instead, she was working long hours with little time to enjoy her accomplishments, or even the simpler pleasures of eating, sleeping, and making friends. She had a hard time saying no to any work request. So, after three years, she decided to switch to academia in search of a better balance. Three years later, she found herself burned out again.

The pattern became apparent: the first year felt exciting and new; the second was spent trying to fix broken systems; and by the third year, she realized many things could not be changed. She had achieved the goals she had set long ago but was unsure where to go from there.

Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, along with a series of personal challenges: the end of a relationship, the death of a beloved dog, and worsening asthma. Feeling lost, Shana made the decision to step away from medicine for a year.

“I was a people-pleaser, always trying to do the ‘right thing,’” she says. “All the loss forced me to question what actually made me happy, beyond titles and achievements. Medicine had been my entire identity, and I had no idea what else to do.”

Taking time off was very scary, she admits. “It took courage I didn’t know I had, but sometimes you have to hit rock bottom and feel you have nowhere else to go.” That time off became not just rewarding, but essential.

Leaning into Happiness

Shana began with coaching and studied the teachings of Dr. Laurie Santos, a cognitive scientist and professor of psychology at Yale. Her popular classes and “Happiness Lab” podcast address the science of well-being. The material resonated deeply with Shana. 

“I realized that I needed boundaries and to discover how I can take control in situations where so much feels uncontrollable,” she says.

Before her year away from medicine ended, new opportunities began to emerge. She started working with her sister in her family’s charitable foundation, the Phyllis P. and Scott A. Crabtree Family Foundation. She also began leadership coaching at her father’s business, the Pohanka Automotive Group, and established her own coaching business. 

“Life became full, really happy, and fulfilling,” Shana says.

Medical work returned in a new structure when a pediatric pulmonologist at her former hospital, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, took maternity leave and Shana was asked to step in. “Practicing medicine in smaller and shorter stints made those three months so much fun,” she says. “I was a different person and had better tools to manage stressors that used to overwhelm me.”

Shana continues to provide part-time support to the Wake Forest Hospital Pediatric Pulmonology Department, taking six weeks of on-call duty throughout the year as well as caring for cystic fibrosis out-patients two to three days each month. “I’m helping patients as well as the team, and that’s given me a whole new perspective on medicine.”

More from More and Less

Shana has learned what she needs for her daily happiness. “I like being in control of my schedule,” she explains. “Having multiple jobs works better for me. It forces boundaries and time management, instead of letting one job take over everything.”

Shana also learned that fulfillment matters more than salary. Today, she gives half of her paycheck from her work at the hospital back to the pediatric pulmonology department to support patients and the medical team, including funding the department’s first pediatric pulmonary retreat. “I’m able to help drive change and make a greater impact, even while working fewer hours,” she says.

Most importantly, Shana has gained flexibility—the freedom to travel, speak, volunteer, and engage deeply with her community in Winston-Salem. 

“Being intentional means learning to say no,” she says.

“Saying yes means possibly giving up something, and the benefits must outweigh the risks.”  Time, space, and rest—especially sleep, which she now prioritizes—have allowed Shana to make thoughtful choices about her direction.

She’s also gained time to put down new roots. While searching for property with enough land for her dogs—“watching them run really makes me happy”—she discovered and purchased the Lasater-Mill House, part of a historic estate in Winston-Salem. During renovations, she has lived next door, envisioning a future that includes chickens and bees, just the right amount of acreage to manage, and a home for everything she wants to do.

She’s already imagining shag dance parties and has hosted an office retreat. The Mill House will become a place for gatherings, retreats, and community—another way to give back while nurturing her own happiness.  

Looking back on her journey, Shana now sees clarity and contentment as part of her daily life. 

“Success is reaching my mission statement daily,” she reflects. “Organizations use mission statements to define values and measure success. It’s the same for people. It’s an ongoing process, something we must revisit constantly.” 

For Shana, that ongoing work has become its own form of success—a steady, purposeful path shaped by the elements that matter most.