Kathleen Shon
Field Service Representative
Kathleen Shon joined Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) in 2020, right at the height of the pandemic. Originally from Hawai‘i Island, she moved to O‘ahu after college in search of a full-time role in healthcare. Drawn to DLS for its strong reputation and the chance to gain meaningful hands-on experience, she began as a phlebotomist. At first, she thought the patient interaction would be valuable experience on her path to medical school. But soon, she found herself fascinated by the work happening behind the scenes in the lab – the complex instruments, the testing process, and how results made their way back to doctors and patients. That spark set her on a new path in laboratory medicine.
With encouragement from her managers and peers, Kathleen returned to school for her MLT certification, supported by DLS through training rotations and mentorship. She gained experience across chemistry, hematology, and coagulation while working at Queen’s Medical Center. The opportunity to see how critical results directly impacted patient care gave her a sense of purpose. “It still felt really good to be that contributing factor, knowing these results are critical and treatment needs to be done now,” she explained.
Today, Kathleen is a Field Service Representative, bridging DLS with providers across the community. Her unique path from patient-facing phlebotomy to bench work to client services has given her a well-rounded view of the laboratory’s impact. What keeps her at DLS, she says, is the culture. “From the start, I’ve always felt a sense of ‘ohana and aloha at DLS – it’s nice to have that sense of support and care when you come to work every day.” For Kathleen, DLS isn’t just a workplace. It’s a place where you can grow, contribute, and feel part of something bigger.
