Amanda Adams
Amanda Adams is a dedicated Senior Patient Relations Manager at Children’s Nebraska, where she has spent over a decade enhancing patient experiences and supporting families through complex healthcare journeys. With a strong foundation in organizational communication, Amanda excels at facilitating clear and transparent communication, conflict resolution, mediation, and employee coaching, ensuring that every interaction contributes to positive outcomes for patients, families, and staff.
Amanda began her career as an Executive Team Lead in Human Resources at Target, gaining valuable leadership experience before joining Children’s Nebraska as a Patient Relations Coordinator. Over the years, she advanced to her current leadership role, overseeing grievances, concerns, and patient feedback while fostering a culture of empathy, respect, and teamwork. Her approach to patient relations has been recognized for excellence and reflects her commitment to continuous improvement and organizational effectiveness.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from Creighton University, where she developed the skills that underpin her professional success. Known for her ability to connect with people and navigate challenging situations with grace, Amanda is passionate about creating meaningful experiences for families and empowering her teams to deliver exceptional care. Her career reflects a consistent focus on leadership, learning, and making a meaningful impact in healthcare.
• Training in Human Resources and Mediation
• Certificate in Patient Advocacy
• Creighton University - BS
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of hands-on experience, continuous learning, and a commitment to meaningful connections. Beginning my career in a non-clinical role in pediatrics, I discovered a passion for supporting families through challenging healthcare experiences and ensuring they feel heard and cared for. In my current role, I oversee grievances, concerns, and complaints, approaching each situation as both a learning opportunity and a chance to empower staff to address conflicts constructively while maintaining respect for families. I am proud that our grievance process has been recognized by the Joint Commission for excellence, reflecting our focus on urgency, teamwork, and continuous improvement. My experience playing Division I volleyball instilled discipline, resilience, and a mindset that drives my leadership, while additional training in HR, mediation, and patient advocacy, such as my certification through the Barrel Institute, allows me to support both staff and patients in meaningful ways every day.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was, “Listen first, act second.” Early in my career, a mentor emphasized that truly understanding people, their concerns, motivations, and perspectives, is the foundation of effective leadership. Whether addressing patient families, staff challenges, or organizational issues, taking the time to listen before responding has consistently shaped the way I lead and make decisions every day.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women entering my industry is to focus on helping others succeed while staying true to your values. Listen, learn, and lead with empathy, and never stop growing. Every person, patient, or team member has a story, and understanding their perspective is the foundation of effective leadership. Embrace lifelong learning by viewing challenges as opportunities to grow, pursuing training, mentorship, and new experiences to continuously improve yourself and your team. Do not avoid difficult conversations; address conflicts with empathy, curiosity, and a solutions-focused mindset, as constructive conflict leads to stronger teams and better outcomes. Finally, lead with people, not just processes. Policies matter, but relationships matter more, so prioritize trust, communication, and collaboration in every interaction.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare today is balancing patient expectations with operational realities, as families often arrive under stress and navigating complex systems can be overwhelming. Ensuring that every patient and family feels heard and supported while maintaining efficient, compliant workflows requires constant attention. Staff engagement and retention is another critical concern, and I focus on leading with empathy, providing mentorship, and fostering a culture where team members feel valued and empowered. Grievance management adds another layer of complexity, requiring timely, fair, and transparent resolution while training staff to learn from each situation. The rapid pace of change in healthcare, from regulations to technology, demands adaptability and lifelong learning. While these challenges are significant, they are also opportunities; approaching them with empathy, teamwork, and a commitment to improvement allows us to make a meaningful difference for patients, families, and staff alike.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are connection, empathy, collaboration, lifelong learning, and resilience. As a people leader, I have guided teams through recruitment, mentorship, and challenging situations, always emphasizing communication and growth. Giving back is also central to my values, and I have volunteered with local nonprofits, including Omaha’s diaper bank, where I helped package over a thousand diapers for families in need. From my time on the volleyball courts at Creighton University to leading teams in pediatric healthcare, I have learned that every interaction with a patient, family, or colleague is an opportunity to build trust, understanding, and positive outcomes. I strive to make a difference every day by leading with empathy, living my values, and staying committed to growth for both myself and those around me.