Her Story
About Amy
Amy Van Ness is a senior operations executive and business transformation leader with more than a decade of experience driving global operations, customer experience, and organizational performance. She most recently served as Vice President of Global Operations, where she led more than 70 teams across 40 international offices, overseeing 130 products and three global brands. During her career, Amy advanced from an entry-level call center associate to executive leadership, earning a reputation for translating complex business challenges into scalable operational solutions. Her expertise spans operational excellence, process improvement, AI-enabled innovation, customer experience, cross-functional leadership, and large-scale business transformation.
Throughout her career, Amy has successfully led organizations through periods of rapid growth, operational change, and global disruption. She directed customer recovery efforts for more than 65,000 travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic, spearheaded organizational redesigns that generated seven-figure annual savings, launched leadership development programs, and implemented technology solutions that eliminated thousands of hours of manual work while improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Today, she is the founder of The Amy Plan, a luxury travel and event design company that creates fully customized travel experiences by combining strategic planning, technology, and personalized service to deliver seamless, memorable experiences for clients.
Amy earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bentley University and furthered her education through international studies at Copenhagen Business School and graduate coursework in Project Management and Consulting. She credits her success to exceptional mentors who challenged her to think differently, a willingness to embrace feedback without defensiveness, and a steadfast commitment to accountability and continuous growth. Guided by the belief that the best leaders create clarity from complexity while empowering others to succeed, Amy is passionate about building high-performing teams, solving meaningful problems, and turning ambitious ideas into measurable results.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amy
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've had really good managers who really pushed and challenged my thought processes and taught me how to ask the questions that matter. Don't let the hard days win. Listen to feedback that people give you, don't get defensive. Ownership and accountability are key.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Take it till you make it. Externally, no matter how insecure you may feel, you can never drop your confidence or let it waver. You can ask for help, but you can't lose your confidence. Because if that shows, a lot of people will take advantage of that.
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