Seattle Children’s is thrilled to welcome Jamie Phillips as its senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO).
As a leader with over 25 years of healthcare administration experience, Phillips comes onboard with both an exceptional resume and a genuine desire to serve and make a difference for Seattle Children’s patients, families and workforce.
“The option of healthcare administration came on my radar early in college. It has a great connection to my skills and talents to give back to others at the most vulnerable periods in their lives,” Phillips explained. “It’s extremely rewarding and fulfilling, which aligns well with my purpose and passion as a person and a leader.”
As Seattle Children’s new COO, Phillips will help drive system-level operations and strategy. This includes, but is not limited to, providing executive direction and management for all system-wide clinical operations, partnering with the Executive Leadership Team to develop strategic and operating plans, participating in goal development, decision-making regarding resource allocation and development of continuous process improvement strategies.
Self-described as curious and open-minded, Phillips always tries to learn from different perspectives to make the best decisions and achieve the necessary results for an organization.
“Deep down, Seattle Children’s commitment to be the catalyst for change that’s rooted in the culture and the workforce excites me the most,” she said. “The mission and strategy here are progressive and innovative in the pediatric community. Other children’s hospitals consider Seattle Children’s to be at the forefront.”
Throughout her first 90 days as COO, Phillips is focused on listening, understanding, building relationships and learning how Seattle Children’s functions as an organization.
“I’m most proud when I witness the impact of what a team can do for individuals within the organization at any level,” she said. “For example, I love watching people come in at entry levels within an organization and flourish to new roles. It goes back to my purpose and passion: building up a team to be successful.”
Phillips joins Seattle Children’s from UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, California. She has also held administrative positions at other children’s hospitals, such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
She looks forward to utilizing her breadth of experience to address the biggest opportunities and challenges that healthcare organizations currently face, including the aftermath of COVID-19, the complexities of a new work environment and remote workforce, and the aspiration to bring care closer to home for Seattle Children’s patients and families through its local, regional and national presence to ensure a healthier pediatric population.
“I grew up in a working-class family, and one learning that became apparent was the amount of family support and structure required to survive,” Phillips said. “These life experiences grounded me to find a career where I could give back to others and my community.
Phillips is married to her husband, Greg, of 27 years and together they are the parents of two children, Brista and Cam. She is excited to dive into her new role at Seattle Children’s and to explore the Pacific Northwest.
“It’s a privilege to be in a role at this level and to serve the organization by playing an integral role to build a healthier future for all.”
