Administrative Fellowship

Seattle Children’s Hospital – ranked as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report – serves as the pediatric referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. For over 100 years, we have cared for children with illnesses and injuries. Though much has changed in pediatric medicine during the past century, we are proud that Seattle Children’s has often been at the forefront of these advances.

Seattle Children’s is dedicated to caring for our young patients, training healthcare professionals, pursuing research and clinical innovation and serving our community. To achieve our vision of being an innovative leader in pediatric health and wellness, one of our strategic plan goals is to develop the next generation of pediatric healthcare leaders.

• Fellowship description

  The two-year fellowship program is tailored to the administrative fellows’ specific interests, as well as to organizational initiatives, during their tenure at the hospital. Fellows will also gain valuable mentorship and professional development opportunities from Seattle Children’s senior executives.

  In the first year, fellows will focus on project-based work in different areas of the organization. In the second year, they will obtain line management experience in a preferred department.

  Key areas of focus in the first year may include (but are not limited to): 

  • Hospital operations, inpatient and ambulatory
  • Continuous Improvement and Innovation
  • Strategic planning
  • Financial management
  • Patient safety
  • Information technology
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Physician partnership

  Our community welcomes diverse experiences, backgrounds and thoughts because this is what drives our spirit of inquiry and allows us to better connect with our increasingly diverse patients and families. Each of us is respectfully encouraged to be ourselves within this community, which cultivates and promotes diversity and inclusion at all levels.

• Objectives

  The primary objectives of the Administrative Fellowship Program are to: 

  • Support fellows in developing a comprehensive understanding of pediatric hospital operations
  • Prepare fellows to assume a contributing role on a healthcare management team
  • Provide fellows an opportunity to enhance important managerial competencies such as customer service, financial stewardship, operations management, change management and performance management

• Preceptor

  The fellows will directly report to Russ Williams, senior vice president and chief operating officer. Williams serves as the fellows’ direct supervisor and provides exceptional professional guidance, mentoring and support during the two-year fellowship.

• Current fellows

  2020–2022

  Makenna Sewell
  MHA, University of Washington
  First-Year Administrative Fellow

  Rahma Osman
  MHA, University of Oklahoma
  First-Year Administrative Fellow

  2019–2021

  Shanelle Lalor
  MHA, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
  Interim Ambulatory Manager, Clinical Nutrition, Seattle Children’s
  Second-Year Administrative Fellow

• Past fellows

  2018–2020

  Keahi Higa
  MHA, MPH, University of Utah
  Business Operations Manager, Imaging Services, Seattle Children's

  Melvin Smith
  MPH, Brown University
  Program Manager, IT Core Operations, Seattle Children's
  Supervisor, Desktop Support Team, Seattle Children's

  2017–2019

  Scott Sonntag
  LICSW, MPA, MHA, University of Utah
  Manager of Integrated Behavioral Health, SCCN, Seattle Children's

  2016–2018

  Kelsey Hyatt
  MHA, Tulane University
  Manager, Administrative Services, Seattle Children's North Clinic in Everett

  Snigdha Paruchuri
  MHSA, University of Michigan
  Executive Project Manager, Office of the CEO, Seattle Children's

  2015–2017

  Vince Chiu
  MHA, University of Pittsburgh
  Practice Advisor, CUMG, Seattle Children’s

  2014–2015

  Jamie Wood
  MHSA, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
  Senior Lean Consultant, Sutter Health

  2013–2015

  Jesse Favre
  MSW, MBA, Washington University in St. Louis
  Quality Manager, Belton Regional Medical Center

  Amy Jones
  DNP, Old Dominion University
  MPH, New York Medical College
  Director of Operations, Nicklaus Children’s Health System

  2012–2014

  Whitney Murphy
  MHA, University of Washington
  VP, Surgical Services, Seattle Children’s

  2011–2013

  Elliott Bosslet
  MHSA, Georgetown University
  Director of Surgeon Education, NuVasive

  2010–2012

  Aaron Dipzinski
  MHPA, Washington State University
  JD, Gonzaga University School of Law
  Director of Lean Transformation, PeaceHealth

  2009–2011

  Alison (Starks) Bender
  MHSA, University of Kansas School of Medicine

  2007–2009

  Michael Lo
  MHA, University of Washington
  MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas – Austin
  Director of Medical Specialties, Seattle Children’s

  Sapna Dhruv
  MHA, University of Houston – Clear Lake
  Regional Director of Business Operations, Memorial Hermann Medical Group

• Compensation

  Fellows are paid a competitive salary. In addition, they receive the benefits available to full-time employees, and are able to select one national conference per year to attend during the fellowship.

• Living in Seattle

  Learn more about living in Seattle.

• Application process

  • Current résumé
    • Three letters of recommendation (only one from a faculty member of your graduate program)
    • Please have the recommenders email letters directly to AdminFellowship@seattlechildrens.org with a subject line of “Last Name, First Name: Letter of Recommendation,” e.g., “Doe, Jane: Letter of Recommendation.”
  • Official transcript or unofficial transcript of completed graduate school courses
  • Narrative statement (less than 500 words) that addresses:
    • How your interest in healthcare management developed
    • Goals you would like to accomplish during the administrative fellowship
    • Your long-term career objectives
  • A short essay (less than 250 words):
    • Choose one of our organizational values (integrity, compassion, equity, innovation, collaboration, excellence) and describe why it is integral to healthcare leadership.

  Please submit all application materials, other than the letters of recommendation, in one PDF document with your name, email and phone number in the header of the first page by September 22, 2020.

  Webinar

  f you are interested in an informational interview with current administrative fellows, we are having an informational webinar on August 19, 2020, from 12–1 p.m. Pacific time via WebEx. Please log on early to ensure you have downloaded the necessary applications before we begin. For more details, please email us.

  • Link to join the webinar
  • Meeting number (access code): 141 376 2186
  • Meeting password: WMgpMb34DC7 
  • Join by phone: 650-479-3207 is the call-in toll number (U.S./Canada).

  Mail and contact information

  Applications are currently being accepted. Please email us your application in one PDF document, with a subject line of “LastName, FirstName: Admin Fellowship Application,” e.g., “Doe, Jane: Admin Fellowship Application.”

  For questions, please email the current fellows, Makenna Sewell, Rahma Osman and Shanelle Lalor.