Residency and Fellowships

Administrative Fellowship

Main entrance administrative fellowship imageSeattle 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, MHA, Sr. Vice President & COO. Russ serves as the fellows’ direct supervisor and provides exceptional professional guidance, mentoring and support during the two-year fellowship.

  • Past fellows

    Our past fellows include:

    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

    2009–2011

    Alison (Starks) Bender
    MHSA, University of Kansas School of Medicine
    Administrative Director of Heart Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital

    2010–2012

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

    2011–2013

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

    2012–2014

    Whitney Murphy 
    MHA, University of Washington
    Director of Surgical Specialty Programs, Seattle Children's

    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

    2014–2015

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

    2015–2017

    Vince Chiu 
    MHA, University of Pittsburgh
    Manager, Neuroscience Department, Seattle Children’s

    2016–2018

    Kelsey Hyatt 
    MHA, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
    Manager, Administrative Services, North Sound Clinic, Seattle Children’s

    Snigdha Paruchuri 
    MHSA, University of Michigan School of Public Health
    Executive Project Manager, Office of the CEO, Seattle Children’s

    2017–2019

    Scotty Sonntag 
    LICSW, MPA, MHA, University of Utah
    Manager, Business and Operations Manager, Emergency Services and Urgent Care, Seattle Children’s

    2018–2020

    Keahi Higa 
    MHA, MPH, University of Utah
    Practice Advisor, CUMG, Seattle Children’s
    Second-year Administrative Fellow, Seattle Children’s

    Melvin L. Smith Jr. 
    MPH, Brown University
    Program Manager, IT Core Operations, Seattle Children’s 
    Supervisor, Desktop Support Team, Seattle Children’s
    Second-year Administrative Fellow, Seattle Children’s

    2019-2021

    Shanelle Lalor
    MHA, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
    First-year Administrative Fellow

  • 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

    Required qualifications

    • MBA, MHA, MHSA, MPH, MSN, MHI, or other closely related program
    • Relevant work experience (summer or previous employment)

    Application deadline

    • The application deadline for 2019 is Tuesday, September 24.

    Required application materials

    • Current résumé
    • Three letters of recommendation (only one from a faculty member of your graduate program)
    • Official 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 in one PDF document.

    If you are interested in an informational interview with current administrative fellows, we are having an informational webinar on August 23, 2019 from 12–1 p.m. Pacific time. For more details, email us.

    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, Shanelle Lalor, Keahi Higa, and Melvin Smith.

  • Webinar information

    Date: August 23, 2019
    Time: 12 to 1 p.m. Pacific time
    Host: Current Seattle Children’s fellows

    Action items

    • Participants should test the functionality of WebEx on their device prior to the actual webinar.
    • Participants should come prepared with questions.

    Webinar link and instructions

    • WebEx Meeting
    • Meeting number (access code): 800 191 719 
    • Meeting password: Childrens2020
    • Join by phone:

    Support and assistance with WebEx