Rachel currently serves as Administrator of Ambulatory Nursing (AAN) at University of Virginia Health, accountable for leading continuous improvement of Patient Care Delivery within Ambulatory Services. Her current key initiatives and service include:
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Ambulatory Role Delineation Lead
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Clinical Excellence Executive Advisory
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One Team United on Access Project Leadership – Pre-visit Planning and Triage
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Value-Based Clinical Advisory Committee
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Ambulatory Subcommittee co-lead of Patient Progression Coalition
Prior to her role as AAN, Rachel served as Director of Operations for Medical Subspecialties where she was responsible for clinical, administrative, operational and financial activities for allergy immunology, COVID and special pathogens, dermatology, endocrinology, obstetrics and gynecology, infectious disease, pulmonary, midlife health, nephrology, rheumatology, and sleep disorder clinics. As Director, she implemented the role of Ambulatory Charge RN, helped develop a Medical Assistant Earn While You Learn program, created an Ambulatory Clinical Float Pool and co-led COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and therapeutic programs across the health system.
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During her time at UVAH, Rachel spent 8 years as nurse leader for the Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, she led extensive work in breast milk management and safety and was awarded UVAH's 2016 Charles Brown Patient Safety award. In addition, Rachel and her physician dyad partner nationally presented their work in improving outcomes and enhancing team engagement through lean methodology and daily visual management systems.
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Rachel earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Virginia and her Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health System Leadership from the University of Colorado Denver, where she conducted her doctoral quality improvement project, “Remote Home Monitoring to Reduce 30-day Readmissions in the Post Discharge Care of Children with Medical Complexity.” Partnering with Locus Health software company, the Pediatric Palliative Care team, and using iPad technology, she demonstrated feasibility, usability, and satisfaction with remote patient monitoring with reduced pediatric readmissions and ED visits.
Rachel is a member of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau, the Virginia Nurses Association, where she served as the 2017-2019 Piedmont Chapter president, and the American Organization of Nursing Leadership where she graduated as a 2018 Nurse Manager Fellow. In 2019, Synova Associates awarded Rachel the annual March of Dimes Excellence in NICU Leadership award. She currently serves on the Clinical Advisory Board for Angel Eye Health and as clinical advisor to DNP students from several universities.
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Rachel's talents as a nurse leader include the ability to quickly build effective cross-functional teams and mobilize operations. Through mastery of relational communication and change management, advanced competency using daily management systems, and application of innovative technology solutions, she has led teams to enhanced engagement and improved outcomes in numerous clinical settings. Rachel aspires to promote an interdisciplinary and inclusive leadership approach toward achieving Ambulatory excellence. Her goals are to enhance patient access, care, and experiences while leveraging modern solutions and cultivating a workplace where all team members thrive and feel belonging.
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