Amanda Schmid

Redwoods Resident 2016
Sr. Director of Strategy – Integrated Kidney Care

DaVita is really good at providing opportunities for capable leaders. Early in my time at DaVita, I was handed ownership of a large and complex portfolio of projects—building and implementing risk adjustment, quality and behavioral health programs for VivelyHealth. This was an awesome opportunity to lead a big initiative, learn how to influence without authority and dive deep into what it means to provide population health. It shaped my passion for caring for the highest-risk patients and focusing my career interests on supporting integrated care.

What has been most impactful to me was the ability to meet the best leaders at DaVita and hear their stories. It's incredible to get that much exposure to what good leadership looks like—how people manage and motivate their teams and how it spills into their personal lives. I draw from those examples on a daily basis.

My advice for candidates is, get to know the front-line clinical teammates and the patients. Everything we try to do has to be done by people who are busy in the clinics. Find ways to make their lives easier and generate a better patient experience, and you will have a huge impact. The Redwoods program gives you unique access in the clinics, and that should be invaluable to you wherever you land in your full-time role.

I received my MBA in healthcare at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Fun fact: I have played the cello for the past 25 years!

DaVita Journey: Redwoods Summer Associate > Program Manager > Director > Director of Operations > Sr. Director Clinical Strategy and Operations