August 2026 Honoree
Amanda B. Brown, PhD, RN, CNL, FAB
Amanda’s dedication to pediatric care and her lifetime of service truly set her apart. She leads from the front in every sense—bringing quick thinking, steady leadership, and a deep commitment to her team and patients alike. Her ability to step up during challenging times, while fostering collaboration and teamwork, has made a lasting impact on all of us. Amanda brings such a genuine sense of humor that lifts those around her—something we all deeply appreciate. I’m so grateful for her partnership, and for the way she continues to show up during the best and worst of times. We have been lucky to have Dr. Brown spend her entire professional career at Baptist Health. From the early days as a CNA on the med-surg floors, she took every opportunity to learn and grow as a nurse, caregiver, and leader. Her promotions over the years reflect the work and dedication that continue today. Wolfson and Baptist are better because of Dr. Brown's 25+ years (and counting).
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I am honored to nominate Amanda Brown for her extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to nursing excellence. Dr. Brown has championed initiatives that strengthened professional practice, advanced nursing research and quality improvement, promoted nurse engagement, supported Magnet readiness, and fostered record participation in the ExCEL Clinical Ladder Program, all while keeping patients' and team members' needs at the center of every decision. Her vision, collaboration, and advocacy have created opportunities for nurses to thrive across our organization. What makes Dr. Brown truly exceptional is her behind-the-scenes dedication. She consistently removes barriers, mentors leaders, and advocates for nurses and team members in ways that are often unseen or unrecognized. I am incredibly grateful to work for a visionary leader whose influence extends far beyond her. She has built and cultivated a commitment to advancing professional nursing practice, making a lasting impact throughout our organization.
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It is my honor to nominate Amanda Brown for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. Amanda serves as Vice President of Nursing Workforce Optimization (and interim WCH VP of Patient Care), and in these roles she consistently demonstrates the qualities of an exceptional nurse leader: compassion, integrity, collaboration, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to creating an environment where nurses can thrive and patients receive excellent care. Amanda’s leadership reaches far beyond operational oversight. She understands that a strong nursing workforce is essential to safe, high-quality, compassionate care, and she approaches every challenge with both strategic insight and a deep respect for the people doing the work.
Whether she is addressing staffing needs, supporting leaders through complex decisions, evaluating resources, or helping teams navigate change, Amanda remains focused on what matters most: supporting nurses so they can provide the best possible care to patients and families. One of Amanda’s greatest strengths is her ability to bring people together around shared goals. She listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions, and seeks practical solutions that reflect the realities of clinical practice. She is a trusted partner to nursing leaders across the organization because she is responsive, knowledgeable, and steady in her approach. Her work strengthens collaboration across departments and helps ensure that decisions are made with consideration for both team member well-being and patient care outcomes.
Amanda models the kind of caring leadership the DAISY Nurse Leader Award was created to recognize. She leads with humility, professionalism, and genuine concern for others. She recognizes the pressures nurses and nurse leaders face and works diligently to remove barriers, improve processes, and support sustainable solutions. Her calm presence, follow-through, and commitment to excellence inspire confidence in those around her. Amanda is also a strong advocate for developing and supporting nursing leaders. She encourages accountability while creating space for growth, learning, and innovation.
Through her leadership, she helps foster a culture where nurses feel valued, where leaders are empowered, and where compassionate care remains at the center of every decision. Amanda Brown exemplifies the DAISY Nurse Leader spirit through her dedication to nurses, her service to Baptist Health/WCH, and her commitment to improving the experience of patients, families, and team members. She is a deserving candidate for this recognition, and I am grateful for the positive impact she continues to make through her leadership.
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Amanda is a courageous, pediatric focused, servant leader - who develops her teams, supports her peers, and brings clinical leadership and excellence to everything she does. I am so thankful that she stepped up to support Wolfson during our VP Patient Services search and transition. She is arguably the most engaged, strategic, and pediatric nurse leader I've had the privilege to work with over the last 29 years in pediatric hospital service. Since she joined us, she has empowered her leaders for great success in core goals and metrics, she has supported our efforts for improved patient care a safety outcomes - supporting our teams with daily huddles, open communication, follow up and support. She holds us all accountable to our patients and one another, while empowering us all to identify solutions and step up as leaders. All this while still doing the role of VP for workforce optimization and professional practice. She has taken this part-time role, full-time and at top speed. I recall one of our first discussions she asked, I'd like to see some changes to better support our leaders and teams, do you want me to wait for the next leader? And I said, 'you’re our leader and I support you" and she has done it and made a great difference. I am forever thankful to her, and she is so deserving of recognition and thanks.
Congratulations, Dr. Brown!
Thank you for all you do for our patients, families, & team members!
You have made a difference in the lives of so many!
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I am honored to nominate Amanda Brown for her extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to nursing excellence. Dr. Brown has championed initiatives that strengthened professional practice, advanced nursing research and quality improvement, promoted nurse engagement, supported Magnet readiness, and fostered record participation in the ExCEL Clinical Ladder Program, all while keeping patients' and team members' needs at the center of every decision. Her vision, collaboration, and advocacy have created opportunities for nurses to thrive across our organization. What makes Dr. Brown truly exceptional is her behind-the-scenes dedication. She consistently removes barriers, mentors leaders, and advocates for nurses and team members in ways that are often unseen or unrecognized. I am incredibly grateful to work for a visionary leader whose influence extends far beyond her. She has built and cultivated a commitment to advancing professional nursing practice, making a lasting impact throughout our organization.
***
It is my honor to nominate Amanda Brown for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. Amanda serves as Vice President of Nursing Workforce Optimization (and interim WCH VP of Patient Care), and in these roles she consistently demonstrates the qualities of an exceptional nurse leader: compassion, integrity, collaboration, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to creating an environment where nurses can thrive and patients receive excellent care. Amanda’s leadership reaches far beyond operational oversight. She understands that a strong nursing workforce is essential to safe, high-quality, compassionate care, and she approaches every challenge with both strategic insight and a deep respect for the people doing the work.
Whether she is addressing staffing needs, supporting leaders through complex decisions, evaluating resources, or helping teams navigate change, Amanda remains focused on what matters most: supporting nurses so they can provide the best possible care to patients and families. One of Amanda’s greatest strengths is her ability to bring people together around shared goals. She listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions, and seeks practical solutions that reflect the realities of clinical practice. She is a trusted partner to nursing leaders across the organization because she is responsive, knowledgeable, and steady in her approach. Her work strengthens collaboration across departments and helps ensure that decisions are made with consideration for both team member well-being and patient care outcomes.
Amanda models the kind of caring leadership the DAISY Nurse Leader Award was created to recognize. She leads with humility, professionalism, and genuine concern for others. She recognizes the pressures nurses and nurse leaders face and works diligently to remove barriers, improve processes, and support sustainable solutions. Her calm presence, follow-through, and commitment to excellence inspire confidence in those around her. Amanda is also a strong advocate for developing and supporting nursing leaders. She encourages accountability while creating space for growth, learning, and innovation.
Through her leadership, she helps foster a culture where nurses feel valued, where leaders are empowered, and where compassionate care remains at the center of every decision. Amanda Brown exemplifies the DAISY Nurse Leader spirit through her dedication to nurses, her service to Baptist Health/WCH, and her commitment to improving the experience of patients, families, and team members. She is a deserving candidate for this recognition, and I am grateful for the positive impact she continues to make through her leadership.
***
Amanda is a courageous, pediatric focused, servant leader - who develops her teams, supports her peers, and brings clinical leadership and excellence to everything she does. I am so thankful that she stepped up to support Wolfson during our VP Patient Services search and transition. She is arguably the most engaged, strategic, and pediatric nurse leader I've had the privilege to work with over the last 29 years in pediatric hospital service. Since she joined us, she has empowered her leaders for great success in core goals and metrics, she has supported our efforts for improved patient care a safety outcomes - supporting our teams with daily huddles, open communication, follow up and support. She holds us all accountable to our patients and one another, while empowering us all to identify solutions and step up as leaders. All this while still doing the role of VP for workforce optimization and professional practice. She has taken this part-time role, full-time and at top speed. I recall one of our first discussions she asked, I'd like to see some changes to better support our leaders and teams, do you want me to wait for the next leader? And I said, 'you’re our leader and I support you" and she has done it and made a great difference. I am forever thankful to her, and she is so deserving of recognition and thanks.
Congratulations, Dr. Brown!
Thank you for all you do for our patients, families, & team members!
You have made a difference in the lives of so many!
Thank you, Amanda B., for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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