Michigan Medicine Nurse Selected As A Presidential Leadership Scholar

The Presidential Leadership Scholars program provides leadership mentoring to a select group of mid career professionals.  The program is not run by the federal government, but teaches lessons based on the experiences of past Presidential administrations.  It is a six session program created by the George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson libraries:

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/02/a-longtime-michigan-medicine-nurse-is-now-a-us-presidential-scholar.html

A longtime Michigan Medicine nurse is now a U.S. Presidential Scholar
By Samuel Dodge - February 9, 2024

ANN ARBOR, MI - Many Michigan Medicine nurses have mentored Amanda Stricklen throughout her 25-year career at the Ann Arbor health system.

The longtime nurse and current clinical information analyst now has four “mentors” in U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Lyndon Johnson.

Stricklen is among the 2024 Presidential Leadership Scholars, leaders from various fields across the country who travel to Washington and beyond to learn how past presidents led their teams.

Stricklen’s biggest takeaway after the first session Jan. 24 in Washington, D.C. is that presidential decision-making can be like medical decision making -- finding the best solution for the moment.

“It was such a detailed process (for them), and (they) wanted to hear both sides of the argument in allowing them to make the best possible decision they had at the time to benefit the most people,” Stricklen said.

Stricklen, 45, grew up in Ann Arbor with a father and other relatives who went to the University of Michigan. She dreamed of going to the nursing school, and she still works in Ann Arbor.

“I was already working there as a student through my undergrad (as a pharmacy technician), so it was sort of a natural fit,” she said, adding one of the nursing units hired her shortly after graduation.

Stricklen specialized as a surgical nurse, serving patients after transplants of kidneys, pancreases and livers. The flexibility of the job and the fellow nurses fostering a learning environment inspired her to stay, she said.

“There’s a strong culture of nurses here,” she said.

Stricklen transitioned to a research role at Michigan Medicine about 17 years ago. She’s now the program manager for the Michigan Bariatric Surgical Collaborative and the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, which analyze ways to improve clinical outcomes, make patient experiences better and build a network of care providers.

“This work is showing variation in care and allowing hospitals to learn from others that are doing things well,” she said. “We disseminate that information so we can all improve together.”

Stricklen sought out the presidential scholar program as a way to improve her leadership and management skills, she said. The Presidential Leadership Scholars program is run by each of the four presidents’ centers as a way to bring “together bold and principled leaders who are committed to facing critical challenges, both at home and around the world,” according to the program website.

“I felt it was my responsibility to learn and continue education if I was going to stay in this role,” she said. “Learn some new tips and tricks and new tools for trying to find new strategies for engagement and creating buy-in (to her collaboratives).”

The lessons break down critical decisions made by presidents, including how to approach decisions through a bipartisan lens and when to be decisive.

“Maybe we don’t take enough time to sort of sit back and always think and make sure we hear from everybody in the room,” Stricklen said. “But I think it’s really important to hear from everybody and draw that out of them to make sure you have all the information to make the best possible decision.”

The initial Jan. 24 session included introductions to the other 59 scholars in this year’s program, and Stricklen said the perspectives from different industries showed her this program will enhance her skills.

“What sort of drew me to the program was because it wasn’t about getting another degree for me, but it was really about having a strong group of individuals who were committed to being connected and helping each other,” she said.

The program lasts until June and has five more sessions. The first session also included a private White House tour, she said, though no run-ins with any presidents, including President Joe Biden.

“Not yet,” she said.