April 2024 marked a significant milestone in our organization! We celebrate Erin Allen's 15 years of dedicated service as UW Pediatrics Vice Chair of Administration and Finance. Erin has impressive accomplishments, including restructuring Research & Finance and Department IS teams to meet service level goals and address performance issues.
Erin's strategic contributions and leadership skills were evident in her crucial role in developing and launching the Global WACh: Center for Integrated Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children. In her current role, Erin manages and directs all department business functions, including overseeing operations of 20+ divisions and developing and managing over $220M total annual operating budget. Erin also ensures administrative practices are consistent with University policy and manage audit, investigation, and public records-related activities.
Erin reflects on her past 15 years and her journey with UW Pediatrics:
April 1, 2024, marked my 15th year anniversary in UW Pediatrics. My family moved to the Pacific Northwest from California specifically for my career and the opportunity to serve in the role of lead administrator of the Department of Pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine and in partnership with Seattle Children's.
My interview process was an intense two days that included the opportunity to meet with Division, Department, School of Medicine, and Seattle Children's leaders. The unwavering commitment to our mission to improve the lives of all children and adolescents resonated with my commitment to be of service and make a difference. I have had the opportunity to consider other roles, and every time, I have returned to the people in this department and our commitment to our shared mission.
The last 15 years has seen tremendous growth in size, scope, and complexity of our department alongside UW School of Medicine and Seattle Children's. Innovative programs, new divisions, and expansion of existing groups have been hallmarks of our commitment to having a lasting impact on the lives of patients and families through clinical care, research, education, and advocacy.
Erin continues, the first 10 years of my time, which started with the great recession of 2009, feel a bit overshadowed by recent events: a global pandemic and racial reckoning. Mostly, I feel like we survived the pandemic and now face the lasting impact of what that survival means professionally and personally. We have choices to make about how we move forward as the pandemic becomes part of our past. Our work in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion will be ongoing with an imperative to continue to learn and get uncomfortable so we can grow, change, and evolve.
As we face financial and operational challenges and continue working through a time of change, I find myself consistently inspired our people and mission. I use both as touchstones for decision making. I have confidence that we will weather this time of uncertainty. We need to do so together--with a shared vision and mental model for what it means to be among the most outstanding Departments of Pediatrics—not only for patients/families now and into the future, but for each other.
I have confidence that as we grow into the next version of what we, as individuals and a unified department, need and want to be now and in the future, we will continue to impact and improve the lives of all children and adolescents.
Emily Allen shares, "Erin is not just a leader, but a beacon of trust and confidence within our department, among her peers in the School of Medicine, and nationally as a part of the AAAP Organization. Her leadership style, which centers and values people, has earned her the respect and admiration of her partners and colleagues."
​As Vice Chair, Erin and Dr. Leslie R. Walker-Harding, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, work closely together. Dr. Walker-Harding shed light on their shared experience over the past few years. "For the 14 years I have been at the University of Washington, Erin has been instrumental in helping to make things happen. The last five years as Chair of Pediatrics have been a journey of magnificent challenges that, together, we have been able to respond to and continue to grow and iterate on an already strong Department of Pediatrics."
Dr. Walker-Harding further adds, "when I said yes to the Chair position, I had first to be clear that Erin was not leaving. I knew even before I started how critical her partnership would be. I had no idea what challenges we would face and are facing. I am eternally thankful she is my colleague and partner, always ready to find a solution and give an encouraging word and honest reflection!"