Amber Schaefer, M.S, RDN
Mesa,AZ
Summary
Dynamic Clinical Supervisor with expertise in outpatient healthcare operations, team leadership, process improvement, and multidisciplinary collaboration within a large academic medical center. Proven ability to lead high-performing teams, optimize workflows, implement strategic initiatives, and drive operational excellence while maintaining exceptional patient care standards.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Clinical Nutrition Supervisor
Mayo Clinic
Phoenix, Arizona
03.2025 - Current
- Supervises a team of 16 outpatient registered dietitians across four departments to ensure high-quality care.
- Coordinates daily operations and personnel activities to streamline workflows and enhance service delivery.
- Manages staffing, workload distribution, recruitment, and staff development initiatives.
- Facilitates fiscal management, quality improvement, safety, and risk management initiatives to support organizational goals.
- Collaborates across multidisciplinary teams to support organizational goals, operational improvements, and clinical excellence initiatives.
- Executes departmental policies and institutional initiatives to optimize service delivery and patient care.
- Built collaborative team culture through responsive communication, staff engagement, and mentorship.
- Developed billing documents, workflow tools, and operational resources to support standardization and day-to-day clinical operations.
- Developed and launched a pilot Oncology Teaching Kitchen program for breast cancer survivors focused on post-treatment nutrition education and long-term wellness outcomes, contributing to the achievement of Silver Quality Credit recognition.
Clinical Lead Dietitian
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
09.2022 - 03.2025
- Facilitated effective communication between registered dietitians and clinical nutrition manager to enhance collaboration.
- Supported hiring processes for new team members to align with organizational values and strengthen team dynamics.
- Streamlined workflows to enhance efficiency and elevate patient care delivery.
- Coordinated dietetic internship rotations and facilitated medical student observations to enrich clinical training experiences.
- Led development and organization of departmental SharePoint and Teams resources to improve workflow efficiency, communication, and staff access to operational materials.
- Served in departmental operational resilience roles including Well-Being, and Downtime Champion responsibilities.
- Supported operational continuity planning and staff wellness initiatives .
- Presented wellness-focused educational programming including “Holiday Season & Heart Health” initiatives promoting employee well-being and preventive health.
Outpatient Transplant Dietitian
Mayo Clinic
Phoenix, Arizona
08.2020 - 09.2022
- Conducted comprehensive nutritional assessments, diagnosing conditions and developing tailored treatment plans.
- Educated patients on nutrition strategies to effectively manage chronic conditions, enhancing overall health outcomes.
- Engaged in continuing education programs, integrating emerging research trends into practice to improve patient care.
Registered Dietitian
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
Phoenix, Arizona
08.2018 - 08.2020
- Implemented evidence-based practice to complete nutritional assessments and education for HIV client care
- Optimized patient experience by facilitating weekly lunch and learn sessions
- Initiated process improvements within the department that resulted in streamlined workflows for more efficient patient care management
Clinical Dietitian
Mayo Clinic
Phoenix, Arizona
06.2017 - 08.2018
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive nutrition care for patients in inpatient and outpatient settings, enhancing overall patient health outcomes.
- Educated patients and families on tailored nutrition management strategies, empowering them to manage specific health conditions effectively.
Medical Administrative Associate
Cigna Medical Group
Mesa, Arizona
04.2011 - 12.2013
- Acted as the Superuser for EPIC implementation for East Valley medical administrative staff
- Facilitated communication between patients and providers to streamline referral processes.
- Maintained high level of customer focus by directing patient referrals, answering phone calls, and scheduling patient primary care and specialty visits
Education
Master of Science - Management, Healthcare Administration
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts04-2027
Master of Science - Nutrition
Arizona State University
Phoenix, Arizona05-2017
Master of Science - Dietetics
Arizona State University
Phoenix, Arizona05-2015
Skills
- Patient care coordination
- Quality improvement
- Workflow optimization
- Patient education
- Team collaboration
- Leadership skills
- Critical thinking
- Clinical program innovation
- Organizational committee leadership
Certification
- Registered Dietitian, #86033813
Commission on Dietetic Registration, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2017 - Silver Quality Fellow
Mayo Clinic Quality Academy, 2026
Strategic Leadership
- Advisory Board Member, Arizona State University Nutrition and Dietetics Program
- Downtime & Ransomware Champion – Mayo Clinic, Clinical Nutrition
- Leader Advisor, Coordinating Committee for Practice – Mayo Clinic
- Member, Clinical Nutrition Convergence Group – Mayo Clinic
- Member, Greater Leadership Opportunities for Women (GLOW MERG) – Mayo Clinic
- Well-Being Champion, ARZ – Mayo Clinic, Clinical Nutrition
Timeline
Clinical Nutrition Supervisor
Mayo Clinic
03.2025 - Current
Clinical Lead Dietitian
Mayo Clinic Arizona
09.2022 - 03.2025
Outpatient Transplant Dietitian
Mayo Clinic
08.2020 - 09.2022
Registered Dietitian
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
08.2018 - 08.2020
Clinical Dietitian
Mayo Clinic
06.2017 - 08.2018
Medical Administrative Associate
Cigna Medical Group
04.2011 - 12.2013
Master of Science - Management, Healthcare Administration
Northeastern University
Master of Science - Nutrition
Arizona State University
Master of Science - Dietetics
Arizona State University