Betty Casali Transformational Leadership Award 2024

Jami Travis, Nursing Director
Critical Care Division
Jami was nominated by Garrett Kubic, Clinical Services Manager

<pJami exemplifies what it means to be transformational leader and is a personal mentor for many nurses and leaders. She actively demonstrates to me what a good and transformational leader is by making it a priority to actively listen to the concerns and challenges faced by her colleagues, offering personalized guidance and encouragement tailored to each individual's needs. Jami effectively conveys her vision and goals to her team through weekly division meetings and daily check-ins. You can often find her rounding on not only her units but every inpatient unit. It is common to see her just having daily conversations with PCTs and RNs, helping with patient care and getting an overall pulse of all the units. This conveys a sense of pride in ones work and sets the example of what the culture of leadership is at UAMS.

Jami’s unwavering optimism serves as a beacon of hope and resilience, especially during challenging times. She maintains a positive outlook in the face of adversity, emphasizing the opportunities for growth and learning that arise from every obstacle. Jami’s optimism is contagious, uplifting the spirits of her team members and fostering a culture of perseverance and optimism. For example, when our department faced budget constraints and staffing shortages, Jami remained steadfast in her belief that we could overcome these challenges through innovation, collaboration, and resourcefulness. She inspired us to stay focused on our goals and work together towards finding creative solutions. Her ability to connect our daily tasks to a larger purpose instills a sense of pride and fulfillment in her team, fueling our commitment to delivering exceptional care. Jami’s leadership mirrors the traits she learned from her former nursing manager Betty Casali, and deserves to be the recipient of this award.

Just as Betty Casali once inspired Jami’s professional growth. Jami Travis, once my nursing manager and now director and mentor, has inspired my transition from bedside nurse to a transformative leader. Her guidance and example of leadership, persistence, and dedication instilled in me a drive to effect positive change within my unit (F4) and contribute to the broader impact at UAMS. With her guidance, I’ve embraced the transformative power of leadership, determined to inspire others and drive forward our shared vision of excellence and innovation. In closing, what Betty has inspired in Jami and many other leaders at UAMS, now lives on through Jami. She carries on her legacy of transformative leadership that empowers individuals to make a lasting difference in healthcare and the future of nursing at UAMS.