Loan Lam was inspired to join Sound’s board of directors in September 2023 because of Sound’s mission to strengthen our community by delivering excellent mental health services to all who need it. Growing up in an Asian immigrant family, she experienced firsthand how stigma around mental health can prevent people from getting the support and services they need due to cultural differences. She is proud to be part of an organization that is aiming to break down those stigmas and to address social determinants of health in order to support all clients regardless of race, gender, or income.
Lam has over 18 years of leadership experience in academic healthcare settings. Currently, she is a director of surgical specialties at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She oversees the practice and clinical operations in the department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Ophthalmology. Prior to the director role, Lam was a manager in the Lean office and led many improvement events throughout the hospital in both clinical and non-clinical processes.
Lam has a passion for process and quality improvement. She has worked with executive leaders across multiple industries, including manufacturing, social services, and healthcare, to embrace and implement process improvement cultures in their organizations. Lam started her career as a Lean consultant in an aerospace manufacturer and has seen the impact of Lean thinking and process improvement on our healthcare delivery systems.
Lam earned a bachelors in Sociology from Whitman College and a master’s in health administration from the University of Washington. Outside of Sound’s board and her work at Seattle Children’s, Lam enjoys cooking for her family, walking in her neighborhood, and exploring great restaurants in Seattle.
