Meet the Dallas 500: Amy Yeager, Children’s Health

Children’s Health’s chief legal officer, Amy Yeager, has had a busy couple of years in the C-suite of the nation’s eighth-largest pediatric health system. Her organization celebrated the opening of a new patient tower and a significant expansion in the system’s Plano hospital earlier this year. The new tower’s opening followed the announcement and groundbreaking for an entirely new pediatric campus to replace Children’s Medical Center Dallas. It will likely be the country’s largest greenfield pediatric campus ever built when completed.

While Yeager has had an incredibly successful legal career following a brief stint with the FBI, the path wasn’t always clear. After law school, she told herself she was unlikely to practice, work for a large firm, or go to work after having children. She broke all those promises to herself on the way to her current role.

Below, read on to learn about the time Yeager thought she blew an interview but actually landed the job, what she would be doing if she weren’t a lawyer, and what is next for Children’s Health.

First job: “My first official job was as a budget analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C. , working in tandem with their legal department, organized crime division, and laboratory division on requests for funding and budget. I learned so much about how the government works and how federal agencies are funded. I also learned how to be persuasive and present to executives.”

Best advice: “My father always told me to be honest and work hard, and the rest would take care of itself. Looking in the rearview mirror, I would add persistence to the list!”

I collect: “Memories. I like to keep my house and my life lean and have decided the best way to do this is to focus on experiences and time with family and friends, of course, with millions of photos collected on my iPhone that never make their way to print or photo albums.”

Toughest challenge: “In my experience, businesses and colleagues can initially have an adverse reaction to working with lawyers, so it’s been a personal goal to project confidence without any sense of arrogance. I have challenged myself to communicate in a way that is more efficient, non-confrontational, and effective. Understanding and focusing on the difference between a legal issue and business and risk issue is integral to this process.” 

Industry change: “The industry is so regulated, and often the regulations are counterintuitive. It would certainly be a nice change if we could put more emphasis on patient care and treatment.”

Fun fact: “I made many ‘never’ statements in my life that have all been overturned. A few examples…I was never going to practice law after law school, I would never be a partner in a big law firm, and I was never going to work after having children. I have learned that it is possible to have a career and a family, and I do not have any regrets.”

Proud moment: “As Children’s Health has seen immense growth over the last year, my team has facilitated and secured legal agreements for various Children’s Health departments and implemented a new corporate governance structure that is efficient, nimble, and manageable to execute for the system’s strategic initiatives and goals. Additionally, our team has provided legal advice and support for the development of the Children’s Health new pediatric campus in Dallas alongside our academic medical partner, UT Southwestern Medical Center. The new campus will replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas, significantly expanding inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing and largest metropolitan areas in the country. “

Industry change: “I would not change anything. There are so many opportunities and so much growth that it is an exciting time to be part of the North Texas business environment.”

Pivotal moment: “There have been many unexpected turns in my life; however, the biggest one occurred after I started my legal career in-house. When that contract position ended, I had no plan. After a brief stint as a salesperson at Dillard’s around Christmas time and a conversation with my hairdresser, I landed my first law firm job. The partner who hired me was a great mentor and had a huge influence on my career development. Not only is he a fantastic lawyer, but he also helped me learn how to balance work and family. We were asked to start the health care section for a large firm, and I found myself as an associate in a large downtown law firm 8 months pregnant with our first child.”

Alternate reality: “I always wanted to be a physician. For many reasons, that just did not happen, so I have always said that if I won the lottery, I would go back to medical school. 

Key strategies: “Accountability is the key leadership strategy I value most. I feel that it is demonstrated when a leader takes ownership of all elements of their job responsibilities, including those of their team members. An accountable leader will empower rather than micromanage their team and will acknowledge and encourage learning from mistakes without shifting blame to others. The best way to do this is to listen to your colleagues and help them identify what they are best at and enjoy doing while getting exposure that gives them growth opportunities.”

Interview fail: “What I thought at the time was my biggest job interview failure may be the event that resulted in another unexpected turn in my career. I was interviewing with the then-CEO of a large healthcare system, and he asked how I handle full-time work and manage a young family. I was honest and said that my family comes first in all instances but that I find a way to get the work done. I thought for sure that I would soon receive a rejection letter. I did not, and for 12 years, that role was a perfect fit for me and provided many professional and personal growth opportunities.”

My legacy: “Aside from being a trusted advisor and providing sound legal advice, I would like my professional legacy to be the organization of two high-functioning corporate legal teams. I hope that I have elevated each team to be trusted advisors supporting each organization’s mission and strategy. I take great pride in working to define our legal department structure, recruiting talented lawyers and paralegals  , identifying growth opportunities, and continually mentoring my team and encouraging their success.”

Future Forecast: “I am the most excited about the various expansion projects I have worked on with Children’s Health. In 2024, we are working toward the opening of a new medical tower at Children’s Medical Center Plano, which will ultimately triple the number of beds and significantly increase clinical capabilities. In 2025, Children’s Health will occupy the second floor of the 150,000-square-foot UT Southwestern Medical Center at RedBird, part of the Reimagine RedBird development. As announced this year, we are working towards the construction of a new pediatric campus in Dallas, which will be owned through a joint investment with UT Southwestern and will be one of the country’s largest and most transformative pediatric hospitals in the country. All these projects, along with expanding access to care in surrounding communities with new specialty centers and a growing primary care network, are each part of the organization’s commitment to growing with North Texas, anticipating pediatric care needs for the long term, and providing extraordinary care close to home.”