Amy VanDuyn, Vice President of Human Resources at Phreesia, a SaaS-based healthcare technology company focused on patient intake management, credits her success to the inspiring influences of the people she’s worked with over the course of her diverse professional career.
“I have worked with so many amazing leaders throughout my career and have learned so much from their different styles,” she said.
With more than 20 years of human resources expertise, VanDuyn knows the importance of collaboration and empowering her staff.
“I try to lead by example and be authentic in my interactions,” she said. “I believe that you should work alongside your team, and that no task is beneath me. In my early career in the hotel industry, I had a leader who really managed [that way]. She was always right there, working with us, and that was a powerful example of leadership for me.”
After graduating from college, VanDuyn’s enthusiasm and drive helped propel her into several different industries, including technology. She said the tech industry’s fast-paced, innovative culture has motivated her to continually learn and take on new opportunities.
VanDuyn joined Phreesia in 2010 and is responsible for the design and implementation of all talent strategies, policies and processes organization-wide. She has helped the company grow from a team of 65 to more than 500 employees with offices in New York City, Raleigh, N.C. and Ottawa, Ontario.
VanDuyn said that successfully managing such exponential growth has been a challenge that requires experimentation and a willingness to pivot direction.
“Phreesia is a very dynamic company—we’re always changing and innovating and trying new things,” she said. “You have to be willing to embrace change and move forward quickly.”
Prior to joining Phreesia, VanDuyn was the senior human resources lead at WE (Waggener Edstrom Communications) for their North American business units. There, she worked closely with executive leaders to define and implement talent strategies aligned with their business goals—and the knowledge and experience gained from that role and other high-profile positions have informed her current role at Phreesia.
“Through all of my experiences, I have carried with me the idea that HR is uniquely valuable because it drives business success and helps an organization reach its goals,” VanDuyn said. “I’m fortunate that Phreesia’s leaders really believe in the power of what my team and I do, and I’m proud to have helped foster that belief.”
VanDuyn strives to create a supportive, autonomous working environment for her team where they feel empowered in their roles and have the opportunity to interact with different groups and leaders within the company.
“I try to let them do, versus telling them what to do,” she explained. She also believes the technology industry is a great fit for the next generation of female leaders, who she said should not be held back by their own uncertainty.
“Don’t be afraid to go for it,” VanDuyn said. “Be authentic, be curious, be confident, be resilient and be open to many points of view. In my experience, I feel like there are a lot of opportunities for women, and the industry is generally very welcoming."
