Amanda Chawla | Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer | Stanford Healthcare
Amanda Chawla is the Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Stanford Healthcare, serving entities across Stanford Medicine. With an extensive academic background including an MBA, MHA, FACHE, and CMRP, Amanda holds a pivotal role overseeing over $4 billion in non-labor spend expenses across Stanford Medicine.
Her responsibilities span a wide spectrum within the supply chain industry, encompassing system-wide sourcing, category management, contracting, analytics, demand planning, business transformation, data management, logistics and distribution, warehousing, call center operations, and supply chain diversity and sustainability programs. Amanda’s journey into supply chain management was inspired by a desire to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives, particularly within healthcare. She recognizes the profound influence supply chain management has on the financial viability and service quality of organizations. As she aptly describes it, supply chain serves as the backbone of non-labor spend and resource allocation, affecting every department within an organization. We at EliteX, are proud to introduce Amanda Chawla as one of Impactful Leaders in Supply Chain, 2024.
“Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—its integral to conscientious supply chain management, fostering value and meaning impact at every juncture.”
For Amanda, impactful leadership within the supply chain sector revolves around influencing and positively impacting others. She emphasizes the importance of developing individuals, nurturing emerging leaders, and fostering high-performing teams. Vision, strategy, innovation, collaboration, resilience, and operational delivery are central to her leadership philosophy. However, Amanda acknowledges the significant challenges inherent in supply chain management, particularly dealing with uncertainties and disruptions in the market. She advocates for transitioning from a traditional ‘Supply Chain’ to a more resilient ‘Supply Network’ model, emphasizing continued investment in technology, innovation, collaboration amongst the network, and people development to overcome industry challenges.
One of Amanda’s notable work underway is leading a transformative project aimed at replacing third-party applications with a cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system across multiple entities. The first part of this massive undertaking has been executed; with a successful implementation of a contract life management system. This initiative requires integrating independent systems, enhancing business practices, and optimizing data management to improve operational efficiency and reliability. Amanda believes that successful leaders in the supply chain field are characterized by several key qualities. They prioritize people, steering with a clear vision while attending to the needs of both customers and teams. Such leaders excel in building strong relationships, possess forward-thinking mindsets, and act as catalysts for innovation. They inspire others to reach their full potential, embracing boldness, learning from mistakes, and fostering continuous growth.
To stay abreast of industry trends and best practices, Amanda actively engages with professional associations and maintains a robust network of peers. She serves on the American Hospital Association’s Supply Chain Board and regularly immerses herself in industry publications, conferences, and webinars. Amanda faced a particularly tough decision during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the urgent need to secure medical supplies for the safety of the workforce, patients, and community, she navigated through complex challenges, including fluctuating information, data shortages, market volatility, and unprecedented demand. Her approach involved rallying her team, establishing daily plans, and fostering adaptability and strategic communication.
“In the midst of uncertainty, collaboration becomes our greatest asset, fueling resilience and propelling us forward.”
In fostering collaboration and communication within her team, Amanda has regular all-hands huddles to ensure alignment and transparency. Additionally, she organizes collaboration days where leaders convene for cross-functional engagement, regardless of their remote or hybrid work arrangements. Prioritizing sustainability and ethical practices is integral to Amanda’s supply chain management approach. She emphasizes a value equation, “Purpose Driven P.R.O.C.E.S.S.”, which centers on purchasing reliable products and services from equitable and sustainable sources. This framework underscores the importance of outcomes-based decision-making and aligns with Stanford Supply Chain’s commitment to value, defined by the ratio of cost to quality and service.
Looking ahead, Amanda sees people, process, and the use of technology as an enabler to be pivotal in shaping the future of supply chain management. Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and blockchain will revolutionize forecasting, streamline operations, enhance transparency, and bolster resilience. Embracing these innovations with strong a strong operating foundation will drive efficiencies and optimize supply chain operations across industries.
In summary, Amanda Chawla’s leadership in the supply chain sector is characterized by her commitment to driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and overcoming challenges to deliver tangible value to organizations.
“Successful supply chain leadership isn’t just about charts and figures; it’s about empowering people, fostering innovation, and driving meaningful change.”