Beyond the Board: Ami Sparano

Ami Sparano has seen healthcare from the bedside to the boardroom—first as a clinician, and now as a leader focused on how complex systems support patient care.

She began her career as a certified hand therapist at the University of Pennsylvania, where she gained early exposure to the realities of care across inpatient and outpatient settings.

“I loved academic medicine. There’s so much to learn from being in that environment,” she said. “Treating gunshot wounds, going into an operating room to see hand and fingers replanted, and seeing how I can improve the patient’s rehabilitation based on what I saw firsthand—it was an incredible opportunity.”

While continuing to work, she enrolled in law school full-time, balancing both commitments while building the focus and discipline that would define her career. “I probably slept four to five hours a day,” she said.

The shift into law broadened her view of patient care, helping her understand how decisions made beyond the bedside can determine what happens within it. Over time, that path led her into regulatory compliance and healthcare operations, including her tenure at VNA Health Group, where she served as Corporate Compliance Officer and later as Chief Compliance & Quality Assurance Officer.

Her transition to RWJBarnabas Health in 2020 significantly expanded that scope. As Vice President of Corporate Compliance, she now provides oversight across a large and complex healthcare system and works closely with joint venture partners, including VNA Health Group.

“It’s all relative,” she said. “At the VNA, I was the sole compliance officer. Now, I have a team of several compliance officers, but the responsibility is the same: to maintain integrity and compliance with regulations in healthcare.”

That experience informs her role on the VNA Health Group Board of Trustees, where she was invited to serve after leaving the organization. She now serves as Co-Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee alongside Chair Richard Caldwell.

“I take governance of the healthcare system very seriously,” she said. “We’re all there to provide guidance for the best outcome of patient care and services in New Jersey.”

Her approach is guided by her work in corporate compliance at RWJBarnabas Health, where she focuses on risks that can affect both operations and patient care.

That work is directly connected to how care is delivered. “We monitor the helpline for employees, patients, visitors, or anyone else who may have compliance-related concerns,” she said. “If something’s not right, we need to understand it, address it, and educate others to avoid similar occurrences.”

In her role with VNA Health Group, that same focus on patients is evident in the organization’s leadership and its commitment to care. “I’m so impressed with the quality of the leadership team at the VNA, and the passion they continue to have for what they do,” she said. “When you see people stay with an organization for that long, you know they’re loyal and committed to the mission.”

Ami has also seen that mission firsthand at a more personal level. Her daughter recently interned with programs connected to the Children & Family Health Institute and VNACJ Community Health Center, gaining experience in community-based care in Monmouth County.

“She was able to learn and provide community service right in her backyard,” Ami said. “That opportunity to work and provide community service was incredible.”

Now a senior preparing to attend Columbia University as a science research fellow in applied mathematics, her daughter is considering a future in healthcare technology—something Ami sees as both meaningful and forward-thinking.

For Ami, board service reflects that same principle. Across roles and organizations, her focus has remained consistent: supporting systems that deliver high-quality care and ensuring they function with integrity and purpose. 

“I work for a healthcare system that serves all citizens of New Jersey,” she said. “And, being part of something like the VNA that’s aligned with the same vision is very important to me.”