Relational Leadership Partners

Supporting healthcare teams with practical skills to promote a human-centered culture.

Co-founders Dr. Sarah Smithson and Jane Cooper-Driver

Who We Are

Relational Leadership Partners is a clinician-led, mission-driven organization committed to promoting the positive transformation of healthcare culture. The cornerstone of this work is Relational Leadership, an evidence-based healthcare teaming framework which emphasizes emotional intelligence, a strengths-based orientation to others, and the establishment of psychological safety on teams.

Meet Our Team
Dr. Sarah Smithson at UNC Health Clinic

What We Do

Relational Leadership Partners works with healthcare organizations and teams to:

  • Increase staff engagement and shared purpose

  • Establish a culture of learning and feedback

  • Foster psychological safety on teams

  • Help surface and resolve conflict

Our Approach

  • "Sarah is a strong leader. She has a positive attitude and good presence. I would take another training with her."

    Program Participant
    Washington University School of Medicine

  • Working with Jane and Sarah was truly exceptional. From the very beginning, their responsiveness and flexibility stood out—they anticipated our needs, adapted seamlessly when things shifted, and paid careful attention to every detail in planning our 4-day gathering. Bringing together nearly 40 interprofessional colleagues at a top-tier academic medical center is no small feat, yet they made the entire experience feel effortless and intentional. Collaborating with Jane and Sarah felt different than other partnerships—we genuinely looked forward to each planning session with them. Their energy and care set the tone for the event itself, creating an environment that fostered connection and impact. Even now, long after the event, we remain connected with them, which speaks to the kind of authentic partnership they build.

    Heather Hageman
    Director, Collaboration for Interprofessional Education
    Washington University Medical Campus

  • "Jane is so kind and welcoming. Really excellent at creating a feeling of psychologically safe places."

    Program Participant
    Washington University School of Medicine

  • "Relational Leadership provides me with skills in my leadership ‘toolkit’ to best serve my patients and my community as a doctor and advocate. I use skills I have learned every day."

    Brendan Prast, MD, MPH
    Family and Preventive Medicine 
    MaineHealth Primary Care

  • "Being a part of the Relational Leadership community has truly been a transformative experience for me. What sets this program apart is its focus on who we are as individuals and how those qualities can shape our leadership style. It’s not just about skills or strategies, but about the deeper connections we build with others. Through this journey, I’ve seen how my relationships with people—as a clinician, educator, leader, and simply as a person—have evolved in such meaningful ways. It’s been a deeply enriching experience that has shaped both my professional and personal growth."

    Kimberley R. Nichols, MD, MBA, FASA
    Senior Associate Dean for Medical Student Education   
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • "The leadership skills, relationships, and perspective I have gained through my involvement in Relational Leadership have shaped the clinician, educator, and leader I am today."

    Kyle Turner, PharmD 
    Associate Professor (Clinical)
    University of Utah

  • “I think these relational skills really matter now more than ever in healthcare. We are being placed on teams for short periods of time doing work that is incredibly challenging. To create a sense of community intentionally and meaningfully in these spaces requires reliance on relationships that are built quickly and effectively."

    Victoria Boggiano, MD, MPH 
    Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
    University of North Carolina

  • “From my perspective as a healthcare provider, it seems that continuing on "as usual" is no longer enough. I am excited by the potential I see in Relational Leadership to create, deepen, and sustain positive change not only in my own practice but also in the success of our teams and ultimately at a systems level.”

    Elizabeth Agre, PT, DPT, OCS
    Physical Therapist

  • “This was probably the single most positive, energizing leadership development activity I’ve participated in at Carolina or elsewhere. The Relational Leadership message captures the essence of our strengths as a collegial, collaborative culture, and gives us language and tools to take our organization to the next level.”

    Matthew E. Nielsen, MD, MS, FACS
    Rhodes Distinguished Professor and Chair
    UNC Chapel Hill Department of Urology

  • "Relational skills are particularly important right now because they’re rooted in people with the fundamental assumption that we are good and have common values. If I can approach with unconditional positive regard and build in psychological safety, who knows what we can accomplish, despite the chaos around us."

    Lexy Kliewer, LCSW
    Health System Manager

  • The experience with Jane and Sarah was beyond fantastic. Their facilitation created a space where our team was able to have deeper conversations and accelerate relationships so we could move quickly to the most important work. Their unique perspectives—Sarah as a physician and Jane as an expert in organizational development—brought depth and balance that elevated the entire experience. Even our administrative partners who works with teams nationwide commented that this session stood out for how quickly it built trust and moved the work forward. Engaging with Sarah and Jane wasn’t just about a successful meeting—it was an investment in our culture that will keep generating returns as our team moves forward.

    Gary Beck Dallaghan
    President, Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics

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RL Partners is trusted by

RELATE Lab logo
Integrative Inquiry Consulting logo
Relational Leadership at Carolina UNC Chapel Hill logo
EvaluAND Consulting logo
Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine logo
National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education logo