For Sami Watterson, Providing Care Is Limitless

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In facilities and real estate management, success is often measured not only by brick and mortar but also by the relationships forged. Sami Watterson, managing director of real estate at Amedisys, embodies this principle, and her story is a testament to the importance of a leadership style that prioritizes people over anything else.

Watterson’s journey began in Central Florida, where she grew up as one of four children with a single mother working several jobs to make ends meet. Despite the financial struggles, Watterson’s mother strived to maintain a sense of normalcy and instilled in her daughter a sort of quiet strength.

A shy but observant girl, the young Watterson was enthralled with other people and the impact of how they treated one another, all of which would shape her leadership style in the years to come.

While her original plan was to attend college, life took Watterson in a different direction. After starting in sales, it was ultimately Watterson’s marriage that led her to Louisiana where she was first introduced to Amedisys. Intrigued by the home healthcare services company’s mission, she applied and was hired initially as a purchasing manager. Right away, Watterson knew she’d found the place for her.

Due to the smaller size of the company at that time, her role also included real estate functions, which allowed Watterson to gain insight into two sides of the business. She vividly recalls being “thrown to the wolves” and trusted with significant projects and timelines early on. It was a self-guided journey, she says with a chuckle as she recounts this time. But it was here she developed a passion for real estate.

As Amedisys expanded, Watterson had a choice to stay with purchasing or to continue to real estate, now its own department. She chose the latter.

One of the defining moments in Watterson’s career came in mid-2015, when Amedisys made the decision to relocate its corporate office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With a tight timeline and limited space available, the project faced daunting challenges, and this is where Watterson stepped in.

She took a proactive and inclusive approach by involving representatives from all departments in the design of the new workspace. She ensured that every voice was heard, and that the new office space wholly reflected the mission and values of Amedisys. This collaborative and transparent leadership method was instrumental in the project’s success, and the team made its deadline.

But the challenges did not end there. In August 2016, just months after the new Baton Rouge location opened, historic and catastrophic flooding hit the area, affecting 25 percent of Amedisys’ corporate employees and the family and friends of many others. Amedisys, the disaster recovery team, and the facilities team (led by Watterson) immediately sprang into action and prioritized employee safety, providing support and supplies to those impacted.

The inherent nature of this team of caregivers meant that those who were able to help were eager to do so. Supplies poured in from all corners of the nation, a true indicator of the strength of the Amedisys community. A base of operations was established at the new corporate headquarters to serve as a hub for supplies. Amedisys also organized meetings to provide advice and guidance, ensuring that its employees had the support and resources needed to rebuild their homes and their lives.

The company’s spirit of resilience and collaboration paved the way for yet another ambitious endeavor: the development of the Amedisys Print Center, a 10,000-square-foot addition to the corporate office with construction being led by Watterson and her team.

This project is set to revolutionize the company’s printing capabilities, specifically for patient admission guides. By bringing printing in-house, Amedisys aims to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance the patient and caregiver experience. Watterson admits that while the project implementation team is making record time, it is the effort of many that will get it to the finish line. “The key is to have people who are working as hard as you are to meet [those] timelines,” Watterson says.

Her journey in facilities and real estate management offers lessons for those hoping to follow her lead. Above all, Watterson believes that nurturing relationships and listening to those around you is the key to success. “In real estate, you are impacting people—handle them with care,” the managing real estate director says. “You may be involved in some of the biggest moments of their lives. . . . How you treat people matters.”

Watterson’s success story at Amedisys epitomizes her leadership style. She believes that leading by example not only earns respect but also fosters buy-in from her team. Integrity is nonnegotiable, and accountability, empathy, and a solutions-driven mindset are all paramount. Ultimately, in steadfast alignment with her values in an environment where the organization is caring for the most vulnerable, Watterson places a high value on hiring individuals who share the commitment to doing the right thing.

In an ever-evolving industry, as the Amedisys Print Center continues to take shape and her team faces new challenges, one thing remains the same: Watterson’s unwavering commitment to building relationships and empowering those around her. Doing more with less is the challenge for most companies, she notes.

“But if you give [your team] the support they need, the courage to take risks, and the space to grow,” she says, “they will fill that space with creativity and innovation and success.”

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