Listening, Science, and Partnership: A Leader’s Conversation with Medela
By: Bobbie Smith, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, ANLC-P, Synova Clinical Advisor
As nurse leaders, we live every day in the delicate balance between caring for patients and navigating the realities of supply chain challenges, product updates, and evolving technology. That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity to sit down with Kelley Evans, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial, Americas at Medela, to discuss how they partner with hospitals and nurse leaders like me. What struck me most was Medela’s commitment to science, their focus on listening, and their drive to innovate in ways that directly impact outcomes for our most vulnerable patients.
Communication and Connection Matter
In any hospital system, communication can make or break the workflow. Larger organizations often struggle with silos — lactation might sit in one corner, supply chain in another, and bedside nurses somewhere in between. This disconnect can create delays in getting supplies, vendor updates, or current critical information when needed most. Kelley acknowledged this reality and emphasized that with their business model every hospital has a dedicated Medela sales consultant, supported by customer service, and a global supply chain team, that is available for the hospital team(s) to reach out to. “Your sales consultant should always be your first point of contact — they’re equipped to troubleshoot, escalate concerns, and resolve issues quickly,” she explained. That consistency is critical when patient care is on the line. In essence, Medela has a model similar to what we know in healthcare as a chain of command that enables them to provide timely response to their customers’ needs.
Science Translated into Practice
What impressed me most during our conversation was Medela’s commitment to evidence-based care. Kelley explained, “We take science and turn it into care. Everything we do is credible, research-backed, and focused on outcomes for families.”
This isn’t just talk. Medela has invested decades into understanding lactation physiology and translating that research into products like the Symphony PLUS® hospital-grade breast pump with Initiation Technology, which is clinically proven to support initiation that will maximize a parent’s breast milk supply for preterm infants.
One of Medela’s core goals is to make pumping initiation, in the NICU, a standard of care in all hospitals. We know from the evidence that early and frequent milk expression, particularly within the first hour of birth, is critical to establishing supply and ensuring fragile infants receive their mother’s milk. Having reliable, hospital-grade technology at the bedside — and education for staff to support that initiation — can be the difference between success and struggle for families.
Human Milk as the Gold Standard
As nurse leaders, we are constantly working to increase our exclusive human milk feeding rates, especially in the NICU. Medela’s full portfolio supports that continuum of care — from pumping initiation to storage and transport solutions, and even enteral feeding products designed to safely deliver human milk to preterm and critically ill infants. Kelley also emphasized Medela’s broader vision, “We want every mother to feel supported at every step of her breastfeeding journey — from home, to hospital, and back home again — with the right tools, the right education, and the right care team by her side.”
Listening as a Clinical Imperative
Kelley shared how Medela has broken down silos internally to ensure that the voice of the nurse and the hospital drives their work, “Whether that’s a NICU nurse reporting an issue with Symphony, or a lactation consultant needing support-we coordinate across marketing, supply chain, R&D, and sales to respond quickly and effectively.”
From my perspective as a nurse leader, that responsiveness is invaluable. Too often, frontline nurses face barriers that could be resolved with the right feedback loop. Medela’s willingness to listen and act — whether through focus groups, surveys, or direct escalation — sets them apart.
A Mission That’s Personal
When I asked Kelley what she loved most about working at Medela her answer reminded me of why this partnership matters. As a Medela mom herself, with a NICU baby at one point in her journey, she knows firsthand the fear and overwhelm families face. “Having the right tools and support made all the difference for me,” she shared. “That’s why this role is so personal. I want to take that weight off other moms and families.” I can see that in my own interactions with Medela and their products. I have been to the Synova conferences and sat in Medela-led focus groups where they want to hear our voices, opinions and thoughts on all areas of their work. They come to these meetings fully prepared with questions to spark innovation and creativity. As they roll out new products, I can hear the nurse leader voices embedded in the designs, education, and marketing. It is empowering to see ourselves and the challenges we know new moms face be strategically integrated into the science of what Medela does.
Looking Ahead Together
As we talked about the future, Kelley was clear, “We need initiation of pumping to be standard of care in all hospital NICUs. We know that will get more mother’s milk to babies — and that’s critically important.”
She also spoke passionately about aligning Medela’s future innovations with the needs of both hospitals and families, “Our goal is simple — wherever she is in her journey, a mom should feel confident that Medela is by her side, supporting her from the very first drop of milk to the day she no longer needs our products.”
Pictured: Kelley Evans, Bobbie Smith, Glenda Cardenas
Final Reflections
As a nurse leader, I left this conversation encouraged and with a desire to help share Medela’s vision and message. They understand the pressures we face, they listen to our voices, and they ground their innovation in science that translates to better outcomes for infants and families. This company has been leading product innovation for decades and the anticipation to see the new and creative products coming to market is exciting! It is my hope that these new products and tools will take patient experience, nursing efficiency, and improved outcomes to an entirely new level of care. From the bedside to corporate strategy, the heart of the work for Medela is the same: putting patients and families first, with science and compassion guiding every step of the journey.
Learn More About Medela
The #1 Proven Partner in Lactation Care — From Home to Hospital to Home. Enhance patient outcomes, reduce costs, and simplify clinical care with Mother’s Own Milk (MOM). Support early, frequent, and effective milk expression through intuitive, evidence-based solutions that drive lactation success and improved clinical results.
Explore Medela’s webinars
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The material presented in this blog represents the opinion of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of Synova Associates. Synova Associates does not endorse any specific products or organizations but strives to connect its industry partners with leaders interested in product/educational innovation.
