Brianna “Bri” Springer, Senior Director, NMDP, Mexico

What’s your current role?

Over the past 16 years, I have had the privilege of working with NMDP (formerly Be The Match), a Minnesota-based global leader in cell therapy. My tenure has included diverse responsibilities, such as contributing to our scientific initiatives, overseeing operational delivery teams, establishing and managing our customer relationship management with hospitals across the United States, and currently serving as Senior Director of NMDP Mexico. In this capacity, I direct the operations and strategic vision of NMDP México®, maintaining managerial P&L responsibility, aligning organizational objectives and optimizing resources to advance growth and influence within the cellular therapy sector. As NMDP’s inaugural international subsidiary, our efforts have significantly furthered access to cell therapy for patients throughout Mexico and for Hispanic/Latino populations in the US and globally. With my team headquartered in Mexico, I regularly travel to our Mexico City office and collaborate with partners nationwide. My experience at NMDP has been deepened by exceptional colleagues and a mission that drives us every day.

When did you join the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST and what roles have you held within the TRUST?

I joined the TRUST almost 10 years ago after my leader at the time recommended it as an opportunity to grow my network and learn from other health care leaders in Minnesota. Over that time I’ve been a part of the TRUST community off and on as my capacity has allowed participating in many of the events including the TRUST forum, being recognized with the Collaboration and Partnerships award and participating in the mentorship program. I’m excited to have officially rejoined the TRUST in January 2025 to invest in building connections with other women leaders navigating the same challenges and opportunities!

I currently serve on the Associate Board and contribute to the Leadership Development Committee.

What has been your favorite part of the TRUST?

My favorite part has been connecting with so many of the amazing women that the TRUST draws in. It’s more important than ever that we are able to learn from each other and lift each other up and I’m continually so impressed with how women in this organization support each other and genuinely invest together in creating meaningful experiences and opportunities to learn and grow.

What is the bet career advice you’ve received?

One of my favorite quotes that was shared with me is from Audrey Hepburn and it says, “You have two hands: one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others”, and I’ve always tried to bring that into my professional and personal life. Over time, I’ve learned that you can’t pour from an empty cup. One hand has to care for you — your energy, your learning, your boundaries — so that the other can reach out to help others with purpose and strength. Leadership, to me, is about keeping both hands at work: one to receive growth, and one to give it back.

What was a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your leadership style?

A pivotal moment in my career came when I stepped into my current role as Senior Director at NMDP Mexico. I was leading a bi-national team for the first time — across languages, cultures, and work norms — and I quickly realized that the leadership playbook that had served me well in the U.S. wasn’t going to work in this new context. I had to become a student again — of culture, context, and new ways of earning trust. I learned to slow down, listen deeply, and invite perspectives before moving into action. I also learned to communicate intent and empathy through presence rather than just words, and to empower local leaders to translate both language and meaning in ways that resonated. That experience fundamentally reshaped my leadership style. It taught me that effective leadership isn’t about having the answers or applying a familiar framework — it’s about adaptability, humility, and creating space for others to lead authentically in their own context.

What emerging trend in health care are you most excited about and why?

I’m excited about how AI will advance the field of health care and can’t get enough content on this topic — from podcasts and webinars to newsletters and hands-on experience. What excites me most is the potential for AI to reshape how we work: freeing clinicians, scientists, and leaders to focus on what humans are uniquely good at — empathy, critical thinking, and complex decision-making — while technology manages the repetitive or analytical tasks that slow us down. In a mission-driven field where every hour and insight counts, AI could have the power to accelerate progress by connecting data, improving access, and personalizing care at scale. For me, it’s not just about efficiency; it’s about enabling people to do the highest, most meaningful version of their work.

How do you foster innovation and creativity within your team or organization?

I love the approach of asking really great questions to drive innovation and creativity. I recently did an exercise with my team using the approach of “How might we…?” and divergent ideation to open our minds up to what’s possible. Then together we mapped those ideas across impact and complexity to prioritize what we should do now, next, and later. Ultimately one of the greatest things we can do to foster innovation within our teams is to create an environment that encourages curiosity and experimentation and rewards failures as learning.

What is something that not many people know about you?

In 2022, I started a non-profit organization in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area creating a space for women to come together and meaningfully engage with local nonprofits, each year directing at least one grant that we believed could have a transformational impact in our community. In our inaugural grant cycle in 2024 we awarded $160,000 in grants to local non-profits in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area supporting women’s wealth building and empowerment through employment, building life skills and personal empowerment for unhoused youth, and supporting cancer patients through legal support. The fund now lives under the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota as the AURA fund and I’m so proud of the impact that it’s made on lives in our community.