Jennifer Balchunas is the Director of Clinical Growth for UNC Health Medical Group, where she leads initiatives focused on clinician onboarding, operational efficiency, and teammate well-being. She oversees two high-impact teams: one dedicated to onboarding new clinicians and teammates into the UNC culture while optimizing workflows and EHR utilization to reduce stress and burnout, and another that has transformed primary care In Basket support through an innovative remote model.

A recognized change leader, Jennifer is deeply committed to efficiency, optimization, and building compassionate, high-performing care teams. She is passionate about ensuring every teammate feels supported during onboarding and equipped to deliver exceptional patient care. Jennifer recently collaborated with the AMA Steps Forward team to develop an Onboarding and Optimization toolkit that highlights the exceptional clinician onboarding initiatives established under her leadership.

Jennifer is a Six Sigma Blue Belt with extensive experience in quality improvement and operational excellence. She is also a Certified Professional Coach, bringing over 25 years of clinical experience—including 17 years as a practicing Licensed Practical Nurse—to her leadership approach.

She holds a Master’s degree in Health Leadership from Western Governors University and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from The Pennsylvania State University.