Our Team

Mary Ellen Mannix, Founder and Educator

Mary Ellen Mannix, MRPE is the founder of James’s Project. Since the death of her infant son in 2001 from preventable medical errors, subsequent lawsuit, refusal of a large settlement in exchange for a conversation with a physician, and realization of the need to increase communication between physicians and patients to improve healthcare, Mary Ellen has been a staunch and tireless advocate for transparency and compassion in all conflicts. After being admitted to law school in 2007, Mary Ellen decided to go for a master’s degree program in education and peace building/ conciliatory methods. She now uses these methods in her own class as a teacher, corporate trainings, curriculum development, and mediation techniques.

In addition to facilitating professional development for health care providers and educators on collaboration skills, peace-building skills, and restorative practices, Mary Ellen consults with physician practices and patients on the most effective tools to improve communication, outcomes, and costs. Throughout her twenty plus years as an educator, Mary Ellen has taught all ages from birth to adult (parent & child classes, early childhood, middle school, graduate level classes and professional development trainings in both the education and health care industries). As an educator, Mary Ellen has researched, developed, and implemented evidence-based peace-building curriculums. She focuses on renewing trustful relationships through highly-engaging, interactive, content rich programs. She specializes in peace building classrooms and patient-physician conversations post-adverse events. Mary Ellen is dedicated to renewing the trustful relationship between patients and their physicians. On this issue, she is a catalyst.

Mary Ellen is author of “Split the Baby: One Child’s Journey through Medicine and Law” and an internationally recognized advocate for safe care and transparent dialogue in health care. She has written extensively on the topics of grief, peace building, infant loss, and medical error. After receiving several requests, she granted permission for “Bringing Home a Box” to be included in hospital grief packets at no cost. International leader in Compassion in Healthcare, Dr. Robin Youngson featured Mary Ellen’s story on his website for clinicians here . Through a variety of venues, Mary Ellen offers parents of children additional information, empowerment, and encouragement to collaborate with healthcare providers. This includes James’s Project (whose mission is to reduce infant mortality) and serving on the patient safety committee of Good Shepherd Hospital, The Newborn Coalition Advisory Board, leading support groups, and speaking to clinical professionals about communication with patients and their family members. Her work was highlighted the Fall, 2009 at the national organization for patient advocacy, The Empowered Patient Coalition .

In 2011, Mary Ellen was the consumer author on the workgroup which wrote the new Guidelines for Tonsillectomy in Children. She has volunteered service/consultation by invitation with the following organizations: The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The Joint Commission’s International Center for Patient Safety Patient & Family Advisory Group (alternate 2007), The Congenital Heart Information Network, The CHD International Quilt Awareness Project, and The Make A Wish Foundation (2001 & 2002); The Pennsylvania’s Governor Office of Healthcare Reform, The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority (also invited guest speaker to the Authority’s annual Board Retreat), as well as The Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 2010 Patient Activist. She has been a featured guest on radio and television programs including the National Public Radio program, Voices In The Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb, Real Life with Mary Amoroso’s “Death of a Baby” and CN8’s Comcast Newsmakers. She received the Patient & Family Scholarship to the 2007& 2008 National Patient Safety Foundation’s Annual Congresses and was also a participant of The Quality Colloquium at Harvard University in 2007 through scholarship.

She has been a member of The National Association for the Education of Young Children, served on the board of the Delaware County Early Childhood Education Association, served on accreditation committees for The Pennsylvania Association of Private Independent Schools. Mary Ellen developed a preschool program using the “Henry the Hand” curriculum which focuses on the importance of hand awareness to children as young as two and a half years old up to and including parents and grandparents.