How Christel Campbell Is Inspiring Others by Paying Compassion Forward
For 15 years, Christel Campbell has walked through the doors of Children’s National with the same goal: to help others with compassion, courage and heart. As an operations supervisor at CNPA Laurel, Christel has become a trusted leader and advocate for both patients and staff.
Throughout her career, Christel has consistently demonstrated compassion and support in every role she has held. She began her journey as a medical assistant after completing her externship under office manager Jackie Massey, who still supervises and mentors her today.
Through commitment and a dedication to care, Christel transitioned from medical assistant to team lead and now serves as office supervisor, where she supports providers, staff and families every day.
But her “why” runs deeper than a job title.
In 2020, Christel faced an unimaginable loss when her granddaughter passed away at Children’s National after an unexpected diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. During those three days in the hospital, Christel experienced the organization not as an employee, but as a grieving grandmother. What stayed with her was the compassion she received — and now it’s that same compassion she now strives to pay forward.
“That showed me I needed to step my game up,” she says. “The team made sure we had everything we needed. Their compassion was 100. I had to give that back.”
Just one month later, a parent called the office describing symptoms similar to those her granddaughter experienced. Christel immediately shifted from her own grief to helping another family in crisis. Today, that mother still hugs Christel at every visit.
“If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know if my baby would be here,” the mother once told her. That moment affirmed Christel’s purpose.
Christel is known for her ability to comfort even the smallest patients — whether it’s turning a firm hold into a reassuring hug during vaccines or greeting nervous children with warmth and patience.
“I’m hugging you, not holding you,” she often tells them.
In her role, Christel manages supplies, supports staffing needs, oversees scheduling, trains staff on new processes and steps into any position whenever she’s needed. Her leadership philosophy is simple: always be willing to learn, always be willing to help.
Her team is her family. They celebrate holidays together, decorate the office, exchange gifts and show up for one another — especially during the hard moments. This past September, her team filled her office with purple flowers and butterflies in memory of her granddaughter, whose birthday and passing fall in the same month.
“Those are the moments when you know your team sees you,” she says. “You don’t always know what people are going through mentally. We show up for each other every day.”
Outside of work, Christel is a passionate crafter and party decorator — talents she often brings into the clinic to brighten team members’ birthdays, baby showers and holidays.
Through every transition, challenge and triumph, Christel remains grounded by one thing: love.
“If you have to give correction, you have to do it in love,” she says. “Our core values aren’t just words. We live them.”
Christel’s journey is a testament to resilience, servant leadership and the power of compassion — qualities that define the very best of Children’s National.