Story by Sarah Salmons
Photos provided by Heather Rossi

A light spinner. Play-Doh. A deck of cards. A stress ball.  

Heather Rossi, BSHES ’97, a certified child life specialist at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), keeps her backpack stocked with familiar items that help children and teens feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar and often frightening environment. 

After nearly 28 years in the child life profession, Rossi’s approach to caring for children and families has earned national recognition. She was recently named the 2026 recipient of the Mary Barkey Clinical Excellence Award from the Association of Child Life Professionals, which recognizes a child life specialist who demonstrates exemplary care and a high level of clinical skill. 

Paige Whitcomb and Shannon McWilliams, child life specialists who work with Rossi, co-nominated her for the award. 

“When I think about the impact that child life can have on a patient and family, I think about Heather and her many years of dedication and service to this field,” Whitcomb said. “It’s a privilege to get to know Heather as a child life specialist and it’s an even bigger honor to get to know her as a close friend.” 

McWilliams added, “Heather has played a pivotal role in growing our team from 3 to 12 specialists in multiple service areas. This growth is due mostly to how she ensures our team is built on a foundation of collaboration, respect and a true focus on supporting each other.” 

For Rossi, the heart of child life is understanding children, listening to them and helping them recognize that they have a voice, even in situations where they may feel they have little control. 

A foundation at Mizzou

Rossi arrived at Mizzou in 1993 already knowing what she wanted to do. She chose the university in part because she could study child life, and she knew Human Development and Family Science would be her academic home. 

“The core of the child life profession is the understanding of child development,” Rossi said. “That was such a thorough part of my education that I rely on daily in my work.” 

Her favorite memories include the many hours she spent working and learning at the Student Parent Center and the lab school. A child life practicum at the hospital further confirmed that she had chosen the right field. 

That experience proved valuable when she began her career in Richmond, Virginia, at a university hospital with a children’s hospital inside it. It was her first child life job that has blossomed into a 28-year career. 

Over the years, Rossi worked in pediatric acute and intensive care, helped expand child life services into new areas and managed special projects, including work connected to the design of the Children’s Tower. 

Today, she works with pediatric patients in the Evans-Haynes Burn Center, teens in the adult Trauma Center and children whose adult family members are hospitalized. 

“Heather is so crucial to what we do here with our pediatric patients,” said Cameron Yudkin, a nurse practitioner in the VCU Health Evans-Haynes Burn Center.  

Helping children advocate for themselves 

Rossi sees advocacy as one of the most important parts of her work—but ultimately, she wants children to learn to advocate for themselves. 

She recalls working with a teen in the trauma unit for months. After Rossi returned from vacation, the girl’s mother told her she could hear Rossi’s voice when her daughter spoke with medical staff. 

The teen was speaking up about what she wanted and did not want—something she had not done before. 

“That’s the biggest compliment because the goal in child life is not to create a need for us to be present for everything,” Rossi said. “It’s to help patients understand they can do hard things and advocate for themselves. They have a voice and they’re allowed to use it.” 

That philosophy guides Rossi whether she is helping a child understand a medical procedure, supporting a family through a hospitalization or advising medical professionals on how to communicate with young patients. 

“Nothing we do here is about us,” she said. “It’s always about the patient and the family. It’s about hearing them, being on their timeline, understanding what it is they need and being someone they can feel safe with.” 

After 28 years, Rossi knows the road to becoming a child life specialist is challenging. Her advice to students considering the field is to make sure it is the right fit and take steps to confirm that before committing. 

For Rossi, there is no doubt the hard work was worth it. 

“I’m so grateful to Mizzou for making it possible for me to live out this dream,” she said. “There’s nothing I’d rather be doing with my professional life.” 

Now, she hopes to help the next generation of Mizzou child life students do the same. 

Video courtesy Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University.