Professional Activities:
Amber Collins serves as Assistant Director of Leadership and Faculty Development at the BYU Faculty Center.
Throughout her career in higher education, Amber has been drawn to work that helps people make intentional decisions about their professional futures and develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to achieve their goals. Her experience spans career counseling, prehealth advising, healthcare education, teaching, and leadership development, with a common focus on helping others realize their potential and make meaningful contributions.
Amber began her career at Utah Valley University as a career counselor, helping students explore career paths, secure internships, and develop strategies for professional success. She later served as a prehealth advisor at both Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University, where she guided aspiring healthcare professionals through the process of preparing for and applying to medical, dental, physician assistant, and other professional programs. During this time, she also taught courses focused on career exploration and preparation for students pursuing careers in business and healthcare.
Prior to joining the Faculty Center, Amber served as Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. In that role, she directed the clinical education phase of the physician assistant program and oversaw hundreds of clinical rotations across the United States each year. Her doctoral research examined the national shortage of clinical training opportunities in healthcare education, with particular attention to physician assistant participation in clinical precepting and the motivators and barriers influencing preceptor engagement among female physician assistants.
As an educator and administrator, Amber's interests include leadership development, professional identity formation, emotional intelligence, mentoring, conflict resolution, and helping individuals align their personal values with meaningful and impactful careers. She enjoys supporting faculty as they navigate professional growth, leadership opportunities, and the evolving landscape of higher education.
Hobbies:
Amber's happy place is 60 feet beneath the ocean's surface, ideally in a tropical destination, with a scuba tank on her back and her favorite dive buddies nearby: her husband, three children, and mother (even better if siblings or friends are also along for the adventure). When she can't escape to more beachy climates, she enjoys Utah's diverse landscapes and can often be found camping, hiking, or off-roading with her family and their two active dogs.