Home: Plano, Texas (Though about 50% of my time is spent in Washington D.C.)
UT Dallas Degree: Ph.D. in Public Affairs, 2013
Profession: Executive Director for the Health Data Consortium, a public-private partnership working to foster the availability and use of open health data in the U.S.
The Executive Director is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization according to the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors.
I’ve worked for some of the leading healthcare and consultation systems such as Avalere Health, American Heart Association, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Deloitte Consulting, and Texas Health Resources.
My doctoral degree, better yet experience, equipped me with the necessary understanding of leadership, nonprofit management, change management, and program evaluation skills necessary to navigate the complex world of public policy and government. My expertise was in the world of health informatics, but the doctoral degree allowed me to capitalize on my interests in healthcare, technology, and public policy. Moreover, it expanded my thinking and capabilities, which enabled me to merge health informatics and public policy. Naturally, this represents exactly what I’m doing with the Health Data Consortium today.
Strong and caring faculty who offered genuine support in my success. Of course, Dr. Richard Scotch was/is the biggest supporter of that success.
My advice for all students is to pursue your goals with passion and persistence. More importantly, never settle when it comes to going after your dreams. Quite frankly, I would have never thought that I would be able to merge all of my interests, but I was able to and I love every minute of it.