The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare

The Krinsky Company
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The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a podcast featuring exceptional women making an impact in healthcare today. We celebrate our guests’ accomplishments, setbacks, and the lessons they've learned throughout their careers. We dig into the many healthcare issues we face today and how these innovative leaders are working to solve them. Join host Meg Escobosa in conversation with some of the many brilliant, courageous women on the front lines of the future of health.

  1. Redesigning Access: Dr. Monica Soni on Healthcare that Works

    07/30/2025

    Redesigning Access: Dr. Monica Soni on Healthcare that Works

    Recorded in November, 2024, Meg welcomes Dr. Monica Soni, Chief Medical Officer of Covered California, a free service that connects Californians with brand name health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.  Dr. Monica Soni is the Chief Medical Officer of Covered California and a practicing primary care physician. She is a board member at Mercy Housing California and previously served on the Los Angeles County Hospital and Healthcare Delivery Commission. Dr. Soni holds a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and is deeply committed to improving population health, reducing disparities, and ensuring healthcare is accessible and affordable for all. In this episode of Game-Changing Women of Healthcare, Monica speaks about driving meaningful healthcare reform from within one of the country’s largest health insurance marketplaces. With nearly 1.8 million Californians enrolled, Covered California is tackling some of the system’s toughest challenges: provider shortages, cost barriers, health plan accountability, and fragmented care. Dr. Soni opens up about launching statewide initiatives that link financial incentives to quality improvement, reducing deductibles for enrollees, and holding health plans to a higher standard. A practicing primary care physician and former commissioner for the Los Angeles County Hospital and Healthcare Delivery Commission, Dr. Soni brings a unique, on-the-ground perspective to policy leadership. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of equitable, high-quality, and sustainable care. Further Reading: -Dr. Monica Soni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmonicasoni/ -Covered California: www.coveredca.com -Mercy Housing California: https://www.mercyhousing.org/california/ -The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS): https://calkids.org/about/ -California Child Savings Account Program: https://www.capta.org/child-savings-account -UCLA: https://www.ucla.edu/ -Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science: https://www.cdrewu.edu/ Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2025 The Krinsky Company

    39 min
  2. Fighting Rare Diseases with Kinnari Patel and Rocket Pharmaceuticals

    02/28/2025

    Fighting Rare Diseases with Kinnari Patel and Rocket Pharmaceuticals

    In honor of Rare Disease Day, Meg Escobosa is joined by Kinnari Patel, President, Head of Research & Development, and Chief Operating Officer of Rocket Pharmaceuticals. Meg and Kinnari discuss the significant impact of genetic testing and drivers for finding cures for rare diseases, the demands and rewards that come with spearheading Rocket Pharmaceuticals, and how true passion has solidified her unwavering commitment to creating a positive impact for rare disease patients. Kinnari Patel, PharmD is President, Head of Research & Development and Chief Operating Officer of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage company seeking gene therapy cures for patients with rare diseases. Kinnari has more than 20 years of pharma experience, including stints at Bristol Meyers Squibb, Novartis, Roche, and Pfizer. Kinnari graduated with a BS in Biology and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She completed an Executive MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and the C-Suite Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. Outside of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Patel is a member of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine’s (ARM) Board of Directors and serves on the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) Global Advisory Board. Further Reading:  Kinnari Patel’s LinkedInRocket PharmaceuticalsRocket Pharmaceuticals' LinkedInNational Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)Rare Disease DayRady Children’s Institute for Genomic MedicineInvitae Unlock™ Immunology ProgramAlliance for Regenerative MedicineHealthcare Businesswomen’s Association Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2025 The Krinsky Company

    43 min
  3. Leading with Care: Transforming Anesthesia Teams and Clinical Culture with Dr. Kelly LeBlanc

    12/03/2024

    Leading with Care: Transforming Anesthesia Teams and Clinical Culture with Dr. Kelly LeBlanc

    Meg welcomes Dr. Kelly LeBlanc, Chief of Anesthesia and President of the Medical Staff at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital. Dr. LeBlanc is also a physician partner with U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP), a physician-owned, clinician-led organization providing anesthesia services in more than 700 inpatient and outpatient facilities across the country, serving more than 2 million patients annually. At USAP, Dr. LeBlanc is part of the Clinical Operations Committee, focusing on enabling great patient outcomes, developing exceptional clinical leaders, and creating a positive clinical culture, which includes a healthy work-life balance.  Meg and Dr. LeBlanc discuss USAP’s role in addressing staffing shortages within health systems. Dr. LeBlanc highlights the importance of creating a positive clinical culture and improving the employee experience. She shares how USAP is implementing innovative strategies, such as a culture committee and surveys, to listen to and address the needs of their team members. Dr. LeBlanc reflects on her journey into medicine and anesthesia, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and caring for patients. The importance of representation and mentorship in attracting and retaining more women, especially minorities, in medicine is highlighted as well. Dr. LeBlanc’s experiences overcoming barriers speak to the the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive culture within the healthcare industry.  Further Reading:  USAPHouston MethodistDEI and Anesthesiology ResidentsInspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine: Dr Kelly LeBlanc of Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital On 5 Things You Need To Create A Successful Career In MedicineHealth: Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital taking patient care to new levels Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    39 min
  4. Attacking Addiction at the Molecular Level: The Medicinal Chemistry of Dr. Amy Hauck Newman

    08/23/2024

    Attacking Addiction at the Molecular Level: The Medicinal Chemistry of Dr. Amy Hauck Newman

    Meg welcomes Dr. Amy Hauck Newman, the Scientific Director and the Chief of Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch and Medicinal Chemistry Section of the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Intramural Research Program also known as “NIDA” IRP. It is one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and it is dedicated to understanding the causes, consequences and treatment of substance use disorders.  On today’s show, Dr. Amy Hauck Newman discusses her work in developing novel medications to treat substance use disorders. She explains the lengthy process of drug development and the importance of intellectual property and partnerships. Dr. Newman also highlights the role of AI and machine learning in healthcare and drug design. Amy shares her journey into chemistry and the challenges and rewards of starting and leading her own laboratory. The use of drugs like Ozempic is touched on as well as various aspects of substance use disorder and the challenges associated with its treatment. Amy talks about the challenges in treating cocaine and methamphetamine use disorder and the emotional weight of working in this field. Finally, the conversation gets into the challenges in engaging the pharmaceutical industry when it comes to fighting substance use disorders. Further Reading: Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch at NIDA  Presynaptic and Postsynaptic Mesolimbic Dopamine D3 Receptors Play Distinct Roles in Cocaine Versus Opioid Reward in Mice NIH Postbac Program NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Medina Sabic, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    45 min
  5. Pocket Naloxone and the Business of Healthcare Innovation: Kathryn Bowsher

    07/23/2024

    Pocket Naloxone and the Business of Healthcare Innovation: Kathryn Bowsher

    Meg welcomes Kathryn Bowsher, managing director of ActOne Healthcare, a consulting firm focused on commercializing healthcare innovations. Kathryn developed this expertise by launching more than 40 products and initiatives across a wide range of therapeutic areas, sites of care, and business models over the course of 25 years. Kathryn is the co-founder, advisor to, and previous Chair of the Board of Pocket Naloxone, an over-the-counter opioid overdose treatment.  In this episode, Meg and Kathryn discuss the challenges of getting Pocket Naloxone to market and the innovative delivery mechanism they developed. Kathryn emphasizes the importance of improving access, lowering cost, and reducing stigma associated with naloxone. She digs into the need to put patients at the center of healthcare by reducing complexity and cost for healthcare providers, and Meg asks Kathryn to share her extensive experience raising capital across her storied career. Also discussed are many of Kathryn’s insights on healthcare challenges and opportunities such as issues with appointment scheduling and workflow, patient-centric approaches, information-sharing, telehealth, medication access, the persistence of old models of care, and educating stakeholders to further positive change.    Further Reading: Consumer Meets Healthcare: Ted TalkCritical Questions for Rethinking Healthcare Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Medina Sabic, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    42 min
  6. Detect and Prevent: Diagnostics-Driven Virtual Care from Everly Health, with Dr. Liz Kwo

    06/18/2024

    Detect and Prevent: Diagnostics-Driven Virtual Care from Everly Health, with Dr. Liz Kwo

    Meg welcomes Liz Kwo, MD, MBA, and Masters in Public Health (all from Harvard). Dr. Kwo is the Chief Commercial Officer at Everly Health, a personalized diagnostic-driven care-at-home solution. She is an experienced healthcare executive specializing in P&L management, B2B/B2C marketing and sales, strategic partnerships, and post-merger integration. Dr. Kwo is an expert at building and scaling digital health products, leveraging predictive and prescriptive analytics to improve outcomes. In this episode, Liz shares her experience as a healthcare executive, investor, physician, and company builder, and how those can tie the market and community needs together to reach more patients. She discusses her personal inspiration, experience bringing companies to market, getting the right investors, and teaching resilience across generations. Dr. Kwo’s new book, Digital MD: Revolutionizing the Future of Health Care is available for pre-order now! Link below…   Further Reading: Digital MD: Revolutionizing the Future of Health CareCurrent state and future potential of AI in occupational respiratory medicineThe Promise of Liquid Biopsies for Cancer DiagnosisEvaluating the Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Musculoskeletal Digital Health Solutions Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Medina Sabic, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    35 min
  7. Breaking Silos: Equitable Healthcare Transformation with Shruti Kothari of Blue Shield California

    05/31/2024

    Breaking Silos: Equitable Healthcare Transformation with Shruti Kothari of Blue Shield California

    Meg is joined by Shruti Kothari, Director of Industry Initiatives at Blue Shield California, an independent member of the Blue Shield Association with 4.7 million members, 7,800 employees, and $22.9 billion in annual revenue that provides health care service plans to residents of California. Shruti is also the founder of Women of Community, an organization focused on increasing representation of women of color in healthcare leadership, as well as the co-founder of the start-up Crown Society. She serves as a Board Member/Advisor for several organizations, including the Family Caregiver Alliance, Reverence, and Asian Pacific Fund.  In this episode, Shruti dives into her role as an equitable health care transformation advocate with experience working as a health educator, community mobilizer, quality improvement leader, early stage startup operator, and in venture capital. Meg and Shruti explore topics ranging from scaling transformative concepts, such as value-based payment models, to her career path and experiences as a woman of color in the healthcare sphere. Further Reading: Blue Shield of California Annual Mission ReportRock Health’s 2023 Honoree - Shruti Kothari — Top 50 in Digital HealthNamed a US Best Managed Company for the fifth straight year and as a Gold Standard honoree for the second time (Sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal)Recognized as one of the most #CommunityMinded companies in the U.S. by Points of Light, the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to accelerating people-powered change. This is the third time we have been honored for our commitment to Stand for What’s Right.New Advisory Council Member Spotlight: Shruti KothariIndustry Initiatives Director Shruti Kothari Named to Business Insider "30 Under 40" Transforming Health CareFounder | Women of CommunityWhy Health Data Sharing Needs To Be A Priority For LGBTQ+ AdvocacyCalifornia’s homelessness crisis highlights need for optimized data sharing - Capitol WeeklyDebunking Misconceptions: Health Plans Play A Crucial Role In Data SharingWhat Health Plans Wish the Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem KnewOpinion: We Need to Balance Innovation with Equity in the Rush to Reimagine Primary CareThe Exec: Blue Shield’s Kothari on Co-opetition and Intersectionality | HealthLeaders Media Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Medina Sabic, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    42 min
  8. Optimizing Existing Healthcare Benefits with Uber's Core Competencies: Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health

    05/15/2024

    Optimizing Existing Healthcare Benefits with Uber's Core Competencies: Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health

    Meg is joined by Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health, which focuses on delivering a “better patient experience with transportation, same-day prescription, and home delivery for groceries and over-the-counter items, enhancing benefit coordination.” Caitlin explains Uber Health’s services: transportation, prescription delivery, and grocery and over-the-counter benefits. Meg and Caitlin dive into the challenges of executing Uber Health’s vision, the importance of aligning incentives, and the critical task of understanding the healthcare ecosystem at large. Caitlin shares insights on engaging health plans and providers, as well as the future plans and innovations of Uber Health. Lastly, Caitlin discusses the key factors in successfully bringing new solutions to the healthcare market and leading well-balanced teams. Further Reading:  2020 product update, Uber Technologies reported that Uber Health grew 300% in two years. 2021, Uber Health and Surgo Ventures partnered with two federally qualified Washington, D.C. health centers to launch the Rides for Moms program 2023: Uber’s Revenue Up 29% as U.S. Ride-Hailing Business Improves “How Uber Health Is Addressing The Maternal Health Crisis” Episode Credits:  The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company.  Hosted by Meg Escobosa.  Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Medina Sabic, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen. Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty.  All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty.  ©2024 The Krinsky Company

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a podcast featuring exceptional women making an impact in healthcare today. We celebrate our guests’ accomplishments, setbacks, and the lessons they've learned throughout their careers. We dig into the many healthcare issues we face today and how these innovative leaders are working to solve them. Join host Meg Escobosa in conversation with some of the many brilliant, courageous women on the front lines of the future of health.

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