Meet Our Guest: 

Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD is an accomplished, strategic leader with a deep understanding of health economics and a heart-felt commitment to outstanding patient care. Her diverse background as a healthcare executive, health economist, physician and health policy expert has given her a unique perspective on how health policy impacts the real lives of patients. She most recently served as Vice President of Clinical Care Transformation at MedStar Health, where she conceptualized, designed, and implemented population health and value-based care initiatives and served on the senior leadership of the 10 hospital, 300+ outpatient care site health system. The care models and service lines under her leadership, including community health, geriatrics, and palliative care, have been nationally recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and others. She also cared for patients as an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Key Insights: 

Dr. Seshamani transitioned from being a physician to a health economist to fulfill her passion of contributing to the community.

● Diversity in Leadership: Dr. Seshamani highlights the positive impact of having women and people of color in leadership roles at CMS.

● Balancing Private and Public Sector: Her background in both the private and public sectors has enriched her understanding of complex healthcare issues, allowing for innovative solutions and thoughtful policymaking.

● Overcoming Obstacles: Dr. Seshamani triumphs over obstacles in her path and advocates for a culture that values qualifications over appearance.

This episode is hosted by Ceci Connolly. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and President and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Dr. Seshamani

Follow Dr. Seshamani on Twitter

Meet Our Guest: 

Madeline Bell is the President and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), which is one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the United States and was ranked No. 1 on Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Best Large Employers. Most recently, she was named one of Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” and one of its “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” and was included on Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Vision” list, Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Power 100 2022” list, and Philadelphia Magazine’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia.” Ms. Bell is the host of Breaking Through with Madeline Bell, a podcast that features interviews with CHOP patients, doctors and scientists, as well as with philanthropists and innovators who support CHOP’s mission. She holds a bachelor of science in Nursing from Villanova University and a master of science in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Key Insights: 

Madeline Bell, President and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), shares her career journey from a pediatric nurse to hospital administration.
 

● The Curiosity Trajectory. Madeline emphasizes the importance of curiosity and a desire for more decision-making power in her career trajectory.

● Networking for Women. Networking has been a challenge for women, including Madeline, but she encourages women to be intentional and planful in developing their networks.

● Follow the Leader. As a leader, Madeline believes in inspiring and uniting people around a common purpose, helping them understand their role and the bigger picture.

This episode is hosted by Sandi Fenwick, Former CEO, Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Madeline

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Meet Our Guest: 

Joyce Murphy brings a wealth of health care experience and a deep understanding of the New England health care landscape to our board. She retired from Commonwealth Medicine and the UMass Medical School in 2018, after a dozen years focused on developing solutions to the most challenging health care policy and public health populations. From 1991 through 2005, she held various positions at Caritas Christi Health Care System, including president of Caritas Carney Hospital, president of St. Mary’s Women and Children’s Center, and vice president of St. Margaret’s Hospital for Women. She was a 2019 Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard Business School and has been repeatedly honored as an outstanding leader. Joyce joined the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care board of directors in 2009, serving as chair from 2017 to 2020. She serves on several other boards and commissions, including the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission Advisory Council and the state treasurer’s Advisory Committee on Wage Equality, and is on the boards of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, Curry College, and UHealthSolutions.

Key Insights: 

Joyce Murphy's story showcases her diverse experiences and the impact she has made in healthcare and community service throughout her career.
 

● The Strength to Give Back. Joyce shared her personal background, growing up in a family focused on service and having a brother with a severe illness. This experience instilled in her a sense of responsibility to give back.

● Service & Responsibility. She started from volunteering with children to working in the prison system and eventually leading in the field of child support enforcement before making her way into healthcare.

● Make Yourself Be Heard! Joyce emphasized the importance of women being taken seriously, and encouraged women to persist and find effective ways to be heard.

This episode is hosted by Sandi Fenwick, Former CEO, Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Relevant Links: 

Read more about Joyce

Joyce Murphy - 2019 ALI Fellow