Tell us about your background and why did you Co-Founded Genesys Health?
“Prior to Genesys I was a Vice President at one largest insurance consulting companies in the world. What I quickly learned was that if I wanted to disrupt the status quo and create a meaningful financial impact for my clients I needed full autonomy to break glass with no tie to preferred services or partners. Funneling services, abandoning the very essence of consulting, being agnostic, did not feel right. Objectivity, creativity, critical thinking, are kind of key tenants for good consulting and (naked) service, you know? Shortly after this realization, we structured a deal allowing us to take our book of business back and started Genesys Health, with the goal of creating margin (grace) for our clients and their employees. When I say grace, I am referring to the refinement of movement and the creation of goodwill which are both very attainable and mutually aligned. Creating space in people’s lives equals MARGIN. Either professionally, by helping to better driving the bottom line (generating funds), or personally, by optimizing operations, providing efficiency gains and added support, we are elevating people. Allowing them to upskill, reskill or whatever they want to do with it. We are in the business of getting people back to doing with a love and margin (grace) is necessary for that. Extra time, newfound money…who doesn’t want that! Founded on those principles, we are able to truly innovate and provide tangible, measurable value to organizations. We are able to drastically change the employee healthcare experience by improving employee access to care, building efficiency into the health plan, creating a culture of health and wellbeing, all while increasing margin and directly impacting our clients bottom line financial results.”
Who had the biggest influence on your career path and overall success?
“My dad is the biggest influencer for my career, and more importantly my life. He taught me so many things personally and professionally. He was a nuclear power engineer and a process coach so his profession left very little room for error. He specifically was trained in, and taught, the Kepner Tregoe decision making matrix which over the course of my childhood and beyond was instilled in me! There is no doubt his lessons in solving problems, decision making, mitigating problems by anticipating new ones, creating contingencies, and working effectively in teams are the reason I set out on this journey to disrupt the healthcare/insurance markets across the country. It is also the reason I love what we do, there is no space more ripe for disruption than the healthcare market and no company more uniquely positioned to innovate than Genesys Health. Every day we are improving the lives of the employees we serve and helping our clients reduce premiums costs on one of their 3 largest expenses.”
How do you view your role as a CEO of a women owned business?
“I feel blessed by the number of women who came before me as trailblazers and made it possible for Tonia and I to create Genesys Health. I am honored to be part of the waive that continues to lift women and minorities up in the workplace. As a mother of two boys, I want them to know me as mom first, and when they look at me professionally, it‘s as a CEO, not a female CEO. I want them to see our business as a successful business, not a successful female owned business. I want them to continue to believe that they can be anything they want to be if they work hard, connect and invest in people, are relentless in their pursuits, and always put others first. I believe this for all genders and races. I strive to have Genesys Health be a place of vulnerability and authenticity, where good people thrive and can forward our mission of inclusion, diversity of people, cultures and ideas.”
Tell us something people may not know about you?
I grew up an athlete my whole life running track, swimming, cheerleading, playing softball, but I have always loved to ride dirt bikes!
