What led you to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation?
I was raised in Seattle by parents who both were practicing physicians, and I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was a girl. After completing my residency in Boston, I came to Penn, where I trained in geriatrics, then earned an MBA from the Wharton School. Wharton wanted to create physician-MBAs capable of managing the policies, politics and economics that shape how America delivers and pays for health care. I also became a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar.
Although I hadn't thought much about leadership when I was in my 20s and practicing medicine, I found that in academic medicine there always is an interface with policy questions.
During the time the Clinton administration was trying to reform our health care system, I spent a few years in Washington as deputy administrator of what is now the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, and I worked on the White House Health Care Reform Task Force, co-chairing the Working Group on Quality of Care. I took from that experience that we didn't have good answers.
I came to the foundation in 2003. While working in Washington, I realized that organizations like RWJF have a strategic approach to social change and a really important role to play that could be more creative and innovative than what can be done in government. I thought that being in a foundation might be an interesting place, and RWJF's change agenda was of interest to me.
What is your role there? What is the foundation's societal role?
As the CEO, my role is to focus on refining and developing our vision. The CEO is the main interface between the board of trustees and the staff. I translate the strategy, and I make sure we are working as a unified body. I'm also one of the key spokespeople for the foundation.
RWJF is the largest U.S. foundation devoted to health; over our 43-year history we've had the opportunity to help shape key efforts to improve the nation's health and health care, ranging from the development of the 911 emergency call system, to the improvement of care at the end of life, to bringing down the rate of tobacco use, to working to ensure that everyone in America has access to affordable, quality health care. Now we have refined our vision and are working to build a culture of health that addresses all of the socioeconomic factors that impact health - both inside and outside the clinic. Our goal is to ensure that everyone - no matter where they live or how much money they have - has the opportunity to make healthy choices and live a healthy life.
You've been at RWJF for more than a decade - what is your daily motivation?
The staff is an incredibly diverse group, with an incredible variety of approaches. Also, here we have the ability to see how the work that we do directly affects individual lives. That is extremely motivating. The people and outcomes that we are a part of keeps me excited every day.
What achievement, either at RWJF or outside, are you most proud of?
One key achievement is when we announced in 2007 that we would commit $500 million to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. We had to be very clear that we had a strategy for going about this really difficult task. As an executive, I was able to get the board aligned; it was risky because there was a big chance we would fail. We had to make sure that all of the components of the foundation were working together toward this goal. And in the last two years, we have seen signs of progress - obesity rates are reversing nationwide for the very youngest children, and some cities and states are reporting progress in older children and teens. The second defining moment came Feb. 5, when we announced that we were doubling down and committing another $500 million over the next 10 years to ensure that all children in America will reach a healthy weight.
You were named to Forbes' list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women. Why do you think you made the list, and how do you define "powerful"?
I lead a foundation that has real influence in the health and health care arenas. Health is a big part of our economy. More important, health and well-being are very important to most people. So if power is defined as being able to influence areas that are important to people, then the CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has power.
What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on the foundation's work?
The Affordable Care Act has brought dramatic reductions in the nation's uninsured rate, and millions more in our country now have access to quality health care when they need it. Health care providers are taking on less financial burden in covering costs to treat uninsured patients, insurance markets are more competitive in the benefits and choices they offer consumers, and the ability for insurers to discriminate against the sick has ended.
Despite this progress, there are still more than 40 million people without health coverage in America. My colleagues and I know that there is a great deal more work to be done, and we remain committed to finding solutions that get us closer to the day when everyone in our country has access to quality, affordable care.
There's no question that the law has been a transformative development for America. However, it will be several years before we can fully understand its impact on the health care system and our nation's health overall. In addition to our ongoing investments in expanding access to care, we're also monitoring the dramatic changes that the health care system is undergoing as a result of the law.
What message will you bring in your commencement address?
The title of my speech will be "It's Your Turn - Building a Culture of Health in America."