The San Jose State of Healthcare

By Jasmine France, Jody Ulate and Julia Halprin Jackson

The nation’s complex, hotly debated healthcare system affects us all. Washington Square wanted to hear from alumni insiders who are shaping the industry—from hospitals and biotech companies to medical devices and research and development. We interviewed 10 healthcare leaders from a range of fields and learned that health innovation must come from nearly every major discipline, not just from doctors, nurses and technicians.

Read their Q&As on the state of U.S. healthcare, advice for navigating the complex system, and what inspired them to help people achieve their fullest, healthiest lives.

Jarie Bolander, ’95 Electrical Engineering
COO, Lab Sensor Solutions

Dave Busch, ’74 Production Management VP of Medical, NEO Technology Solutions

Julie Cherry, ‘93 Nursing, ‘97 MS Nursing, chief clinical officer and vice president of clinical and consulting services at Care Innovations, an Intel Company

Barb Pelletreau, ’84 MPH, patient safety officer at Dignity Health

Lucia Soares, ’02 MBA Vice President, Healthcare Technology Strategy, Johnson & Johnson

Bill Graham, ’92 MPH, president of Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital

Phil Pesta, ’94 General Design Studies Vice President of Operations, BioCardia

Bob McRae, ’02 Mechanical Engineering, chief technical officer of Semler Scientific

Nitin Salunke, ’10 MBA, Global Vice President of Research and Development at Medtronic

Sherri Sager, ’83 MA Public Administration Chief Government Relations Officer, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital