WittKieffer Impactful Leaders Podcast

Embrace the Chaos: Integris’ CPE on Fostering Physician Engagement, Buy-In, and “Anti-Fragility”

What does it truly mean to create a physician‑led culture? In this Impactful Leaders Podcast episode, Senior Partner Daniel Young and Principal Vinny Gossain are joined by Dr. Scott Ellner, Chief Physician Executive at Integris Health, for a candid conversation on leadership, clinician engagement, and purpose. 
Dr. Ellner shares his journey from general surgeon to enterprise leader, highlighting the mindset shifts physicians must make to influence systems, not just care delivery. He challenges common misconceptions about physician engagement, explains why real engagement goes far beyond surveys, and offers practical insights on aligning clinicians around strategy, accountability, and results. 
The discussion also explores augmented intelligence in healthcare, the evolving role of the physician executive, and Dr. Ellner’s PEAK Health philosophy for sustaining leadership performance amid constant change. This episode is a must listen for senior and aspiring physician leaders navigating today’s complex healthcare environment. 

How Scientific Thinking Shapes Leadership: Wisdom from CHOP’s Pediatrician‑in‑Chief

What does it take to lead one of the world’s premier pediatric institutions during a time of extraordinary scientific change? In this episode of Impactful Leaders, Michael Anderson, MD, MBA (a pediatrician) sits down with Dr. Jordan Orange, Pediatrician‑in‑Chief and Chair of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Orange shares his journey from physician‑scientist to executive leader, reflecting on the mentors, inflection points, and moments of discomfort that shaped his path. Together, they explore how scientific training informs leadership decision‑making, why genomics and informatics are transforming children’s—and adult—health, and what health systems risk when pediatrics is deprioritized. Dr. Orange also offers powerful guidance for developing the next generation of physician leaders and closes with advice every senior leader needs to hear: seek out ideas that challenge your thinking, not just those that feel comfortable. 

Taking Flight: UC San Diego's Pharmacy Dean Aims Higher and Inspires

UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Brookie Best joins host Jeff Schroetlin for an in-depth conversation on the future of pharmacy education, leadership, and scientific discovery. Dr. Best reflects on her journey from clinician and researcher to senior academic leader, shaped by early mentorship, founding-faculty experiences, and a deep commitment to patient-centered training.
She shares how the role of pharmacy dean is rapidly evolving—requiring crisis navigation, policy fluency, interprofessional collaboration, and a bold vision for innovation. Dr. Best discusses the school’s curriculum redesign, advancements in AI-driven drug discovery, breast milk therapeutics, pharmacomicrobiomics, and how academic institutions can remain engines of community impact. With clarity and candor, she offers leadership advice, insights on emerging practice models, and a forward-looking perspective on preparing the next generation of pharmacy professionals to lead in a transforming healthcare landscape. 

Accelerating Physician Leader Impact: Chris DeRienzo, M.D.

Mastering the Middle Miles: AHA’s CPE on Physician Leadership for the Long Run
In this Accelerating Physician Leader Impact episode, Chris DeRienzo, M.D.—Chief Physician Executive of the AHA and President of HRET—traces his path from bedside neonatology to national leadership. He reflects on mentors, allies, and especially sponsors who opened doors as his career shifted from academia’s ladder to health systems’ “jungle gym.” Chris shares how real transformation happens in the “middle miles”: start the flywheel, stack small wins, set a clear end vision, and anticipate “mile 17” when resolve and alignment are tested. He outlines a competency roadmap for physician leaders—closing knowledge, exposure, and experience gaps in finance, people leadership, and tech—and explains why operationalizing well-being (e.g., ambient listening) must be a primary design goal, not a byproduct. The conversation ends with a simple leadership credo: “Be good today and better tomorrow.” Practical, purpose-driven, and system-savvy, this episode equips physician executives to lead sustained change. 

Beyond Transaction to Transformation: Shairon Zingsheim on Trust, Culture, and Community College Leadership

In this Impactful Leaders Podcast episode, experienced human resources leader Shairon Ann Zingsheim joins host Sarah Palmer to share a blueprint for leading amid disruption. Zingsheim traces her path from first-generation community college student from Guyana to trusted interim executive, revealing how early mentors moved her beyond transactional HR to institution-level impact. Her executive playbook is clear: listen before you lead, restore steadiness, and build credibility through visibility, transparency, and follow-through—because “trust isn’t built around titles or authority; it’s consistent behavior.” She contrasts community colleges’ agility and workforce responsiveness with four-year universities’ longer planning cycles, while spotlighting shared imperatives: align people to mission, communicate clearly, and lead with empathy. Looking ahead, she urges leaders to treat employee engagement as a resilience strategy and to make succession planning an institutional responsibility—so the “gems within your midst” are seen, developed, and ready to step up. 

Achieving Patient-Centricity and Purpose at Scale: Optum Rx CCO John Wig, M.D.

Dr. John Wigneswaran—Dr. Wig—Chief Clinical Officer for Optum Rx at UnitedHealth Group, joins host Dr. Michael Anderson to discuss leading pharmacy and clinical strategy at enterprise scale. From early lessons in a community pediatric practice to C-suite roles at Walmart and Optum, Dr. Wig shares how mentorship, feedback, and self-awareness propelled his leadership journey.  
He details how physician executives can align patient advocacy with business priorities—“never compromise patient care”—and outlines a practical approach to managing change across complex organizations. The discussion dives into the near-term impact of AI on member experience, operational efficiency, and drug trend forecasting, along with the promise of dynamic, individualized formularies. Optimistic about the next decade, Dr. Wig calls for affordability, access, and kindness to guide transformation. 

Converge Cast | The New Heartbeat of Healthcare: Priya Abani

What if one small device could change the way the world understands its own heartbeat? 
In this episode of Converge Cast, Ysette Witteveen and Lisa Casper sit down with Priya Abani, CEO of AliveCor, a leader redefining cardiac care by making it personal, portable, and profoundly more proactive. Priya isn’t simply running a medtech company; she’s championing advancing a future where lifesaving cardiac insights are no longer confined to hospital walls, but accessible to anyone, anywhere, exactly when they’re needed most. It's a shift from traditional, reactive care to a world where heart conditions are caught earlier, treated faster, and often prevented entirely. 
 
Under her leadership, AliveCor has transformed a traditionally clinical, cumbersome test into a simple, intuitive experience that fits in the palm of your hand. But the true breakthrough begins after the reading. Priya is building an ecosystem where continuous monitoring, advanced AI, and actionable insights replace the guesswork that has defined cardiac care for decades. Her mission is bold: shift healthcare from reactive “sickcare” toward a world where heart conditions are caught earlier, treated faster, and often prevented entirely. 
This episode explores the movement Priya is driving -- one where a person’s home becomes an extension of the clinic, where geography no longer determines quality of care, and where every heartbeat becomes a data point that technology can help interpret. Through clinical rigor, visionary partnerships, and a relentless focus on patient impact, Priya is redefining what’s possible in cardiovascular health. 
AliveCor isn’t just building devices. They’re rewriting the future of heart care, one recording, one insight, one life at a time. 

Accelerating Physician Leader Impact: Pamela Sutton-Wallace

Yale New Haven Health's Pamela Sutton-Wallace: On “Making Music Together” through Professional Partnerships and Shared Purpose 
As President of Yale New Haven Health, Pamela Sutton-Wallace, MPH reflects on a career shaped by “serendipity, opportunity, and preparation,” from a pivot out of political science into public health to leading some of the nation’s most complex academic health systems. In conversation with Michael Anderson, M.D., she shares how dyad/triad leadership, deep curiosity for clinical disciplines, and a service-first mindset build trust and alignment among physicians, nurses, and administrators.
 Sutton-Wallace distills crisis-leadership lessons from COVID—start with what you know, stress-test assumptions, and be ready to course-correct. She finds hope in “small wins” that compound for staff and patients, and closes with timeless advice: hire complementary talent, cultivate psychological safety, and remember no leader operates alone.
This episode of our Accelerating Physician Leader Impact Podcast offers practical, purpose-driven insights for physician executives navigating complexity and change. 

Leading with Purpose, Feeding the Fire: NGHS CEO Matt Hanley, MD

In this episode of the Impactful Leaders Podcast, Dr. Matt Hanley, President and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), shares his purpose‑driven journey from emergency medicine physician to health system leader. With more than 20 years of clinical and executive experience across community, academic, and multi‑state health systems, Dr. Hanley discusses the pivotal moments that shaped his path—including the mentors, challenges, and opportunities that “lit the fire” for leadership. He reflects on the powerful role of purpose, noting, “The thing that motivates me the most… is meaningful purpose,” and describes how that guides his decisions today.
As NGHS experiences unprecedented growth, Dr. Hanley outlines his vision for delivering exceptional everyday care, becoming a best‑place‑to‑work, and ensuring the system is positioned for long‑term sustainability. His insights offer an inspiring look at leading with clarity, humility, and community commitment.
 

Accelerating Physician Leader Impact: Paul R. Hinchey, M.D.

From Systemness to the “Spaces in Between”: Building an Integrated, Patient-Centered Enterprise 
In this episode of the Accelerating Physician Leader Impact series, University Hospitals COO Dr. Paul Hinchey shares how his journey from paramedic to physician executive shaped his commitment to solving problems at scale. Dr. Hinchey reflects on building true “systemness” across a $6B health system—aligning culture, incentives, and operations around the patient journey rather than individual sites of care. He discusses leveraging EMS as an underutilized strategic asset, integrating academic and community missions, and redesigning structures to drive value-based transformation. Dr. Hinchey based transformation. Paul also highlights the importance of mentorship and UH’s Anton Fellowship in developing the next generation of physician leaders. Looking ahead, he explores innovations that excite him most, including virtual consult expansion, advanced remote monitoring, and ambient AI that reduces administrative burden and strengthens the clinician-patient connection. Filled with practical insights and grounded leadership wisdom, this conversation offers a compelling look at the future of integrated, patient-centered care.