WittKieffer Impactful Leaders Podcast

The true power of AI lies not in replacing human decision-making, but in strengthening it. 
In Part 2 of this Converge conversation, Michael Castleman, Chief Business Officer; Executive Partner, Global Investor Backed Markets & Interim Leadership Solutions, and Ysette Witteveen, Managing Partner, Interim Leadership – Global Investor Backed Markets, continue their discussion with Dr. Mohammad Ghassemi on how organizations can scale AI responsibly while maximizing human potential. 
Using real-world examples from healthcare, life sciences, investment firms, and other high-stakes environments, Dr. Ghassemi examines how leaders can assess risk, establish effective governance, and build productive partnerships between people and intelligent systems. He notes that organizations generating the strongest outcomes approach AI with discipline—expanding deployment in proportion to demonstrated value, managing costs thoughtfully, and maintaining consistent oversight. 
The discussion turns to the strategic choices leaders face when deploying AI. Dr. Ghassemi outlines how organizations can determine whether a solution is best suited to generating insights, automating processes, or augmenting human decision-making, helping ensure investments align with broader business objectives. He also addresses the unique complexities of healthcare, where accountability, governance, and patient outcomes can significantly influence implementation decisions. 
A recurring theme is the importance of organizational readiness. From strong digital infrastructure and centralized leadership to enterprise-wide AI fluency, sustainable adoption depends on more than technology alone. Dr. Ghassemi describes how mature governance programs establish performance standards, monitor outcomes, and clearly define the roles of both humans and AI systems. 
Attention also turns to how investment firms and portfolio companies are accelerating adoption through centers of excellence that cultivate internal expertise, share best practices, and convert innovation into measurable business value. 
Ultimately, this conversation reframes AI not as a replacement for people, but as a tool for human augmentation. By automating repetitive work and enabling talented professionals to focus on creativity, judgment, and innovation, organizations can unlock greater enterprise value while creating more meaningful work for their people. 

Artificial intelligence is reshaping virtually every industry, but many leaders still struggle to distinguish genuine business value from industry hype. 
In Part 1 of this Converge conversation, Michael Castleman, Chief Business Officer; Executive Partner, Global Investor Backed Markets & Interim Leadership Solutions, and Ysette Witteveen, Managing Partner, Interim Leadership – Global Investor Backed Markets, sit down with Dr. Mohammad Ghassemi to explore what it means to become AI fluent in today's rapidly evolving landscape. 
An MIT-trained computer scientist, professor at Michigan State University, and founding partner of Ghamut Corporation, Dr. Ghassemi has led more than $250 million in AI initiatives across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He also directs Michigan State's Human Augmentation and Artificial Intelligence Lab, where his research focuses on integrating human and machine intelligence to solve problems neither can address as effectively alone. 
Throughout the discussion, Dr. Ghassemi challenges common misconceptions about AI and encourages leaders to adopt a more nuanced view of the technology. Rather than a single capability, he describes AI as a spectrum ranging from deterministic, rules-based systems to more flexible probabilistic models, each carrying different implications for cost, performance, reliability, and risk. 
Listeners gain insight into why many organizations struggle to realize value from AI investments and what differentiates those achieving measurable results. Dr. Ghassemi outlines a practical framework for evaluating AI opportunities through the lens of return on investment, while warning against pitfalls such as scaling too quickly, overestimating capabilities, or pursuing initiatives disconnected from business priorities. 
The episode also positions AI fluency as a critical leadership capability. Beyond understanding technical concepts, leaders must be able to use, assess, and challenge AI systems within their organizations. For executives looking to move beyond buzzwords and develop informed AI strategies, this conversation provides a practical foundation for action. 

In this episode of Accelerating Physician Leader Impact, host Dr. Michael Anderson sits down with Dr. Rita M. Pappas, Chief of the Women’s and Children’s Institute at Cleveland Clinic, to explore what it takes to lead through complexity, uncertainty, and change. Drawing on her journey from pediatric nurse to pediatrician to physician executive, Dr. Pappas shares lessons from advancing family-centered care, mentoring future physician leaders, and leading high-profile initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
She offers practical insights on building trust through communication, creating alignment across interdisciplinary teams, and maintaining focus under pressure. The conversation also examines the growing challenges facing children’s healthcare, including workforce shortages, pediatric research funding, and the critical role of advocacy. 
For healthcare executives, physician leaders, and aspiring changemakers, this episode delivers powerful reflections on leadership, resilience, and the importance of setting a clear direction while remaining deeply connected to patients, families, and teams. 

What if medicine could move beyond managing decline to restoring human function?
In this episode of Converge, Jerry McLaughlin, CEO of Life Biosciences, explores the emerging science of epigenetic reprogramming and its potential to transform how we treat age-related disease. Drawing on decades in biopharma, McLaughlin reflects on the shift from symptom management to targeting the root causes of aging at the cellular level. 
The conversation centers on a pivotal milestone: dosing the first human patient with an epigenetic restoration therapy designed to treat optic neuropathies, including glaucoma and NAION. McLaughlin shares how the field is evolving from hypothesis to clinical validation—and why rigor, evidence, and disciplined execution must replace hype. 
From commercialization strategy to scientific breakthroughs, this episode offers a rare, insider perspective on where longevity science intersects with patient impact—and what it will take to bring these therapies to scale. 

How can health professions education keep pace with workforce shortages, rapid technological change, and evolving student expectations? 
In this episode, Jon Williamson, Dean of the School of Health Professions at UT Southwestern and President of the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions, shares a data-driven perspective on the future of healthcare education. He explores the growing gap between academic preparation and clinical realities, the urgent need for stronger partnerships between institutions and health systems, and how leaders can navigate difficult decisions around program sustainability. 
Williamson also weighs in on the role of AI, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with fundamental skill development. From workforce pipelines to interprofessional education, he outlines actionable strategies for building more agile, responsive systems. 
This conversation is a must-listen for healthcare and academic leaders seeking to strengthen talent pipelines and prepare the next generation of care providers. 

What does it take to lead children’s healthcare during one of the most challenging periods in its history? In this special episode of our Accelerating Physician Leader Impact series, Michael Anderson, MD, MBA welcomes Paul R. Haut, MD, President of the Children’s Hospital Association, for a powerful conversation on leadership, advocacy, and purpose. 
Dr. Haut shares his journey from pediatric oncologist to national healthcare executive, reflecting on early leadership failures, the transition from authority to influence, and the importance of understanding one’s “why.” Together, they explore the urgent issues facing children’s hospitals today—including funding pressures, Medicaid sustainability, workforce shortages, and the evolving role of physician leaders. 
Grounded in values of respect, integrity, and trust, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration for senior healthcare leaders committed to making a lasting impact for children, families, and communities. 

What does it take to lead a modern research enterprise in an era of funding uncertainty and growing demand for real‑world impact? In this episode, Stacey Patterson, Vice President for Research at Florida State University, shares how research leaders can build interdisciplinary ecosystems that drive innovation, economic growth, and societal value. 
Drawing on her non-linear path from scientist to senior administrator, Patterson discusses why persistence, communication, and team science are essential leadership competencies. She explores the cultural and structural barriers that prevent promising discoveries from reaching application and explains how programs like Ignite FSU help mature early‑stage ideas. Patterson also offers a candid perspective on return on investment in academic research and why universities must better articulate their value to funders and the public. 
This conversation is essential listening for presidents, provosts, research executives, and higher education leaders shaping the future of research. 

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. 

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. 

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.