11 Healthcare Innovators: Celebrating Health Pioneers in Greater Washington

11 Healthcare Innovators: Celebrating Health Pioneers in Greater Washington

Meet 11 Innovators in Health Care in the Greater Washington Area driving transformative healthcare innovations and advancing community support.

By Annabel Baldy | September 20, 2024

We are excited to highlight the inaugural Innovators in Health Care Awards, presented by the Washington Business Journal, which celebrates the exceptional clinical and business leaders making a significant impact in Greater Washington. These leaders include companies like Children’s National Hospital, Community of Hope, Sorcero and Greater Washington Community Foundation which have a large presence in the area and are leading transformative innovations in healthcare and community support.

This event highlights the Washington D.C. region’s pivotal role in advancing healthcare, powered by a unique ecosystem of government, industry, and academic institutions. Join us in celebrating these forward-thinking leaders at the Health Care Awards Luncheon, taking place in Tysons Corner on Wednesday, September 25.

This year’s distinguished nominees include:

Gretchen Berlin, RN | McKinsey & Co.

Gretchen Berlin is a leader in McKinsey‘s Healthcare and Public Sector practices, where she designs innovative strategies to drive clinical transformations. Her work spans both public and private healthcare sectors, helping organizations improve frontline workforce efficiency and optimize healthcare systems. As a registered nurse, Berlin’s deep clinical insight fuels her initiatives, including recent projects focused on national healthcare system improvements and enhancing nursing retention strategies. Her leadership is shaping the future of healthcare delivery across the U.S.

Dipanwita Das | Sorcero

Dipanwita Das is the CEO and Co-founder of Sorcero, an AI company revolutionizing healthcare by leveraging advanced analytics to improve patient outcomes. Sorcero’s cutting-edge Language Intelligence technology enables life science and pharmaceutical companies to make more informed, data-driven decisions. Das’s leadership is transforming the way the healthcare industry processes complex information, ensuring life-saving insights reach medical professionals faster, thereby improving patient care globally.

Dr. Marla Dean | Greater Washington Community Foundation

As Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Dr. Marla Dean champions initiatives that address health disparities through a focus on economic justice and systemic change. With nearly 30 years of leadership experience, Dr. Dean has spearheaded efforts to tackle the social determinants of health, driving innovative programs that promote community wealth-building and improve healthcare access for vulnerable populations in the region. Her work is instrumental in advancing health equity for all.

Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., MBA, PMP | Children’s National Hospital

Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Children’s National Hospital, is widely recognized for her pioneering efforts in pediatric care through innovation. Her leadership has been crucial in establishing the Alliance for Pediatric Device Development, an FDA-funded consortium dedicated to advancing medical technologies specifically designed for children. Dr. Eskandanian has also played a key role in the creation of the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus and oversees the hospital’s Office of Innovation Ventures, the commercialization arm of Children’s National. Additionally, she serves as Executive Director of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. In her latest leadership capacity, she is the principal investigator for the Special Populations HUB of the BARDA Accelerator Network. In every aspect, Dr. Eskandanian’s work accelerates the translation of cutting-edge pediatric technologies into clinical practice, marking significant advancements in pediatric healthcare.

Amit Garg | HiLabs

Amit Garg, Co-founder and CEO of HiLabs, is transforming healthcare through data-driven innovation. His company utilizes AI to enhance the accuracy of provider directories, close clinical data gaps, and improve payment accuracy, which ultimately streamlines patient access to high-quality care. Garg’s work simplifies complex healthcare data to ensure providers can deliver optimal care while minimizing administrative burdens, helping healthcare systems operate more efficiently.

Dr. Richard Leichtweis | Inova Kellar Center, Inova Health System

As Executive Director of the Inova Kellar Center, Dr. Richard Leichtweis is a champion of mental health and substance use disorder treatment for children and families. Under his leadership, the Center has raised millions to support comprehensive mental health services, providing critical care to underserved communities. Dr. Leichtweis continues to innovate by expanding access to mental health services and developing programs that address the emotional well-being of youth.

Kelly Sweeney McShane | Community of Hope

Kelly Sweeney McShane is the CEO of Community of Hope, an organization transforming care for low-income families in Washington, D.C. Through her leadership, Community of Hope has expanded its services to provide healthcare and housing solutions, helping thousands of individuals achieve stability. McShane’s innovative approach to integrating housing with healthcare has been recognized for creating lasting impacts in health equity and homelessness prevention.

Dr. Sandra O’Brien, Ph.D., CNE, CFNP, PHCNS-BC, RN | Conway School of Nursing, The Catholic University of America

Dr. Sandra O’Brien is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Family Nurse Practitioner at the Conway School of Nursing. Her work focuses on family adaptation and occupational health. Dr. O’Brien advocates for greater nurse involvement in public health advocacy and prevention efforts.

Deneen Richmond | Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center

Deneen Richmond is the President of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center and also serves as the Chief Quality, Equity, and Population Health Officer. A colorectal cancer survivor, Richmond is a passionate advocate for health equity and cancer awareness, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare operations and quality improvement. She is an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University, Milken School of Public Health, in the Executive Master’s in Health Administration Program. Additionally, she holds board positions at the Maryland Patient Safety Center and The Healthcare Council.

Angela D. Thomas, DrPH, MPH, MBA | MedStar Health

Dr. Angela D. Thomas, Vice President of Healthcare Delivery Research at MedStar Health Research Institute, leads efforts to advance healthcare delivery through innovation and health equity. Dr. Thomas is the Executive Leader of the Safe Babies Safe Moms initiative, which focuses on reducing disparities in maternal and infant mortality in Washington, DC. She has over 20 years of experience in research and healthcare leadership.

Jennifer L. Wong | Sanofi

Jennifer L. Wong is Vice President at Sanofi, driving strategy and transformation in AI and data science. She creates value at the intersection of health, technology, AI, and social impact, overseeing the Responsible AI Governance Program (RAISE) and Generative AI Program Management. Her work advances health equity and integrates innovative solutions across various domains.

Congratulations to all of these innovators! We look forward to witnessing the continued impact of their work and the ongoing evolution of healthcare in the region.