The Leading Difference

Jessica Richter is a medtech executive and a board member with MedtechWOMEN. Jessica shares her inspiring journey from B2B sales to becoming a leader in the medtech industry, including overseeing a wide range of vital functions such as clinical trial strategy, regulatory affairs, and market access. Jessica provides insightful advice on overcoming common industry challenges, and underscores the val...

Ryan Phelan is a partner and patent attorney at Marshall Gerstein. He discusses his journey from a background in computer science and fintech to becoming a prominent IP attorney serving clients in the MedTech industry and beyond. He shares insights on the importance of protecting intellectual property, especially for startups, and the burgeoning role of AI in medical technology. This succinct yet...

Maria Artunduaga is the founder & CEO of Samay, the winner of the 2024 MedTech Innovator accelerator, as well as a groundbreaking physician, scientist, and inventor. Maria discusses her inspiring journey from a small town in Columbia to leading a top MedTech company in the US. After pivoting away from plastic surgery training, she channeled her efforts into creating Sylvee, an AI wearable sens...

Dr. Shalabh Gupta, founder and CEO of Unicycive Therapeutics, shares his inspiring journey from practicing medicine to leading groundbreaking innovations in kidney disease treatment. Dr. Gupta discusses his comprehensive framework for identifying and developing medical solutions, his vision for Unicycive's future, and the importance of focus and execution in medical startups. He reveals the challe...

Zed Williamson is the founder and CEO of TrackableMed. He explores his transition from the advertising world to the medtech industry, where he applies neuroscience and behavior change principles to optimize medical systems. Zed discusses the importance of bridging the gap between clinical information and human connections in healthcare, and shares insights from his two podcasts aimed at medical sa...

Mildred Zayas, a global supply chain executive with over 25 years of experience in the medical technology industry, shares her transformative journey from her early career in Puerto Rico to leading strategic initiatives at Johnson & Johnson. She emphasizes operational excellence, supply chain optimization, and mentoring emerging leaders. She discusses the importance of continuous learning, ser...

Rick Sherak, CEO of Exokinetics, shares his incredible journey from serving as an Air Force officer to leading a company that develops transformative mobility devices. He discusses the importance of leadership, sales psychology, and creating compassionate company culture. Rick's passion shines through as he recounts heartwarming stories of how Exokinetics' Zeen device has profoundly improved the l...

Mike Knox is a standup comedian and the author of "Vivien's Rain." In this unique episode that reveals the perspective of a device end-user, Mike shares his personal journey into the MedTech field through the lens of his daughter's epilepsy and the life-saving (and life-giving!) impact of a vagus nerve stimulator. He discusses the challenges faced before discovering the device, the transformation...

Kelley Satoski is the co-founder and CEO of Pelva Health, a pelvic health startup dedicated to making intimacy pain-free for women suffering from chronic vaginal and vulvar pain. Kelley shares her personal journey with vaginismus, which led her and her husband to seek innovative solutions where none existed. They discuss the staggering statistics of women affected by this pain, Pelva Health’s prog...

Aaron Burnett, founder and CEO of Wheelhouse Digital Marketing Group, delves into the unique marketing challenges faced by the MedTech industry. He discusses the critical importance of continuous messaging and creative iteration in data-constrained environments, highlighting how accurate first-party and zero-party data strategies can drive performance in highly regulated markets like healthcare. H...

Scott Burwell, PhD, is the founder and CEO of Neurotype Inc. Scott shares his journey from a background in experimental psychology to establishing Neurotype, a company developing brain therapeutics to address cravings in substance use disorders. He discusses the innovative use of EEG technology to measure brain responses to stimuli, providing an objective biological assessment and treatment of cra...

Isabella Schmitt is a prominent life science, AI, and regulatory affairs leader, and was recently named one of the top 100 MedTech Leading Voices Worth Following on LinkedIn in 2025. Isabella shares her diverse career journey—from aspirations of neurosurgery to becoming a regulatory expert in MedTech and biotech. She emphasizes the importance of early regulatory involvement, strategic use of pre-s...

Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER, an incubator & innovation hub, discusses his journey and the impactful work MATTER does in healthcare innovation. Steven shares his transition from Abbott Labs and Capitol Hill to leading MATTER, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in accelerating healthcare advancements. He provides insights on how MATTER supports both startups and large companies and al...

Justin Bantuelle (COO) and Michael Roberts (CMO) of Health Connective discuss the company's role in supporting medtech firms by developing custom web applications for surgical planning, post-operative reviews, and other solutions. Justin and Michael share their personal journeys into medtech, highlighting the rewarding experience of contributing to life-saving technologies. The conversation touche...

Chad Bareither is the owner and principal consultant of Bareither Group Consulting. Chad shares his journey from working as a civilian engineer in the U.S. Army to becoming a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and consultant for medtech and pharma companies. Chad discusses his process improvement framework, the importance of understanding both systems and people, and insights from his recently publi...

Dr. Silvia Blemker is a distinguished professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia and co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Springbok Analytics. Silvia discusses her fascinating journey from a curious child who loved learning about anatomy to now leading groundbreaking research at the Multi-scale Muscle Mechanophysiology Lab. Learn how her innovative AI-driven muscle ana...

Nile Harris, a seasoned leader with two decades of experience in the MedTech industry, is the founder and CEO of HVG Executive Solutions and currently serves as a director in the life sciences practice at Alvarez & Marsal. Nile shares her diverse career journey from financial services to MedTech, including roles at Medtronic and Abbott, and her current work in management consulting. Emphasizin...

Dr. Jay Anders, Chief Medical Officer of Medicomp Systems, shares his career transition from an internist to a leader in healthcare IT, emphasizing the importance of usable technology for clinicians. He discusses Medicomp's mission to enhance clinicians' efficiency and patient care through advanced tools. Dr. Anders also explores the challenges of incorporating AI in healthcare, the disparity of h...

Hannah Went, a pioneer in epigenetics, is the co-founder of TruDiagnostic and founder of Everything Epigentics. She shares her journey from the early days of TruDiagnostic to its burgeoning role in healthcare. She reflects on the rapid evolution of epigenetics, the challenges of making groundbreaking science accessible, and the gratifying shift towards mainstream acceptance. Hannah also delves int...

Ruba Sarris Sawaya is a distinguished medtech executive with over 20 years of experience. Ruba discusses her journey from pre-med research to leading roles in market access strategy and consulting for medical device companies. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity, lifelong learning, and strategic thinking in her career. Ruba shares insights on women's empowerment in a male-dominated industry...

Harout Markarian, founder and CEO of MARKBOTIX, shares his journey from Lebanon to the US, transitioning from a professional basketball player to a skilled roboticist. He discusses his educational background in mechanical engineering, robotics, and business, leading to the creation of MARKBOTIX. The company develops GRACE, an assistive robot for the elderly and disabled, aiming to reduce falls and...

Ashley Mooneyham and Jennie Lynch are the co-founders of Momease. Ashley, a PhD-trained scientist and melanoma survivor, shares her journey from cancer biology research to developing an innovative breast pump solution inspired by her own motherhood challenges. Jennie, a serial nonprofit entrepreneur, discusses her transition to the MedTech industry and the importance of supporting new mothers. Tog...

Dr. Shoreh Ershadi is the founder of ANITAGING Institute of California and a renowned expert in clinical biochemistry and pharmacology with over 40 years of experience. Dr. Ershadi shares her compelling journey from Iran to the United States, highlighting her unexpected entry into medical technology and the numerous challenges she faced as a woman in science. From setting up clinical labs and pion...

Tom Salemi, editorial director of DeviceTalks shares his accidental yet fulfilling journey into the medtech industry. Tom reveals his passion for storytelling, building communities, and highlighting the human aspect of medical device innovation. He discusses the evolution of DeviceTalks, its focus on collaboration and education, and the importance of personal connections within the industry.    Gu...

Jennifer L. Horspool, a communication and public relations expert, global brand strategist, and founder of Engagement PR & Marketing, shares her journey from aspiring scientist to a leading figure in MedTech PR, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, branding, and patient persistence in the industry. She highlights how she helps startups and Fortune 100 companies turn their innovative ide...