What’s your role at Ursa Health and what do you do?
I’m an Analytics Engineer at Ursa Health. My role involves transforming data into meaningful insights by building measures, tables, and dashboards that help clients track performance and make informed decisions. The goal is to translate complex data into actionable insights that align with each client’s unique goals.
Can you share a little about your background?
My journey began during my PhD program in neuroscience, where I specialized in psychiatric neuroimaging. During that time, I developed a strong passion for coding and advanced analytics. While in training, I realized that I found the most fulfillment in projects that created immediate, real-world impact.
When I graduated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I chose to work with the CDC Foundation rather than pursue a purely academic path. That experience led me to Houston Methodist Hospital, where I worked as a data scientist and assistant professor studying the long-term impacts of COVID-19, as well as cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. Through that work, I became deeply interested in outcomes research. I later joined Kelsey-Seybold, an accountable care organization (ACO), where I supported the actuarial team and led the evaluation of pilot programs focused on improving patient outcomes while reducing total cost of care.
Overall, my transition into the healthcare industry has been incredibly engaging, with healthcare often feeling more complex than neuroscience itself. However, the potential to create meaningful impact in this field continues to motivate me, and I’m excited to see what new challenges lie ahead.
Why did you decide to work for Ursa Health?
After a couple years working at an ACO, I began exploring what the next step in my career might look like. Ursa stood out to me because of its mission to empower healthcare organizations to make data-driven decisions that benefit both the organization and the populations they serve. I was also excited by the opportunity to work at a smaller, client-facing company where I could gain exposure to many different aspects of the healthcare industry.
What do you find to be the best part about working with Ursa Health?
I know that everyone says the team, but there’s a reason for that. Ursa has been so intentional about bringing on people with different experiences and perspectives. On top of that, they are all extremely intelligent and friendly. There couldn’t be a more perfect place to connect and learn as a team.
What is one thing people are surprised to learn about you?
I’m an avid collector of hobbies (and will happily talk too long about any of them). The one that I have probably dedicated the most time and energy to is rock climbing. My first session was in March of 2018, and by my second I had already purchased a membership and all my own gear. Truly love at first climb.