Meenal Lele (M&T’05), Founder and CEO of Hanimune Therapeutics, brings a deeply personal and systems-driven perspective to the challenge of food allergy prevention—one shaped by both scientific rigor and lived experience. Trained at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and commercialization, she is building solutions to one of the fastest-growing public health problems affecting children today. Her work is grounded in a clear mission: to create a future in which food allergies are no longer an inevitable part of childhood.

Dr. Andy Davis is a Professor and Associate Vice-Chair for Quality in the Department of Medicine. He is board certified in both internal medicine and in public health, and is a practicing clinician educator with research interests in quality improvement, prevention, and chronic disease. He is a clinician-educator with precepting and direct patient care responsibilities in the Primary Care Group and the University of Chicago Student Health Clinic. He was volunteer Attending of the Year in 2014 for Community Health, and is faculty advisor for the Maria Shelter Free Clinic.

Janae Sharp, FHIMSS, brings a rare blend of health IT expertise, convening power, and human-centered leadership to one of healthcare’s most urgent challenges: clinician burnout and physician suicide. As Founder of the Sharp Index, she operates at the intersection of data, storytelling, and systems change—working to heal the healthcare workforce from the inside out. Her work reflects a deep belief that sustainable healthcare transformation begins with those who deliver care.

Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, MD, brings a rare and deeply credible perspective to modern healthcare—one shaped by decades inside the system she now seeks to improve. Trained at Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, she spent more than 20 years as a preventive cardiologist working on the front lines of cardiovascular care. Her clinical expertise spans thousands of patients, countless prescriptions, and a firsthand understanding of how the traditional model excels at managing disease—but often falls short of restoring health.

At HealthIMPACT Forum NYC, Dr. Rasu Shrestha of Advocate Health shared how the nation’s largest hospital-at-home program is rewriting the future of healthcare — moving care beyond hospital walls into homes and communities. From pandemic-born innovation to a person-centered, digitally connected care model, this borderless approach is delivering better outcomes at lower costs while reimagining what modern healthcare can be.

Dr. Sejal Hathi, Director of the Oregon Health Authority, shares her journey from battling chronic illness to shaping groundbreaking healthcare policies. From revolutionizing Medicaid to integrating social determinants like housing and nutrition, Oregon’s approach is setting the bar for health equity. Dr. Hathi’s insights on the intersection of technology and healthcare delivery highlight how the state is making healthcare more accessible, affordable, and effective for all.

In this article, we explore how generative AI is unlocking solutions for rare diseases. By accelerating drug discovery and enabling personalized treatment, AI is transforming healthcare for underserved patient populations. Advanced data analytics play a crucial role in addressing the complexities of diagnosing and treating rare conditions, providing new pathways for effective solutions and improving patient outcomes.