May 13, 2023

The Ultimate Balancing Act

These 6 Moms in Healthcare are Crushing It in Business and in Life

Mother’s Day is a reminder and celebration of the remarkable strength, unconditional love, determination, and encouragement that moms bring to the table every day.

As mothers working within the healthcare industry, we witness firsthand the significant contributions of women who are often motivated by their personal experiences of navigating the complex landscape of the healthcare system.

We at fuoco are proud to work with incredible women who not only excel in their professions but are kicka** moms, leading their teams and their families by example.

We’ve put together a list of our top six mothers in healthcare. Let’s say hello (in alphabetical order).

Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi

Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi

As a mother of two sons, ages 13 and 10, Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi has had to have tough conversations with them about the state of the world and their safety in it, all while improving clinical outcomes for the Black community as the medical director of behavioral health at Included Health.

She’s also been instrumental in the development of Included Health’s Communities, a care concierge and navigation platform, that incorporates a dedicated, culturally affirming, Black-led team of specialized care coordinators. 

In addition to her leadership role, Benders-Hadi continues to see patients and collaborate with organizations like Bicycle Health and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, increasing member access to addiction treatment and related mental health care.

Chrissy Farr

Chrissy Farr is letting the world in on the hardships and precious moments of motherhood after welcoming her second child, Thea, earlier this year. Her nearly 90K Twitter followers have a front-row seat to how she’s able to successfully balance career and family. 

The seasoned health-tech reporter turned investor is currently a Principal at OMERS Ventures in the Bay Area. With over a decade of experience covering the industry for top publications like CNBC, Fast Company, and Reuters, Chrissy has an impressive track record of breaking some of the biggest health-tech stories, including Apple’s secretive acquisitions. 

She’s presently writing a book on storytelling and its role in driving success in the business world. Send copies, please!

Chrissy Farr
Anna Haghgooie

Anna Haghgooie

As an operating partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson, & Stowe (WCAS) – a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare and technology industries – and a managing partner at Valtruis, a WCAS portfolio company dedicated to investing in and partnering with disruptive leaders to transform healthcare through value-based care, Anna Haghgooie, MBA, is a special kind of boss. This mother of two is committed to accelerating meaningful change and advancing great ideas by connecting early-stage companies with functional expertise, access to capital, and an expansive network. 

Anna previously served as a managing director of healthcare groups Sandbox Industries and the Blue Venture Fund. She currently serves on the boards of Wayspring, InStride Health, Oncology Care Partners, TailorCare, and Girls in the Game (she’s also a Fellow in the Health Innovators Fellowship at the Aspen Institute).

Jeni Mayorskaya

Jeni Mayorskaya‘s story of overcoming her own struggles with infertility, and her dedication to empowering others through her company Stork Club, is inspiring to working (and aspiring) mothers everywhere. 

Now this mom is determined to break the stigma around infertility. She founded Stork Club with the mission of giving people control over their reproductive lives, allowing them to pursue both career and family. She understands firsthand the struggle of dealing with infertility, having been diagnosed with reproductive disorders that threatened her ability to have children. 

Stork Club’s vision of modern workplace healthcare programs quickly garnered attention, with early investors and advisors from LinkedIn, One Medical, and Facebook. In 2018, the company expanded its mission by introducing a comprehensive suite of flexible family benefits that include fertility and parental programs designed for large enterprises. 

Today, Stork Club is proud to provide family benefits to thousands of people while partnering with leading fertility clinics and labs that deliver some of the best success rates in the country.

Jena Mayorskaya
Julia Regan

Julia Regan

Julia Regan continues to defy the odds as a female founder and CEO. 

Founding RxLightning during the pandemic, this mom of two has been laser-focused on the mission of enabling faster, more affordable access to specialty medications. Her vision has led to the development of cutting-edge technology that reduces access time for patients from weeks or months to a few days or minutes. Her infectious energy, standout smarts, and relentless pursuit of enabling visibility across the specialty MedAccess journey have made RxLightning a rising star in the healthcare industry.

Her inspiration? Experiencing first-hand the difficulty of getting a child on a prescribed medication and knowing, based on her experience as a digital product developer, that there had to be a better way. Her son’s love for Lightning McQueen may or may not have influenced the name of her company 😉

Clarissa Riggins

Clarissa Riggins is the consummate mom and professional, calmly leading others through deadlines, disruptions, and competing demands. She’s a digital health and analytics product rock star who’s risen through the ranks of startups, Big Tech, and Fortune 50 companies, landing most recently in the C-suite of Experian Health as Chief Product Officer. 

In her own words, she’s “passionate about driving business results by setting clear, prioritized objectives and delivering exceptional customer experiences” (this is what good moms do best!). 

And in the words of the humans on her team, Clarissa is “a group leader who embodies intelligence, leadership, empathy, and grit in one package,” as well as “a natural project manager and cat-herder with a creative, intelligent, and detailed view into her products.”

Clarissa Riggins

At fuoco, we’re honored to highlight the exceptional contributions of all the moms out there making an impact and a difference in their respective fields and families. Well done, mamas. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

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