Designing Better Health with Behavioral Economics | Karen Sussman Horgan | VAL Health

Description:

In this episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, we sit down with Karen Sussman Horgan, Co-Founder and CEO of VAL Health, to explore how behavioral economics is reshaping the future of healthcare.

For over 14 years, Karen has led VAL Health in designing evidence-based “nudges” that help people make better decisions for their health — from increasing cancer screenings and vaccination rates to reducing friction in Medicaid and value-based care programs. Her approach? Make the right action the easy action.

Karen shares real-world success stories, explains how behavioral science can bridge the gap between knowing and doing, and offers insights on how small changes in timing, language, and design can create massive improvements in health outcomes.

We also talk about:

What not to do when offering financial incentives

How to scale behaviorally-informed interventions

Health equity and culturally sensitive nudges

Leading as a woman in a male-dominated field

The myth that data alone drives action — and why it doesn’t

If you’ve ever wondered how to drive change in healthcare, reduce barriers, or improve public health at scale — this episode is for you.

🎯 “The biggest breakthrough in healthcare isn’t going to be medical — it’s behavioral.” — Karen Sussman Horgan

📍 Learn more:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-sussman-horgan/

Website & Newsletter: www.valhealth.com

👇 Like, share, and subscribe to hear more stories of women transforming the way we live, work, and heal.

#BehavioralEconomics #HealthEquity #WomenInLeadership #HealthcareInnovation #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt

Telling the Story Right: How Narrative Drives Innovation with Kristiana Kuneva of The Recursive

In this episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Kristiana Kuneva, Head of Business Development at The Recursive, to explore how storytelling can shape businesses, build ecosystems, and inspire global growth.

Kristiana shares her journey from Bulgaria to the frontlines of European innovation media, weaving together her background in diplomacy, human rights, and tech to redefine how stories are told in the startup world. She unpacks the nuances between U.S. and European markets, the importance of internal storytelling for scaling ventures, and how authenticity, sustainability, and values are the true growth levers for today’s entrepreneurs.

✨ Whether you're a startup founder, brand strategist, or changemaker, this episode is packed with insights on how to craft stories that resonate—and endure.

📌 Topics covered:

The power of storytelling in tech and entrepreneurship

Cultural differences in PR and marketing across the U.S. and Europe

The rise of Central & Eastern Europe’s startup ecosystem

How The Recursive supports founders through media and strategy

Why internal narratives matter just as much as external ones

🔗 Learn more about The Recursive: https://therecursive.com

📍 Follow Kristiana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiana-kuneva/

🎧 Subscribe for more interviews with women who are changing the game: https://meetingyoupodcast.com/

💬 Leave a comment below with your biggest takeaway from this episode!

#KristianaKuneva #TheRecursive #WomenInTech #StartupStorytelling #InnovationLeadership #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #SocialImpact #AuthenticBranding #CentralEasternEurope #FounderStories

🎙️ New Episode: Building a Circular Student Economy with Samira Francois, Founder of FetchFits

In this inspiring episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with first-gen Haitian American founder and podcast host Samira Francois to explore her entrepreneurial journey and the mission behind FetchFits—the “Airbnb for college essentials.”

From her early days at Boston College to grinding through internships and corporate roles at Goldman Sachs and KPMG, Samira shares how her lived experiences shaped her vision for a more sustainable, affordable, and inclusive student economy. Now leading FetchFits, a peer-to-peer platform that lets students rent dorm room items, outfits, and more, Samira is redefining access and opportunity on campus—powered by student couriers and community.

💡 Topics we cover:

The moment Samira almost dropped out to start her first venture (before TikTok existed!)

How FetchFits is solving student affordability through reuse and circular commerce

The power of networking and sending that bold cold email

Launching on campus through strategic sorority partnerships and competitions

Her advice to Gen Z entrepreneurs wrestling with fear and self-doubt

The real meaning of showing up authentically in a social media age

Whether you're a college student, aspiring founder, or lover of good storytelling, this conversation is for you.

📲 Download FetchFits in the App Store or Google Play

🎧 Listen to Samira's podcast: Baddie Besties on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube

📣 Connect with Samira: @samirasabatinni or @fetchfits.io or Samira Francois on LinkedIn

✨ Like, comment, and share to support women entrepreneurs making a difference.

This episode of the Meeting You Where You're Podcast is brought to you by the Women in Medicine Summit 2025. Experience the excitement and motivation of connecting with some of the most inspiring women from across the country and the world. September 18-20, 2025 | The Drake Hotel, Chicago Visit https://www.wimedicine.org/wim-summit to register and find additional information.

#WomenInTech #GenZFounders #StudentStartups #CircularEconomy #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #FetchFits #WomenInMedicine #WIMSummit

In this episode of Meeting You Where You’re At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Elizabeth Tikoyan, the visionary founder and CEO of Healp, a platform transforming the landscape of clinical research and patient support.

A recent Chloe Capital Founder Fellow, Elizabeth shares her journey as a mission-driven entrepreneur and dives into how Healp is bridging critical gaps in healthcare by connecting patients with chronic and rare conditions across 70+ countries. By building a trusted community and leveraging patient profiles with co-morbidities, Healp helps accelerate clinical trials, addressing the enrollment crisis that delays over 80% of studies.

Elizabeth also reflects on the influence of her Armenian heritage, the challenge of reaching younger patient populations, and the lessons learned while scaling a global health tech startup backed by Techstars, J.P. Morgan, and BARDA.

Whether you're a patient advocate, a healthcare innovator, or someone passionate about making systems more human-centered, this conversation is a must-listen.

🎧 Tune in to hear how Elizabeth is turning empathy into innovation — and why Healp is much more than a platform. It's a movement.

#Healp

#ElizabethTikoyan

#WomenInTech

#HealthTech

#RareDisease

#ChronicIllnessSupport

#DigitalHealth

#ClinicalTrials

#PatientAdvocacy

#ArmenianEntrepreneur

Finding Clarity in Your Career with Rachel Serwetz, CEO of WOKEN

In this episode of Meeting You Where You're At, we sit down with Rachel Serwetz, Founder and CEO of WOKEN, a tech-enabled career coaching platform helping individuals navigate job transitions, professional growth, and purposeful career development.

Rachel shares her journey from corporate roles at Goldman Sachs and Bridgewater Associates to building WOKEN from the ground up. We talk about how WOKEN offers a more holistic, intentional approach to career coaching—combining personalized guidance, actionable tools, and even AI support to empower people through every stage of their professional journey.

Tune in to hear us discuss:

- The difference between proactive and reactive career coaching

- How to overcome networking anxiety—especially for early-career professionals

- What it means to take ownership of your career with clarity and purpose

- Why WOKEN’s platform goes beyond just landing the next job

- How AI is shaping the future of career development

Whether you're in the middle of a job search, contemplating a career pivot, or just want to be more intentional about your path, Rachel’s insights will leave you inspired and equipped to take your next step with confidence.

Learn more about WOKEN at https://www.iamwoken.com

🦴 Episode Title: Stronger, Longer: Laura Yecies on Osteoboost, Women's Health, and Redefining Longevity

📢 In this episode of Meeting You Where You're At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with Laura Yecies, CEO of Osteoboost, to discuss her trailblazing journey from Silicon Valley tech executive to medtech innovator addressing one of the most under-discussed issues in women’s health: osteoporosis and bone loss.

💡 Laura shares how a NASA-backed concept of vibration therapy was reimagined into a wearable belt — now an FDA-cleared device — and how Osteoboost is creating a proactive, non-pharmaceutical path to stronger bones and longer healthspans. They also explore the societal blind spots around aging, why women’s health continues to be underfunded, and how startups can scale purpose-driven innovations with scientific rigor and storytelling.

🎧 Tune in for an insightful conversation covering:

Laura’s leadership journey from Netscape to Osteoboost

The NASA origins of vibration therapy for bone density

Challenges in commercializing women’s health innovations

Why prevention is the future of aging well

Healthspan vs. lifespan, and what true longevity means

✨ If you're interested in the future of digital health, medtech innovation, or just want to hear from a mission-driven woman leader building with impact — this episode is for you.

🔗 Learn more about Osteoboost: https://osteoboost.com

In this episode, we sit down with Vivian Chen, the dynamic founder and CEO of Rise—an AI-powered job search platform that’s redefining how people navigate one of life’s most stressful transitions: finding meaningful work.

From her early days at L'Oréal to an unexpected leap into entrepreneurship, Vivian shares her personal story of rejection, reinvention, and resilience. She talks candidly about applying to 200 jobs, building Rise from scratch, and how her platform is helping job seekers feel less alone and more empowered—with the help of community and smart AI.

💡 Topics we cover:

Why traditional job boards are broken

The emotional toll of the job search—and how Rise is changing the experience

Vivian’s wild fundraising story (spoiler: it started with no pitch deck!)

Career change advice for professionals and students alike

The future of work in the AI economy

🎙️ Whether you're job hunting, exploring a pivot, or just love a good founder story—this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

👉 Learn more about Rise: https://joinrise.co

🌟 Subscribe for more stories of women innovators, change-makers, and risk-takers.

#VivianChen #Rise #WomenInTech #AIandJobs #CareerChange #JobSearch #FutureOfWork #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #SocialImpactPodcast

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Julie Stadlbauer, Chief Business Development Officer at Progyny, a leading benefits management company transforming the way we think about fertility, family building, and women’s health.

Julie shares her personal and professional journey — from her early days at Cigna to helping grow Progyny into a national leader serving over 530 employers across 45+ industries. We explore the emotional, financial, and systemic barriers to fertility care, the expanding definition of family, and Progyny’s bold vision for integrated women’s health that spans fertility to menopause and beyond.

We also talk leadership — Julie opens up about leading with empathy, supporting working parents, and what it means to model possibility and purpose in the workplace.

💡 Whether you’re an HR leader, health plan executive, working parent, or advocate for health equity, this conversation is one you don’t want to miss.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations with women leaders changing the world.

🎧 Available on all major podcast platforms.

#Progyny #FertilityCare #WomenInLeadership #WomensHealth #FamilyBuilding #MenopauseAwareness #Podcast #HealthcareInnovation #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt

Joanna is the founder and CEO of SimpliHere. She is a mission-focused founder bridging the communication gap in caregiving for patients and families impacted by neurodegenerative diseases. She applies her technology marketing background with personal experiences as an ALS caregiver to grow a sustainable, mission-based venture. Her experience spans small software companies through global corporations- developing go-to-market strategies, demand generation and awareness, messaging and positioning, and product launches. Joanna received her BA from the University of Connecticut and MBA from the Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College. For more information on SimpliHere, please visit - https://simplihere.com/

In this episode of Meeting You Where You're At, host Richard Juknavorian sits down with the incredible Danielle Mikaelian—a Harvard Law student, Columbia University alum, and a dynamic leader who is making an impact across law, business, and advocacy.

Danielle’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. From growing up in Southern California to earning her place at Columbia and later Harvard Law, she has consistently demonstrated resilience, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to her community. She has served on multiple executive boards, led student initiatives, and played an active role in Armenian advocacy.

In this conversation, Danielle shares:

✨ Her journey from a competitive high school to Ivy League institutions

✨ How she balances leadership, academics, and community impact

✨ Her passion for Armenian advocacy and why representation matters

✨ The importance of taking risks and never counting yourself out

✨ Her creative side as a writer and poet

This episode is packed with insights on ambition, resilience, and the power of stepping up in spaces where you can make a difference. If you're someone who wants to break barriers, advocate for change, or simply gain inspiration from a young leader shaping the future—this one's for you!

🎧 Tune in now and be sure to subscribe for more powerful conversations with trailblazing women!

📣 Join the Conversation!

Like, comment, and share your thoughts on Danielle’s story. Who inspires you to keep pushing forward? Let us know below!

#Podcast #MeetingYouWhereYoureAt #WomenInLeadership #HarvardLaw #ColumbiaUniversity #Advocacy #ArmenianHeritage #WomenInLaw #CareerSuccess #PodcastInterview