GPEC Healthcare Innovation Council focuses on collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and enhancing ecosystems in FY21

Published: 10/05/2020
Updated: 03/08/2022

On September 15, the GPEC Healthcare Innovation Council (HIC) kicked off FY21 with a virtual meeting. Council Co-chairs Dr. Heidi Jannenga, Chief Clinical Officer and Co-Founder at WebPT; and Allison Otu, Executive Director, Corporate & Community Relations; University of Arizona Health Sciences led the discussion around four key areas of focus the members will address throughout the year.

  1. Fostering Innovation: Support policies that enhance innovation across Greater Phoenix
  2. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): DEI cuts across all conversations and focus areas, and HIC will address workforce and health outcomes
  3. Population Health: Continue collaboration with the Bioscience Roadmap Committee at Flinn Foundation, sharing information and best practices to enhance population health management across our region
  4. Enhancing the Ecosystem: HIC will support GPEC’s business attraction efforts by bringing awareness to startup successes, programs and other efforts that contribute to enhancing the sector

The HIC has long been a council that convenes community leaders and takes action, with FY21 being no exception. “Our goal is to enhance the healthcare innovation ecosystem by sharing best practices, highlighting innovative startups and scale-ups, and supporting work that enhances our ecosystem assets and resources,” says Jannenga.

The Council is a cross-section of legacy businesses and innovative startups that are helping to fuel the healthcare ecosystem of Greater Phoenix. “GPEC fosters connections, facilitates partnerships and enhances opportunities for innovation. HIC achieves this by inviting innovative and growing companies to share their journey and connect with our members,” says Otu.

The exchange of information at each meeting fuels engagement and spurs opportunity. GPEC’s focus on business attraction remains strong and the HIC is an extension of the team to increase visibility and connections to key stakeholders across the globe.

Cameron Robb, senior director of business development at GPEC says, “The HIC has been essential to informing our work promoting the region as an ideal place for innovative healthcare technology companies to grow and scale their businesses as well as generate visibility for key healthcare innovation investors.”

The collective professional expertise of GPEC’s councils and advisory groups helps shape the organization’s key initiatives, leverages connections to further job creation and competitiveness efforts and supports the implementation of programs. To learn about how to get involved, contact Nicole Buratovich, senior director of investor strategy & engagement at GPEC, nburatovich@gpec.org.