Meet Jordana Rutigliano

Picture a young social work graduate, fresh out of school, driven by a passion to help others through therapy. Now imagine that same person, years later, leading operations at a health tech startup.

This is the story of Jordana Rutigliano, and the path between these two points is anything but straightforward.

As our video call connected, bridging my early morning with Jordana's late evening, I found myself wondering: How does a social worker end up as a Director of Clinical Operations in a health tech company? What twists and turns led her from community health centres to the fast-paced world of startups? And perhaps most intriguingly, what insights did she gain along the way that could shed light on our own career journeys in healthcare?

The Spark of a Healthcare Career: From Intern to Leader

Jordana's journey began with a simple, noble intention: to help people. "I knew I wanted to be a therapist," she told me, her eyes lighting up with the memory of her younger self.

As she spoke, I could sense Jordana's deep connection to her profession:

"I'm a social worker. I really own that identity. And I assume that when I proudly say 'I'm a social worker,' people know that means certain things about me. It means I care about making the world a better place, but more than that, it's about using my position to actually lift up communities, especially those who have been historically oppressed or underserved."

During her two-year social work program, Jordana chose a leadership and management specialisation in her second year. This decision would prove pivotal in shaping her career trajectory. "I was placed in an internship with someone who was a vice president in a large behavioral health department in a community health center," Jordana explained. "They were serving many uninsured individuals in New York City."

What started as an internship turned into a decade-long career. "That person wound up hiring me and being my boss for the next 10 years," Jordana said, a hint of gratitude in her voice. "I was very lucky to get a really good experience while I was still in school and be able to parlay that right into launching my career."

Jordana's passion for her work was evident as she described her early years. "I loved it so much that I stayed a long time and learned a lot there. I got my clinical experience, but then I also became a manager and led programs. Eventually, I was the associate vice president of the department. We had about 30 sites and a team of around 300 people under me."

The Challenges and Rewards of Community Health

As Jordana spoke about her work in community health centres, her enthusiasm was obvious. "I really loved working with that population," she said. "It really hit that part of me that wanted to actually see the impact of what I was doing. Not just caring for the 'worried well', but actually the people who really needed it – many people with severe mental illness, people who really needed services and couldn't access them elsewhere because they didn't have insurance or because of any number of other barriers in the system. It was very, very meaningful work."

Leading such a diverse team came with its own set of challenges. Jordana reflected on the hierarchical nature of clinical settings and the occasional friction when, as a social worker, she had to give directives to doctors. She also touched on a broader issue in healthcare leadership.

Despite these challenges, Jordana held firm in her belief that her skills were sufficient without additional degrees. "I've always thought and said that I know I have the skills to do what I need to do and the right company, the right leadership team will see that in me," she explained. She credited her mentor, also a social worker who had risen to an executive position, for providing a model of what was possible.

The Transition from Clinician to Leader

Jordana's transition from clinical work to management happened relatively early in her career. "It was very early in my career that I pivoted into more of the management route," she recalled. "Within a year or two of working there, I was mostly doing administrative work."

This shift wasn't without its internal struggles. Reflecting on the transition, Jordana admitted, "I recognise now that I feel I gave it up too easily. I should have recognised the joy that it actually gave me and fought to keep that part of my role."

She also touched on an interesting dynamic in healthcare that influenced her career path. "I feel I got a lot of validation about my management skills or leadership ability that I didn't ever get about my clinical skills," Jordana explained. "At the time, I interpreted that as maybe I'm just better at this leadership stuff, this management stuff than I'm ever going to be at clinical work. So why not get into it?"

However, with the wisdom of hindsight, Jordana now sees this differently. "Now thinking back on it, it's more that the system doesn't have many structures or norms around telling [clinicians], 'Hey, you're doing an amazing job.' It's more about pointing out when they didn't do an amazing job, which is pretty commonplace."

Exploring New Horizons in Healthcare

After a decade of growth and achievement in community health, Jordana found herself at a crossroads. Despite her success and the deep satisfaction she found in her work, she felt a pull towards new challenges and growth opportunities.

"When I think back on why I left there, I think at the end of 10 years, I guess it was more that you're looking for a next challenge or there's a bit of boredom that comes in after doing the same thing for so many years," Jordana reflected.

This desire for growth led Jordana to make a significant career shift. "I went to a health plan where I worked in provider quality," she explained. "I got to learn a whole new side of the business and partner with health systems to try new value-based care initiatives. This was around the time when value-based care was becoming a big deal."

This move allowed Jordana to expand her expertise beyond direct service provision and management, diving into the complex world of healthcare finance and quality improvement. It was a steep learning curve, but one that Jordana embraced with her characteristic enthusiasm and dedication.

After a couple of years in this role, another opportunity presented itself. "I got an opportunity to actually join the city health department and lead a value-based care project, a two-year grant-funded project," Jordana said. This position allowed her to explore another facet of healthcare that had always intrigued her: policy.

"I've always been interested in more of the policy side of things too," she admitted. "And so I got to work in policy and government. And then I felt I've worked on the provider side and on the payer side and then on the policy side."

This diverse experience across different sectors of healthcare—provider, payer, and policy—gave Jordana a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare system that few professionals can claim. Little did she know that this broad perspective would soon prove invaluable in the next unexpected turn her career would take.

Venturing into the World of Health Tech Startups

As her grant-funded project with the city health department was coming to an end, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordana found herself at another pivotal moment in her career. It was then that an unexpected call changed the course of her career.

"That same mentor who I mentioned before called me on the phone and said I started this company," Jordana recalled.

This leap into the unknown world of health tech startups was a significant departure from Jordana's previous roles. Yet, her diverse experience across provider, payer, and policy sectors of healthcare had unknowingly prepared her for this new challenge.

Jordana spent almost four years with this startup, immersing herself in the fast-paced, innovative environment of health tech. However, the intensity of startup life and the stress of navigating a global pandemic began to take its toll.

The Wake-Up Call: Recognising Burnout and the Need for Change

Jordana began to feel a growing sense of disconnection.

That 'something,' Jordana would come to realise, was joy. It's a realisation that I've seen many healthcare professionals come to, often after years of pushing themselves to achieve more, do more, be more. We enter this field with a passion for helping others, but somewhere along the way, that passion can get buried under the weight of responsibilities and expectations.

For Jordana, the wake-up call came in the form of burnout. "I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. I knew something had to change."

In a bold move, Jordana decided to take a sabbatical.

During this time, Jordana did some consulting work, which allowed her to test the waters with different organisations and projects. But more importantly, she learned to embrace periods of rest and introspection.

"I had to teach myself that it was okay to just be, to not always be doing or achieving something," she reflected. "It was a process of giving myself permission to rest, to think, to just exist without the pressure of constant productivity."

This period of rest and reflection proved invaluable. It allowed Jordana to begin an ongoing process of gaining clarity on what she truly wanted from her career and life.

During this time, Jordana also realised that being good at something isn't the same as it bringing you joy. "I was good at my job, really good. But it wasn't filling me up anymore."

This led Jordana to make some significant changes in her career. “I still really cared about integrated behavioural health and bringing access to behavioural health services to populations that needed it. And I knew the kind of people I wanted to work around and who would be a good complement to my style of work and how I needed to be valued in the organisation."

A New Chapter: Health Tech and Empowering Others

This sabbatical period of reflection and intentional job searching lasted several months. 

She then decided to transition into an early-stage startup that would allow her to use her skills in new and challenging ways.

Her extensive experience in integrated behavioural health made her a valuable asset in the startup world. As Vice President of Operations, she joined a company developing innovative ways to integrate mental health services into oncology care.

"It was exciting to be back on the ground floor of something," Jordana said. "I was using all the skills I'd developed over the years – clinical knowledge, operational expertise, strategic planning – but in a completely new context. It felt like coming full circle, in a way. I was back to focusing on patient care, just from a different angle."

But Jordana didn't stop there. Recognising the power of connection and the value of her experiences, she started a networking group called Kick Ass Careers. "I knew so many amazing people," she said, her enthusiasm palpable. "I wanted to create a space where we could all come together, share our experiences, and support each other."

As Jordana spoke about Kick-Ass Careers, I could see how this project had reignited her passion. It was a beautiful reminder of how our careers can evolve in unexpected ways and how the skills we develop in one area can find new expression in another.

Most recently, Jordana has transitioned to a new health tech company focused on women's hormonal health as Director of Clinical Operations. She continues to reflect on how she wants her expertise to show up and where joy can be found in her work.

Perhaps the most significant change Jordana made was in her approach to work-life balance.

This new approach was evident in the way Jordana structured her day. She woke up early to work on personal projects, set strict boundaries around her work hours, and made time for self-care practices like daily walks. "It's not always easy," she confessed. "There are still days when I feel the pull to overwork. But I remind myself that rest isn't just important – it's productive in its own way."

Jordana's story isn't just about career progression—it's about aligning our professional lives with our personal values and finding joy in the work we do. Many of us in healthcare are on this journey, whether we realise it or not. While each of our paths will be unique, Jordana's experiences offer valuable insights for anyone looking to navigate the complex, challenging, and ultimately rewarding world of a career in healthcare.

Jordana’s Wisdom:

• Figure out what truly matters to you—not what you think should matter or what others tell you should matter, but what brings you genuine joy and fulfilment.

• Invest in your network -  No one does this alone. The connections you make and the relationships you build are invaluable, both personally and professionally.

• Prioritise rest and balance. It's not selfish – it's necessary. You can't pour from an empty cup.

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