Name: Hillary Jeffries

Title: Vice President of Physician and Patient Products at DaVita

Education:

· MBA: Healthcare Management from Vanderbilt University

· Bachelor's Degree: Economics from Pomona College

Company Description:

DaVita is a comprehensive kidney care provider focused on transforming care delivery to improve quality of life for patients globally. DaVita has been a leader in clinical quality and innovation for more than 25 years.

DaVita cares for patients at every stage and setting along their kidney health journey--from slowing the progression of kidney disease to helping to support transplantation, from acute hospital care to dialysis at home.

Tell us more about your job.

At DaVita, I collaborate with my team to build digital tools that support clinicians and patients. By simplifying how information is shared and accessed, our systems allow clinicians to have a stronger focus on delivering high quality care, and for patients to better manage their health.

People with kidney disease can also often manage multiple chronic conditions at a time, which is why it's important that we use technology to simplify how information is shared between different providers.

Why is STEM important within your industry?

STEM is foundational to kidney care because our work depends on clinical science, advanced technology, and precise engineering. Science helps us understand how kidney disease develops and how to treat it, while technology and engineering turn those insights into tools that coordinate care, improve safety, and support better outcomes for patients.

Was there a specific moment when you decided you wanted to pursue STEM as a career?

When I was younger, I wanted to be an artist. I loved drawing and watercolors. However, in 8th grade my science class had a paper airplane contest, and I was so competitive, I wanted to win! I worked with my dad to design a plane we called the "Flying O" because it looked more like a circular tube than a plane. I got to use my design creativity to build something completely different than the other kids - and I won the contest!

This experience changed the way I thought about STEM and science - I realized you could still be just as creative in the STEM field, and my creativity could be my superpower.

What do you like best about your job?

My goal when we build our clinical applications is to make a clinician's job easier. If I build a great product that reduces the burden on clinicians, it means I can give them more time back at the end of the day to spend with their family or doing things that make them happy.

What are the most important skills needed in your job?

One of the most important skills in my role is agility. The products we build must truly serve the people who use them, so my team and I actively seek feedback from both physicians and patients. We remain open and responsive to that input, using it to continually refine the product and ensure it becomes the best possible version.

Have there been times in your career where you've faced difficult challenges? How were you able to overcome them?

In any role, working with the nuances of technology can be one of the most common hurdles. When faced with a challenging technology problem, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when you're not sure where to start.

When I'm working through a particularly difficult challenge, I work with an amazing team that collaborates and troubleshoots to help find a solution together. It's incredible to see how our combined efforts and different perspectives can resolve even the most complex technical difficulties.

You don't have to go through challenges alone, and you can ask for help from those around you.

Are there any hobbies, sports, or other interests of yours that have helped you excel in your career?

I grew up playing basketball and played in college. Playing sports taught me so much about how to be a good leader and how to motivate a team around pursuing a common goal together. Playing women's sports is also a great way to make lifelong friends and learn how to mentor and support other women on a team.

What advice would you give to girls of all ages who are interested in STEM?

My advice is to believe in yourself and to fight back against any inner voice that tells you "I can't do this." Or "I'm not good at this." I believe women and girls are often harder on themselves and their abilities, especially in STEM, than men are. I still have to fight that voice in my head to this day - but having women leaders around you who build you up and support you can really help with overcoming those feelings of self-doubt.

Any additional thoughts on why it's important to get more girls involved in STEM?

I strongly believe that the best technology ideas come from diverse teams because these teams, especially teams with gender diversity, bring a lot of different experiences and perspectives to solving a problem.

As an adult, STEM can feel intimidating to women because it is so male dominated. I believe we can overcome that and get more gender diversity in STEM fields by giving girls opportunities to learn about STEM early on in their lives, and by creating spaces where girls can collaborate with each other to learn about STEM.