AJA HARDY, MBA, MPH
Strategic Consultant and Business Developer of Innovative Healthcare Services
Hospital & Health Care, Chicago, Illinois

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1. Please, tell me a little about yourself? What is your story?
I currently work for Deloitte Consulting. What I currently do is to help hospital systems in engaging healthcare leadership in transforming their client services through technology and advising clients on how to optimize on their investment after implementation of health information technology. My story is quite long, about 30 something odd years long but will summarize in a few. I am Chicago born and raised, teachers kid. Right from the beginning I was curious about the intersection of business and healthcare. I ditched a medical school dream to impact the greater good. I found public health to be a catalyst to changing disparate population health using information technology. I have managed to create a career path where I can marry all three interests sometimes before the market curve and other times right on track with the market. Typical consulting answer, “It all depends.” 
 
2. What is something that most people do not know about you?
Well now you will know … but musical appreciation runs in the family. My dad was a DJ, my mom was in a band and sings as well as dances. I picked up the bug early on and taught myself how to play drums/percussion and keyboard when I was 12. I started composing musical arrangements at that age as well. 

3. When have you been most satisfied in your life?
When I felt that I am impacting society for the better: during recruitment activities, doing pro bono consulting work for NFPs and friends, my work with Operation Breakthrough medical missions during Hurricane Katrina, being on the Central Exchange and Lou Gehrig ALS Board and most recently being on the board of Spark Organization.   

4. Most people have a list of things of they like to do, but what are the things that you do not like to do?
Hmmm career wise, I am not a techie so no writing code or development of Java for me. I am not much of a supply chain person either and financial analysis can be done but it is not my favorite. In general, I am not very fond of heights so I don’t know if I will be bungee jumping or sky diving anytime soon. 

5. Could you please tell me about a specific accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career?
I based a lot of goals around my turning 30, so that was my inspiration list for quite a while. I should create a new one…but things that I accomplished before turning 30 that were significant to me: getting another masters – my MBA, being awarded ‘Top 30 under 30’ in KCMO, getting accepted into the CDC Health Informatics Fellowship Program, becoming an ONCHIT grant reviewer, owning my first home and throwing a major bash in New Orleans with proceeds going to support the regrowth after the hurricane. 

6. Please tell me about a time when things didn't go the way you wanted-- like a promotion you wanted and didn't get, or a project that didn't turn out how you had hoped.
I frankly had rough adjustment periods during turning points in my life. At first, I thought it was poor planning but in retrospect change is always difficult especially for drivers and type A personalities. My first year in grad school for my MPH and MBA were a bit rough. During my first year in MPH, it was the workload that got me. I was used to grasping concepts quickly but this was another level where the expectations were high and the students were smarter! I had to buckle down and dedicate time to pushing quality work out. My first year as an MBA was a different school of thought for science is a pretty singular discipline. I had to think like and interact like a business school student where most of the work was in teams and your grade depended on grasping the concept. Any team is liable to have a weak link and it is up to you to determine how you will deal with such a person…getting to know their motives and expectations is key. I learned a lot and am still learning about negotiation. 

7. We're constantly trying to making healthcare better, faster, smarter or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more - with less. Tell me about a recent project or problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive.
I am privileged to be an alum of the AHA’s Institute for Diversity in Health Management program. During my two internships in the program, I worked with Abbott Laboratories’ Hospital Division under William Dwyer, SVP.  The Leapfrog Group was just coming into fruition and patient safety was a hot market topic. Abbott wanted to show their dedication to safety to their customers and William and I created a task force complete with a monthly newsletter that was distributed to the client base. It included several interviews of key leaders in the Chicago healthcare arena like Ray Grady at the time. It was a cutting edge communication and developed over time, continuing to be used past my internship end. 

8. Who is your role model and why?
I have so many for different reasons: Sheila Talton - a Forbes recognized minority leader of healthcare analytics. My grandmother- for supporting our family on an 8th grade education and utilizing her position in the railroad to send my mother and her brother to private school. My mother for dedicating her life to helping someone else’s children; I think being a dedicated teacher is one of the most selfless jobs out there and I commend my mom and friends that devote their lives to improve the next generation. 

9. What is the quality you most admire in others?
Sincerity – quite rare these days
10. What has surprised you most about working in Healthcare?
The amount of operational complexity and inefficiencies that goes on behind the hospital doors and across the quality chasm. 

11. If we're sitting here a year from now, celebrating what a great year it's been for you, what did we achieve?
Hmmm….enlisting a major global client in a healthcare strategy project, getting the integrated market offering that I helped develop funded, and being able to take a personal vacation and my mom to Italy as promised. 

12. Finally, any word of advice / wisdom to fellow members and colleagues?
Everything involves a plan…so do try to map out where you want to be in 2, 5, 10 years personally and professionally. There is something to be said about putting your dreams to paper. Every once in a while I find life plans I drew up for myself and although some things have changed. Yet it is always a constant reminder that your past self-had the upmost faith that your future self would achieve some pretty amazing things. The key now is to prove yourself right! I am still on the path to being a respected global healthcare leader…they are just warming my seat at the table for me.