Creating Your Own Roadmap When You're Always the First with Dr. Mitzi Krockover || EP.219

Dr. Mitzi Krockover has been the first in every leadership role she's taken—from founding UCLA's Women's Health Center to becoming Humana's first Vice President of Women's Health to now investing in women-led healthcare companies. In this powerful conversation with Laurie McGraw, Dr. Krockover reveals why she's optimistic about women's health innovation despite recent funding challenges, sharing how the "train has left the station" on progress that can't be reversed. Dr. Krockover breaks down the expansive definition of women's health beyond reproductive care—from the fact that 66% of Alzheimer's patients are women to how female inflammatory responses differ fundamentally from men's. She connects the dots between women's health investment and economic returns, citing studies showing a potential $14 billion ROI from modest research increases. Key Takeaways: Why women's health encompasses far more than reproductive health—and the three critical buckets every leader should understand How the 1993 NIH Revitalization Act changed everything, yet we're still recovering from decades of exclusion The economic case for women's health: from workforce retention during menopause to trillion-dollar market opportunities Why Dr. Krockover sees women as investors, not just philanthropists, in health innovation The career advice that shaped her path: "If it's not challenging you and scaring you a little, it's probably not worth doing" From navigating being "the first" in multiple sectors to building Arizona's women's health innovation ecosystem, Dr. Krockover demonstrates how connecting the dots between health, economics, and leadership creates unstoppable momentum for change. Chapters 00:00 - Intro 03:50 - Being the First: Navigating Uncharted Leadership Territory 05:44 - Beyond Reproductive Health: Redefining Women's Health 08:21 - From NIH Mandate to Investment Boom: 30 Years of Progress 11:22 - The Perfect Storm: Why Women's Health Finally Took Off 13:37 - Arizona's Women's Health Innovation Ecosystem 15:05 - From Treating Patients to Investing in Solutions 18:09 - Finding Optimism Despite Political Headwinds 23:09 - Say Yes First, Figure It Out Later: Advice for Women Leaders Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Mitzi Krockover, MD on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify