Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw

When a diagnosis is shared, the questions come fast: What happened? How can I help? For families in crisis, support is critical—but often chaotic. Without a structure to manage communication or coordinate care, caregivers are left to navigate emotional overwhelm and logistical complexity at the same time. That’s where CaringBridge steps in. In this episode of Inspiring Women, CEO Tia Newcomer joins Laurie McGraw to talk about what it takes to bring real support into the healthcare experience—not as a nice-to-have, but as essential infrastructure. Under her leadership, CaringBridge is expanding its reach, embedding into points of diagnosis and discharge, and protecting trust in a space where many would trade it for scale. With two decades of executive leadership across Fortune 100, VC, and private equity–backed health tech and consumer brands, Tia brings a sharp operational lens to deeply human problems and a clear vision for what care can look like when support is treated as essential, not optional. Key themes explored: How can caregiver support become a standard part of the care journey? What does it take to grow a mission without compromising its core? Why is trust a strategic choice and how do you protect it? What can cross-sector leadership unlock in healthcare innovation? Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Tia Newcomer on LinkedIn About CaringBridge  Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify This episode of Inspiring Women was recorded at the WBL Summit, a leadership, networking, and professional development conference for WBL members that takes place each spring. WBL is a network of 1500+ senior executive women in healthcare who convene to share ideas, make valuable connections, and solve business challenges. WBL’s mission is to connect and support our members in advancing their careers and impact on our industry.

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, the sixth president of Morehouse School of Medicine and first woman to lead as president and CEO, cuts through the noise with her refreshingly direct approach to diversifying healthcare. "If Morehouse School of Medicine is not part of the DEI story, I don't know what the DEI story is," Dr. Rice says, refusing to back down from her mission despite today's challenging climate. She brings receipts too—showing exactly how diversity in medicine delivers measurable benefits in economic impact, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. Dr. Rice shares her practical wisdom for staying focused when leadership gets tough: "Sometimes you have to put on blinders so you don't become distracted and put earplugs in and only turn up the volume for things that are gonna keep you moving forward." She emphasizes the importance of regular connection with those she serves, keeping her calendar open on Friday afternoons for 15-minute conversations with anyone who needs to speak with her. Her journey from rural Georgia to the pinnacle of medical leadership is remarkable—transitioning from a degree in chemical engineering to attending Harvard Medical School after realizing she needed to follow her own path rather than others' expectations. This willingness to pivot and trust herself has defined her leadership style, as she's moved through numerous academic and clinical roles to her current position. Dr. Rice discusses the critical importance of trust in medicine and how physician diversity directly improves health outcomes: "The foundation of any relationship is trust." She explains how physicians who understand their patients' backgrounds can "meet them where they are" to create more effective care plans. From tackling physician representation to building patient trust through cultural concordance, Dr. Rice offers a masterclass in purposeful leadership. She reminds us why this work matters now more than ever, summing up her philosophy with the powerful question she asks herself daily: "What would you do if you could not fail?" This conversation isn't just about healthcare—it's about leading with conviction when the path gets rocky and remembering your "why" when challenges mount. Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Dr Valerie Montgomery Rice on LinkedIn Learn more about Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, FACOG About Morehouse School of Medicine Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify

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