Molly Clark, PharmD, MHA, SVP, Chief Performance and Care Model Transformation Officer, Allina Health

What’s your current role?

I joined the Allina Health System in 2019 as the System Vice President for Safety and Quality and during my time at Allina I’ve had the opportunity to lead various initiatives and teams focused on quality, high reliability, performance improvement, population health and care management.  Most recently Molly was named the Senior Vice President and Chief Performance and Care Model Transformation Officer for Allina Health building internal consulting capabilities, leading care model transformation initiatives and advancing Allina’s population health strategies.

When did you join the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST and what roles have you held within the TRUST?

I joined the TRUST in 2022 through a sponsorship from my employer. I had moved from out of state and found it very helpful to meet and network with other healthcare professionals, especially during COVID when it was a difficult time to meet people. I really appreciated that the TRUST offered online networking opportunities during that time, but it’s sure great to be back in person together for key events.

I have the pleasure of being a new member of the Board of Directors for 2025 and look forward to serving this wonderful organization.

What has been your favorite part of the TRUST?

The energy that comes for any TRUST event I’ve participated in is remarkable. There is lively dialogue, lots of laughs and such a sense of community and support for one another. The Annual Forum is a “don’t miss” event that brings networking, celebration and learning together.

What is the best career advice you’ve received?

I had a leader early on in my career tell me I needed to go back to school – this was after seven years of pharmacy school and a residency, so you can imagine that wasn’t top on my list. That being said, she saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. She saw leadership qualities. She encouraged me to pursue an additional degree and I decided to get my Master’s in Healthcare Administration. It was absolutely the right advice and I’m so thankful I listened to her. It’s a helpful reminder to all of us that others sometimes see our potential before or better than we do. Surround yourself with those types of leaders who will push you and give you feedback and advice along the way.

What emerging trend in health care are you most excited about and why?

I love to see how digital transformation could make health care a more efficient business. How can we make care easier for our patients to access and navigate while giving our care teams more time to spend with their patients doing the meaningful work that brings them joy and makes our patients and communities healthier and happier. Using new and emerging technologies to solve the inefficiencies in our systems can be one of those answers and I’m excited to see where it takes our industry.

How do you approach mentoring other women leaders?

I’m transparent about my story and how my career evolved. I talk about how my career isn’t one of design but of a series of saying yes when opportunities come up, so stay open-minded to the possibilities. I also try to help them identify and see what their strengths are, just like others have done for me. By aligning strengths to opportunities, you’ll get a winning combination of joy in your work and success.

What is a project or initiative you’ve led that you are most proud of?

I am most proud of the work I’ve participated in related to high reliability. I’ve been working in the safety and quality space for almost 20 years and as an industry, we haven’t seen a lot of progress. Six years ago, Allina Health made a commitment to high reliability and has seen tremendous improvement in reducing preventable harm. It brings me such hope that we have the tools we need to drive towards Zero Harm in healthcare, and when there is a commitment to high reliability across an entire organization, amazing things happen.

How do you maintain or improve your health and well-being?

Leadership can be hard and leading in the health care industry isn’t for the faint of heart. I’ve made it a priority to have hobbies outside of work that bring me joy. I try to be intentional about blocking time for them.  In the summer, I golf in a weekly women’s league and although I’m not the best golfer, I have a ton of fun and have met some wonderful friends on the course. I also have an interest in wine and have recently passed a level 1 certification course. My advice is to find a few things that bring you joy and make time for them – even go as far as making a plan or having goals around it. Whatever it is, prioritize it and you’ll be a better, more joyful leader because of it.