Google is continuing to grow its health business by inking partnerships with health systems, developing new health products and conducting clinical research. Here are profiles of five key leaders who are at the forefront of Google Health's initiatives.
- Karen DeSalvo, MD, became Google's chief health officer in 2019. Before joining the tech giant, Dr. DeSalvo served as HHS' national coordinator for health information technology and as acting assistant secretary for health.
- Michael Howell, MD, became Google's chief clinical officer and deputy chief health officer in 2020. Before joining Google, he served as chief quality officer at University of Chicago Medicine. Prior to that role, Dr. Howell worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, serving as director of critical care quality and director of its Center for Healthcare Delivery Science.
- John Hernandez, PhD, became Google's head of health economics, outcomes research and clinical research operations in 2018 after spending more than two years in a leadership role at Verily, Alphabet's life sciences arm. Before joining Alphabet, he served as vice president of global health economics and outcomes research at Abbott and vice president of clinical research and health economics at Boston Scientific.
- Ivor Horn, MD, became Google's director of health equity and product inclusion in 2020. Before joining Google, she served as chief medical officer at Accolade, a healthcare technology and benefits firm. Prior to that role, Dr. Horn served as medical director of the Center for Diversity and Health Equity at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
- Ashley Sumner became Google's lead nurse in 2020. She joined Google's parent company Alphabet in 2017, working across functions to support health product development, deployment and partner engagement. Prior to that, she held several senior nurse roles in the U.K.'s National Health Service and the private healthcare sector.