7/1/2023 - -

It is my honor to take the helm of this outstanding alumni association.

In my first days on campus as a student, I heard a passing comment regarding the strength of relationships that often develop during the program, and although it may be cliché, it certainly held true for me. To this day, some of my dearest friends are those classmates I met through the Wharton HCM program. To that fact, I consider Heather Apsaras a great mentor and friend. I’ve known her since my time as a student, and I have felt lucky to follow in her footsteps on the WHCMAA board.

After being elected in the midst of the pandemic to the board, we worked together across 5 different time zones during virtual board meetings. I quickly witnessed the true commitment of our alumni board members. I saw first-hand how our board was agile to both aid the medical field in a crisis and figure out how to provide the best possible value to its members. It was inspiring to see nearly 100 alumni join a zoom meeting to catch up with fellow classmates, as everyone anxiously awaited June’s visit to their breakout room. 

In only a few years on the board, I have been fortunate to develop unexpected relationships that have blossomed in ways I could have never imagined. It reminds me that the true strength of this alumni association lies in its members. The value of the alumni network stems from the irreplaceable foundation built by June Kinney, further strengthened by the professors. My hope is that other alumni have the opportunity to derive the same personal and professional fulfillment through our alumni association. 

Since rising out of the pandemic, one of our primary focuses over the past year was to re-establish our annual in-person gatherings. Our board members worked tirelessly to re-establish our pinnacle events for the first time in several years, which posed new challenges to overcome.  I cannot thank everyone enough for their diligence in going above and beyond. I have heard nothing but praise for the annual Alumni Conference this past October at the Inn at Penn, as well as annual event at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference in January. It was particularly exciting for me to finally meet my fellow board members in person, and I believe everyone sincerely enjoyed one another’s company during these events. 

In looking ahead to the next year, I want to ensure that all alumni know they have the opportunity to participate on the WHCMAA committees, including Programs and Events, Career Development, Student Engagement, Sponsorship, Alumni Conference, Membership, and Finance. We greatly appreciate volunteers – for any degree of time and expertise you are able to provide. In the upcoming months, we’re also planning networking events in Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, as well as industry conferences, and we’d love to host events in other locations as well.  Please reach out if you’d like to plan an event in your area.

I am confident that our alumni are driving change to shape the health care field in this post-COVID world as technology is rapidly changes our reality. As we aim to overcome the age-old issues of the industry as well as respond to new disruptions, I look forward to striving to solve these challenges with you all.

It is a true privilege to be a part of this inspiring alumni community, and I look forward to meeting you at our upcoming events.

Kind regards, 

Katherine Clark, WG’15
President, Wharton Health Care Management Alumni Association

Contact Katherine at:
[email protected]
linkedin.com/in/katherine-clark-godiksen-690b6763/