40 Under 40 | Healthcare Innovation

Congratulations to 40 Under 40 Winner: Erin Pelletier, Vice President for Operational Excellence, Care New England

Get To Know Erin:

Age (as of December 31, 2023): 39

Hometown: North Stonington, CT

Alma Matter: BS Mathematics from Eastern Connecticut State University. MBA from University of New Haven

Number of Years of Experience in Healthcare: 16 years

Favorite Movie of All-Time: Princess Bride

Favorite Band or Musician: Taylor Swift

Why is this candidate a good fit for 40 under 40?

Every once in a great while, I meet a young professional that excites me, not just for what he or she is doing today, but for the promise held for the future of healthcare. Erin is such a professional. I first met her in 2014 when she was presented the Balanced Scorecard for Care New England, a report from a homegrown software tool that she and her team in IT had developed. Since that time she has grown, enthusiastically taking on greater responsibilities, investing herself in the improvement of operations and reporting across Care New England. She has a keen ability to identify areas for enhancement and to implement effective strategies to streamline processes and drive efficiency. She brings a level of enthusiasm and passion to her work that is both refreshing and inspiring and indicative of her dedication and drive to excel. In that same 10-year period, she has been busy raising 3 beautiful children – all born at Women & Infants Hospital. Her time management and multitasking abilities allows her to balance work and family priorities and remain focused at all times. Words that come to immediately to mind when I think of Erin include smart, curious, inquisitive, insightful, analytical, confident, ambitious, high energy, articulate, optimistic, team player, facilitator, team player, teacher, lifetime learner, patient, devoted, loyal, promising. Erin has a nature inclination to explore new ideas, seek innovative solutions, and stay up to date with industry trends. Erin embraces growth and looks forward to being an active contributor in this rapidly evolving healthcare industry. As a senior leader in the industry at the end of my career, I am gratified to know that young, capable leaders like Erin are picking up where I leave off, poised to bring the healthcare industry to the next level of excellence.

Explain this candidate’s professional accomplishments:

Erin’s early career began in sales for a respiratory care company where she was promoted to manager in less than a year. It was here that she first honed her skills in relationship building and leadership. She first joined Care New England as a Business Intelligence Manager where she created a systematic approach to metric selection and led a team to develop an Enterprise Data Warehouse and from that a systemwide Balanced Scorecard and Quality Dashboards. With this as a foundation, Erin developed a proficiency in data analysis and routinely leverages data to drive organizational performance and improve decision-making processes. In 2015-2018, Erin provided project management and performance measurement tracking of a systemwide restructuring that resulted in a $95 million improvement in Care New England financial performance. Since that restructuring, Erin established and facilitated routine Action Planning whereby functional leaders identify, implement, and track performance to goals for financial and operational improvement initiatives, showcasing her ability to foster collaboration and accountability. Also in 2018, she applied her skill in Lean Six Sigma, process optimization and change management to create a Lean Training curriculum and built a small team of Lean practitioners who teach the Lean class and facilitate improvement projects. Today she is part of a senior leadership team exploring and embracing transformational initiatives to advance the growth of Care New England.

How does the candidate show commitment to the industry and bettering their professional career?

Erin’s commitment to the healthcare industry and professional development is evident in her pursuit of higher education, certifications, and career progression. During her early working years, Erin pursued her MBA followed immediately by second advanced degree in Project Management. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a skill she demonstrates every day. This certification is globally recognized and demonstrates their competency in project planning, execution, monitoring, and control. Erin has worked for three employers in her career to date, all in the health care industry. Her longest tenure has been with Care New England, where she began in IT Project Management, and then expanded her scope to system wide project management and Lean process improvement. Erin is committed to the growth and success of Care New England and is devoted to advancing the organization through continuous process improvement, transformation project management, and advanced analytics. She is currently spearheading an initiative to establish an Analytics Center of Excellence at Care New England, illustrating her forward-thinking mindset and commitment to organizational transformation. Erin shares the strategic vision of Care New England and wants to support the organization to be a leader in data-driven decision making. Her focus on continuous improvement, project management, and advanced analytics is indicative of her forward-looking approach and dedication to enhancing organizational performance. Her diverse experience with various employers and in different roles provides valuable experience and expertise in the health care industry.