Allara Uota: Aiming to disrupt healthcare delivery

What led you to take the Cambridge MBA?

In pursuing an MBA, exposure to global outlooks on healthcare and business was one of my top priorities. 

As my work in product management has taught me, fresh perspectives create an environment that encourages innovation. I believe that in order to meaningfully improve access to care and advance health equity throughout my career, I need to expand beyond the US-centric healthcare silo and grow my professional worldview. 

I was drawn to the Cambridge MBA in particular for pairing a diverse cohort with an emphasis on practical learning that prepares graduates for future opportunities. 

Describe the biggest accomplishment in your career so far?

Over the course of the past year, I have led a transformational change in the way Omada Health delivers personalised care for individuals with chronic conditions. 

This is a North Star we’ve sought to attain for my 5 years at the company. Seeing it come to life thanks to the work of a talented group of teammates has been immensely rewarding. 

Speaking to people who have experienced the programme takes that a step further: nothing makes the work more real or is more humbling than hearing stories about how our programme helps members shift their mindset and develop sustainable healthy habits. 

How do you feel about being awarded your scholarship?

I’m incredibly grateful to have been awarded a Forté Fellowship. Having experienced both sides of the spectrum – sometimes participating in meetings exclusively with women, and other times being the only woman in the room – I am acutely aware of the benefit of diverse perspectives, and seek to contribute to the development of more female leaders throughout my career. 

What do you want to get out of the MBA most of all in the next year?

Something I love about working in product is that it doesn’t require a specific educational background. That being said: I did my undergraduate degree in human biology, and while I have learned a lot on the job, I believe that a more comprehensive business foundation will make me a stronger product leader who better understands the perspectives of my cross-functional counterparts. 

I’m genuinely excited to become a student again, learning from and alongside such a global cohort. 

Where do you see your MBA journey taking you in your future career?

Ultimately, my goal is to be a leader at an innovative company transforming healthcare delivery. I see my MBA journey as an investment in the fundamentals of running a business, as well as a chance to learn about what it really means to be an empathetic leader who cultivates a strong culture amongst those they work with. 

What does Cambridge mean to you?

Cambridge means new experiences and broad perspectives anchored in a vast intellectual legacy. 

It’s awe-inspiring to casually read a book or an article that mentions a ground-breaking discovery made at Cambridge and remember that I get the opportunity to continue my education here. 

Something that few people may know about you…

I love getting the chance to be a beginner by picking up new hobbies – most recently, that’s meant taking ceramics classes in hopes of making the perfect mug! 

I have a long list of pursuits I want to learn over the next many years (and am figuring out where to continue my pottery journey in Cambridge).