WoW Woman in FemTech I Shilpa Patel, Chief Business and Legal Officer at Kindbody
Shilpa Patel is part of Kindbody’s founding team where she serves as Chief Business and Legal Officer. Kindbody is a leading fertility clinic network and global family-building benefits provider for employers offering the full spectrum of reproductive care from preconception to postpartum through menopause. Shilpa is a passionate advocate for eliminating disparities in women’s health and ensuring equal access to high-quality reproductive care. With a unique background of working with health systems and hospitals, serving in-house at a health plan, and in health tech, Shilpa has a demonstrated track record of launching innovative products and delivering strategic outcomes. She previously worked at Quartet Health and Oscar Insurance Corporation. Prior to working in-house, she worked in the healthcare practices of Foley & Lardner, LLP, and Garfunkel Wild, PC. She received her BA from Tufts University and her JD from Brooklyn Law School.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
My background across the ecosystem of healthcare and healthtech has afforded me a holistic view of an industry marred with challenges in the U.S. I have worked with hospitals, insurance companies, healthtech companies and now at Kindbody, which is what we call a "payvider". I believe change & innovation is necessary to fix the system, and as a "payvider" we are able to both deliver the healthcare services ourselves and contract with employers directly. As a founding member of Kindbody, I'm proud of what we have already built while we continue to disrupt the system by increasing access to high-quality care. Our work enables many people to build a family who would otherwise not be afforded the opportunity. That is so rewarding.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
I have spent my entire career in healthcare. As a daughter of Indian immigrants who decided not to follow the rest of my family by becoming a physician, I did the next best thing and got a law degree focused on healthcare. There are a lot of opportunities in the healthcare industry and figuring out your focus is key. My first job out of college was at Planned Parenthood Federation of America and 20 years later, I've circled back to women's reproductive health -- this time focusing on fertility & family building -- at Kindbody. I'm passionate about women's health and feel fortunate to be able to make a mark on it.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
I have spent over 20 years in healthcare. The biggest obstacle and challenge right now is the broad stroke applied to women's health -- from the lack of funding and lack of research to the generalization that solutions addressing everything from menopause to cardiac health fall in the same bucket. As most of us know, women make up half of the population and are the biggest users of healthcare; however, the focus on women's health falls far short of where it should be. At Kindbody, we have been fortunate to build the company to our current state of success, but getting here has been hard-earned and we need to continue to put in work to move the industry forward.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
My biggest personal and professional achievement to date has been my work to build Kindbody, the leading fertility clinic network & family-building benefits provider in the country. Since launching less than 6 years ago, we have opened 35 clinics across the U.S. and served 3.1 million covered lives. We still have much to do, but it is personally rewarding to be the fertility benefits provider to companies like Walmart and many others, which enables so many people across the country the chance to build the family they dream of.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
My projects are focused on driving growth to increase access to fertility and family-building services for all.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Yes! I am personally passionate about helping bring more women to the tech industry -- from engineers and scientists to other functions like legal, finance and executive management which are typically male-dominated. I am also passionate about bringing more women's health-tech to the forefront and helping innovative solutions find a place in this ecosystem so that they have a path to profitability to be attractive to investors while executing on their mission to improve women's health and women's lives.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
Given how informed we are as consumers, I think healthcare will become more and more consumer focused. It's no longer typical to find a doctor through our insurance's provider directory or get a referral from our general practitioner. We often go directly to the source of whatever it is we need, which is what we find at Kindbody. Most people come to us because they are in need of fertility services and have seen our clinics, seen us online, or learned about us from a friend. Kindbody's website and app provides transparent information and pricing and I think more consumers will expect all of their doctors to provide the same kind of information at their fingertips.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Figure out what you want to focus on and network, network, network. Networking is the key to learning about new opportunities.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Gina Bartasi, Kindbody's Founder and CEO, who is a trailblazer in the fertility & family-building field and who has taught me that determination and persistence are the key to success.
So many of the female investors in women's health and healthtech are inspirational; it's hard to limit myself to three -- from Ellen Hukkelhoven, Theresa Sexton, and Rivka Friedman on Kindbody's board to Annie Lamont, Vineeta Agarwala, Frederique Dame, Halle Tecco, Deena Shakir and the many more who are similarly aligned with making a mark for women and for tech.
Find out more about Kindbody on their website.
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This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Connect with Marija on LinkedIn.