EPISODE 57
July 30, 2025

a “slow tech” approach to health innovation with katie drasser

When we think about digital tools and technology, we think of them as moving fast. Katie Drasser, CEO of Rock Health, joins me to discuss what a “slow tech” approach to health innovation could look like. It would ground innovation in participatory design, build community trust and aim for long term impact, not just rapid scaling.

We discuss:
  • How she’s working to fix the broken investment cycle for women’s health
  • Why impact—not just return—should guide the future of health innovation
  • The big differentiator for youth mental health companies? Kids are at the table

Katie reminds us that designing for the most overlooked ends up helping everyone:

“There's that theory – the curb cut theory – [that says] if you design for the most marginalized, if you design for the most overlooked, it's actually better for everybody. And so… how might we design for those most left out? And actually, the folks that are always included would actually benefit too.”

LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE on your preferred podcast platform

RELEVANT LINKS

  • Visit the Rock Health website

  • Listen to Podcast episode with Katie Drasser and Carolyn Witte

  • Read the Rock Health report on women as digital health consumers

  • Check out MindRight Health’s website - the youth mental health texting resource Katie mentioned in this episode

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Katie is an entrepreneurial leader committed to equality and justice who has launched groundbreaking, inclusive programs that address complex global issues with a focus on public health innovation and the role of innovative financing and leadership in systems change. As the CEO of RockHealth.org, she leads a team of experts in health equity, social enterprise and design to encourage more equitable innovation in digital health. Previously, Katie curated health content for the Aspen Ideas Festival and was Managing Director of the Aspen Global Innovators Group, where she led global leadership programs to address poverty alleviation and human rights. Katie has worked nationally and around the world on initiatives including HIV/AIDS treatment strategies in Romania, private health services delivery in Myanmar, and the scale up of Kenya’s national emergency medical system. She also built a range of start-ups, designing a network of charter schools, and developing Good Capital, a venture fund that invests millions in social enterprises like The Hub Bay Area and the Social Capital Markets Conference.

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