Speaker
Stephen K. Klasko, MD
Stephen Klasko is a transformative leader and advocate for a revolution in our systems of healthcare and higher education. After nine years in Philadelphia spent reimagining the future of Jefferson, he is now pursuing his vision of creative reconstruction of healthcare to address health inequities. As president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health from 2013 to 2021, he led one of the nation’s fastest growing academic health institutions based on his vision of reimagining healthcare and higher education. Under his leadership, Jefferson expanded from three hospitals to 18 and from a health sciences university to a professional university with multiple campuses. Its revenue grew from $1.8 billion to $9 billion. His 2017 merger of Thomas Jefferson University with Philadelphia University created a preeminent national doctoral university that includes top-20 programs in fashion and design and occupational therapy, the first design-thinking curriculum in a medical school, and the nation’s leading research on the role of empathy in healthcare. His track record of success has earned him the No. 2 spot on Modern Healthcare’s 2018 list of “100 Most Influential Individuals”; the No. 21 spot on Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business 2018” list; the “Philadelphia Entrepreneur of the Year 2018” award; Ernst & Young’s “Greater Philadelphia Entrepreneur of the Year 2018” award; and Becker’s Hospital Review’s “100 Great Leaders in Healthcare” recognition. Dr. Klasko is an internationally recognized advocate for transformation in healthcare and higher education. He is the author of 2020’s UnHealthcare: A Manifesto for Health Assurance with Silicon Valley investor Hemant Taneja. In 2019, he spoke about the future of hospitals at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and in 2020, he was named a distinguished fellow of the World Economic Forum and co-chair of its Board of Stewards for the forum’s platform on the digital economy. He served as dean of two medical colleges and leader of three academic health centers before becoming president/CEO at Jefferson. Dr. Klasko is married to Colleen Wyse, a fashion leader and founder of The Philadelphia Trunk Show, and has three children: Lynne, David and Jill.