Sally Saba
Medtronic
Austin, TX USA
"I think [passion] is too big of a word sometimes. It’s heavy. Your purpose can be just having a good day."
Career Roadmap
Sally's work combines: Medicine, Non-Profit Organizations, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Build your network. It's important to be a person of increase. When you meet someone, make sure they walk away with value from you. Don't just wait to network when you need something. The best way to make connections that will benefit you in the future is to make sure you're benefitting others and helping them too.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Doctorate
Medicine and Surgery
Cairo University Faculty of Medicine
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management
ESLSCA
Certification
Healthcare Leadership
Cornell University
Certification
Strategies for Building and Leading Diverse Organizations
Harvard Kennedy School
Certification
Executive Leadership
Harvard Business School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in Egypt, where I was often made to feel invisible just for being a girl—but I held on tight to my sense of worth.
2.
I pursued medical school to help children feel better, hoping to ease the sadness I’d carried since childhood.
3.
Disillusioned by how healthcare was structured, I left medicine to create broader change in the system itself.
4.
After immigrating to the U.S. in my 30s, I spent two years jobless until a connection helped me restart my career far below my former level.
5.
At Kaiser Permanente, I launched a $1 billion supplier diversity program and discovered my calling in equity and inclusion work.
6.
I joined Medtronic as their first chief inclusion diversity officer and built equity into every layer of our global organization.
7.
I launched a debt-free degree program and credentialing pathways so underrepresented youth can access careers in health tech.
8.
Through all my pivots and hardships, I realized that healing corporate culture is how I heal others now.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You're not worthy because you're not a doctor anymore.
How I responded:
After working as a doctor for a while, I realized that I didn't want to practice medicine anymore but instead try to fix the system. My parents disowned me for a few years because of my decision to stop practicing medicine, especially because all of my cousins were doctors. My work now in diversity, equity, and inclusion is rooted in the pain and trauma of my youth. I work to help people feel seen, heard, and valued regardless of where they came from.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was born in Egypt to a family that didn't see value in women. I was essentially left behind by my parents because I was born a girl. I was always sad as a child so I decided to pursue medical school so that I could help other children feel good.