Dr. Airica Steed, Ed.D, MBA, RN, CSSMBB, FACHE, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner at Breakthrough Innovation Partners LLC

Summary

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Summary

Episode: Dr. Erica Steed, Ed.D, MBA, RN, CSSMBB, FACHE, FAAN
Release Date: June 16, 2025
Host: Scott Becker

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Introduction

In this episode of the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast, host Scott Becker engages in an in-depth conversation with Dr. Erica Powell Steed, a distinguished healthcare executive and advocate for health equity. Dr. Steed brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles in complex health systems and her unwavering commitment to advancing health equity on a national and global scale.

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Background and Career of Dr. Erica Steed

Dr. Erica Steed begins by sharing her rich professional background, highlighting her lineage as a fourth-generation nurse and her role as the CEO and Managing Partner at Breakthrough Innovation Partners LLC. She emphasizes the continuation of her family’s nursing legacy through her daughter, who is set to become the fifth-generation nurse.

Notable Quote: "I'm just proud of my storied career, both as a fourth generation nurse who has carried on my family legacy... and as a healthcare executive leading some of the most complex health systems across the country."
[00:36]

Dr. Steed outlines her extensive leadership experience, including roles as CEO and COO of multi-billion-dollar organizations, launching health plans, and incubating startups. Her primary passion lies in promoting health equity, aiming to impact millions of lives by embedding equitable strategies into the core culture of healthcare organizations.

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Current Trends in Health Equity

The conversation shifts to the current landscape of health equity. Dr. Steed acknowledges the increasing momentum and progress but expresses concern over widening health disparity gaps exacerbated by social determinants of health.

Notable Quote: "I've seen a major trend and shift in a positive direction through the entry of artificial intelligence and other technologies, which are promising, but also at the same time, it threatens to widen that equity gap if we're not developing and deploying these artificial intelligence tools responsibly."
[02:15]

She highlights the dual-edged nature of technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence, which holds promise for improving health equity but also poses risks of exacerbating existing disparities if not implemented thoughtfully.

Dr. Steed stresses the necessity of keeping health equity at the forefront of organizational agendas, advocating for a community-anchored approach rather than treating equity as an isolated project.

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Progress and Challenges in Health Equity

Dr. Steed delves into the persistent challenges in achieving health equity, specifically addressing the stark disparities in life expectancy across different zip codes in the U.S. She asserts that progress has been minimal due to reactive rather than proactive strategies.

Notable Quote: "We're still unfortunately seeing the same gaps and same trends because I firmly believe that we're focusing on the wrong strategies. Our interventions are more reactive as opposed to proactive."
[04:14]

She critiques the current focus of interventions, arguing for a greater emphasis on the social determinants of health and increased political advocacy. Dr. Steed points out that despite technological advancements, critical issues like maternal and infant mortality remain alarmingly high in certain regions, necessitating a strategic shift in approach.

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Personal Insights: Family Legacy and Daughter's Nursing Career

A heartfelt moment in the discussion revolves around Dr. Steed’s pride in her daughter’s decision to pursue nursing, continuing the family tradition.

Notable Quote: "I'm beyond proud, but specifically it was just a reaction for me that my daughter has been watching... she's come to her own accord with her aspirations."
[06:00]

Dr. Steed reflects on the influence of her professional journey on her daughter, emphasizing the importance of legacy and inspiration in shaping future generations of healthcare professionals.

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Future Focus and Excitement

Looking ahead, Dr. Steed shares her excitement about redefining leadership within healthcare, particularly as a woman of color in executive roles. She expresses optimism about navigating uncertainties and guiding organizations toward future advancements.

Notable Quote: "I'm most excited about redefining leadership in this moment. I'm especially proud being a woman of color who is still vastly underrepresented in executive leadership roles."
[07:01]

Dr. Steed is motivated by the opportunity to instill clarity, purpose, and passion in her leadership roles, believing that uncertainty can breed optimism and drive meaningful progress.

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Advice to Emerging Leaders

When asked to offer advice to emerging leaders, including her own daughter, Dr. Steed provides profound and actionable guidance centered on purposeful leadership.

Notable Quote: "My advice is very simple but profound, and that is to lead with purpose, not position. Titles come and go, but your impact... will outlast any role that you have."
[08:42]

She emphasizes the importance of leading with conviction and empathy, challenging the status quo, and maintaining an unapologetic stance on one's mission and values. Dr. Steed urges emerging leaders to prioritize their purpose over titles, ensuring their legacy is defined by their actions and impact rather than their official positions.

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Conclusion

Scott Becker wraps up the conversation by reiterating his admiration for Dr. Steed’s contributions to healthcare and congratulating her on her daughter’s continuation of the family nursing legacy. Dr. Steed expresses her enthusiasm for future endeavors and the chapters yet to unfold in her professional journey.

Notable Quote: "I'm so excited and looking forward to the chapters to come, for sure."
[10:16]

The episode highlights Dr. Erica Steed’s unwavering dedication to advancing health equity, her inspirational leadership, and her commitment to fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals.

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End of Summary.

Transcript

[Scott Becker]

This is Scott Becker with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by a brilliant leader, someone I've had a chance to know for a long time. We're joined today by Dr. Erica Powell Steed. Erica is a nationally recognized, trailblazing, transformative healthcare executive. She's a leader. She's a leader in health equity. It's just a wonderful, wonderful, driven person and a great pleasure to visit with Erica. Take a moment and tell us a little bit about your background and your career. Tell us a bit about Erica Steed.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, thank you so much, Scott, and it's always a pleasure to hear your voice and just to be with you in conversation. So I'm certainly not a new face or voice to this forum or to Beckers, but I'm rather proud of my storied career, both as a fourth generation nurse who has carried on my family legacy, and I'm soon to pass it on to my daughter who's going to be the fifth generation nurse, but also as a healthcare executive who has really stood at the helm of leading some of the most complex health systems across the country. So I've been very fortunate in my career to have led multi billion dollar organizations as CEO, coo. I've been a part of launching health plans, incubating startups, and really my passion and purpose, as you mentioned, really advancing a national global voice for health equity strategies that has fortunately impacted millions of lives. So that is really where my life's focus is. Really dedicated to Earth.

[Scott Becker]

And we are such a fan of your work there. And talk a little bit about the trends that you're watching in health equity. What are you seeing? I know tremendous concerns on sort of the maternal and children side, where our stats in the US are just horrendous compared to the rest of the world. But what are you watching in terms of health equity and are there any positive signs?

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, honestly, I've seen tremendous progress in momentum. However, the health disparity gaps are still widening. Unfortunately, social drivers of health are screaming louder than ever. I've seen a major trend and shift in a positive direction through the entry of artificial intelligence and other technologies, which are promising, but also at the same time, it threatens to widen that equity gap if we're not developing and deploying these artificial intelligence tools responsibly. So just from my perspective, I really want to keep health equity front and center and not to be an afterthought. It cannot be the flavor of the month. It cannot be something that we just focus on as a project it needs to be deeply rooted, embedded in the culture, deeply focused on as a top agenda item for all leaders. Is not going away. And unfortunately, it doesn't just exist within the four walls of a healthcare institution. Unfortunately, far too late by the time health equity actually lands on the doorsteps of healthcare organizations. Is deeply embedded in in the community. So we really need to have a community anchored approach as we continue to move it forward.

[Scott Becker]

Thank you. And where are we making some progress in health equity? It seems like still challenging. For years we've talked about these zip code differences where, you know, one zip code five miles away can have a life expectancy of 80 next to another zip code that has a life expectancy of 50 or 60. Are we making any progress or the place we can make progress and any advice that you have?

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, honestly, we're still unfortunately seeing the same gaps and same trends because I firmly believe that we're focusing on the wrong strategies. And again, our interventions are more reactive as opposed to proactive. I think that the interventions that need to be deployed really rest in the social determinants of health. But unfortunately that requires much more political advocacy. And then as you know, another trend that's very top of mind is what's going on in our political landscape where we're experiencing significant funding setbacks and reversals, where the investment really needs to continue to surface. So I think that that is where the traction needs to be. Unfortunately, the age differential and life expectancy still stands probably and even is worse in some pockets of the world. So I think that we just need to continue to lay their focus on it and then we need to zero in on particular areas like the continued challenge with maternal infant health mortality in some areas of the country, regardless of the technological advancement. It looks worse than some third world countries that has to shift and has to change.

[Scott Becker]

Couldn't agree more. How proud are you of your daughter who's becoming a nurse right now? Talk about that for a moment.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

I'm beyond proud, but specifically it was just a reaction for me that my daughter has been watching. So I've been in the fishbowl for my daughter to see her entire life and I've become the example that has truly motivated and inspired my daughter to want to continue to carry on family legacy and family tradition. And she's come to her own accord with her aspirations. But certainly it's been my rise in my aspiration that has sprinkled the seed of hope in my daughter and future daughters and in generations ahead for all of us.

[Scott Becker]

I think that is just fantastic. Dr. Steed, talk for a moment about what you're most focused on and excited about this year.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, I mean, there are a lot that I'm focused on, but I'm most excited about redefining leadership in this moment. And I'm especially proud being a woman of color who are still vastly underrepresented in executive leadership roles. And after experiencing and leading at the helm of some of the most complex situations in healthcare, I'm extremely encouraged on leaning into this next chapter in my next season with much more clarity and much more purpose and much more passion. That is really fueling me for that. I'm also excited about what's to come of all of this uncertainty. I think that uncertainty also breeds optimism from my perspective. So I'm really excited about helping organizations really navigate to the next destination on where we're going in the future.

[Scott Becker]

So let me ask you a question. We'll use your daughter as an example, and hopefully she won't mind. But what advice you give to great emerging leaders? You've had this great leadership career. I love what you do. Tell us what advice you would give to great emerging leaders like your daughter.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, so I have. How much time do we have?

[Scott Becker]

You know, Erica, I'll take as much time as I have with you. My kids won't listen to my advice directly, so I'm hoping you'll give some to them as well. But tell us what advice. Give us a sense.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, honestly, my advice is very simple but profound, and that is to lead with purpose, not position. And I know this very, very well. And true that titles come and go, but your impact, how you show up, how you treat people and what you stand for, your purpose will outlast any role that you have. So it's going to ebb and flow, but always lead with conviction and lead with purpose. And I strongly believe right now we're at a very interesting point in our country. Right now, health care is in a defining moment. And we need bold, value driven leaders who are not afraid to challenge the status quo, no matter how hard the result is going to be. So my message to emerging leaders is be unapologetic in whatever you stand for. Be unapologetic in your mission, speak truth even when it's difficult, and lead with empathy. And don't shrink your voice for others. So stand in your purpose.

[Scott Becker]

Dr. Steed, we're a huge fan of yours. Thank you for taking the time to visit with us today on the Beckers Healthcare podcast. More so congratulations to your magnificent daughter who's been becoming a nurse. What an amazing thing. That's the fifth generation of nursing your families. That's amazing. God bless you.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, I'm so excited and looking forward to the chapters to come, for sure.

[Scott Becker]

Just magnificent. Dr. Steed, thank you for joining us.

[Dr. Erica Powell Steed]

Well, thank you for having me.