MN Tech Mag | Fall/Winter 2021

RELEVANT HEALTH ROUNDTABLE | Q+A

HEALTHCARE PERSPECTIVE

What challenges do you believe the healthcare industry needs to solve? We’ve been working to address many healthcare challenges for quite some time. The top priorities that come to mind are affordability, access to care for all patients, and consumer experience. What areas are you seeing the most innovation in healthcare right now? I see a great deal of innovation in precision medicine, focusing on the patient’s unique needs and preferences related to their genetic profile and behavioral and environmental factors. It’s refreshing to get away from the “one-size-fits-all” approach and address patient needs based on their specific situation, including willingness and ability to improve their health. We need to do a better job of meeting the consumers of health care where they are, rather than expecting them to navigate a confusing, expensive, and cumbersome system.

What changes do you see in your company as a result of COVID? We adapted to a “new normal” where we work remotely and effectively. Before the pandemic, it was rare that we turned on our webcams to collaborate with colleagues and customers virtually. Today, it’s unusual if we communicate via teleconference only. We have become even more resilient and adaptive to ever-changing situations that require us to flex. We anxiously await the full reopening of our office to reconnect in person with our co-workers. It seems that now, more than ever, we appreciate the importance of human connection and make every effort not to take that connection for granted. JUST FOR FUN! What was the last movie or show you watched? We recently saw Cruella in the movie theater – it was the first time I had been in a theater since the start of the pandemic! I don’t watch a lot of television, but I did enjoy watching the Women’s College World Series (softball) and the Summer Olympics.

In addition, I quickly worked my way through a few streaming shows, including Mare of Easttown, The Queen’s Gambit, and Firefly Lane . What was the last book you read? One by One by Ruth Ware. She is one of my favorite authors, and I’m eagerly awaiting her next release. Where is your favorite place to get dinner? I love going to 6Smith, Oak 19, and Winchester & Rye. Where is your favorite travel destination? I enjoy traveling to Europe, particularly Switzerland, Italy, and Germany. We have a trip booked to Italy in June 2022, and I can’t wait to get over there again. Having experienced the travel restrictions due to COVID, it’s made me appreciate how important it is to take the time to see the world! I’ll be even more intentional about making travel plans in the future, knowing the ability to travel isn’t always a guarantee.

Q+A Tanya Rylee

OneOme CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

CAREER FOCUS How would you describe your career trajectory after college? My career is full of variety. I started as a registered dietitian and practiced for four years before becoming a data analyst. The data analyst role was short-lived before I transitioned to the project management job family, working my way up from a project coordinator to director of project management offices. I’ve held executive-level positions in process improvement and strategy, planning, and performance and served in chief of staff roles before my current role. What does your current role entail? I’m responsible for client services, contract and compliance management, human resources, finance, and revenue cycle management. In addition to managing those functions, I regularly get involved in cross-functional company-wide projects and communications both internally and externally.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

I’m most proud of being named a 2016 Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Women in Business Honoree. This recognition is a culmination of many achievements by countless colleagues I’ve worked with over the years. We forged working relationships that allowed us to excel as we delivered on our commitments. The award is incredibly meaningful because my team members put in the time and effort to nominate me.

Fast Facts

RELEVANT HEALTH ROUNDTABLE COMMITTEE MEMBER SINCE: January 2020 HOMETOWN: Zumbrota, MN; I spent most of my youth and graduated from high school there. I was born in California and lived a few years in Rochester, Minnesota, before moving to Zumbrota. FIRST JOB: Detasseling corn in middle school. We’d get on a bus bright and early at Zumbrota High School and make our way to the cornfields near Hastings. It was a demanding but rewarding job. COLLEGE: B.S. Dietetics and Minor in Psychology from the University of North Dakota; MBA from Webster University. FAMILY: Husband, Dave, and daughter, Medora. She is a freshman at St. Olaf College. We also have two German Shorthaired Pointers, Lucky and Copper. DREAM RHR PANELISTS: Karen Lynch. She is a pioneer for female leaders in the healthcare space. It would be fascinating to hear how her company responded to the pandemic, given that CVS Health played such a pivotal role in testing and vaccine distribution.

I see a great deal of innovation in precision medicine, focusing on the patient’s unique needs and preferences related to their genetic profile and behavioral and environmental factors. “

32 | Q+A: Tanya Rylee

Q+A: Tanya Rylee | 33

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