Amanda Arroyo

I grew up immersed in healthcare - both my parents worked in a large hospital in the 80s and 90s, with my mom running dialysis and my dad being the first respiratory therapist in New Jersey when it became a profession. I practically grew up in that hospital, and it taught me so much about humanity, seeing patients on dialysis one day and gone the next. That experience shaped who I became and the industry I chose. I studied public health at Rutgers, specifically at the Blaustein School of Planning and Policy, where I earned my Bachelor's of Science and became president of the Rutgers University Public Health Association. I went straight into a master's program at Kean University in Public Administration with a health services route, committing to a year-long internship in hospitals because I wanted to really learn how they work. I later earned another master's in Social Work from Rutgers. Since 2002, I've built my career in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, starting with UnitedHealthcare on the payer side, then spending 5-6 years at Medtronic, and now I'm with a biotech pharmaceutical startup working on the first medication for MASH and fatty liver disease. Every day is different - I'm constantly pivoting, juggling priorities, planning educational dinners, doing in-services, and working with gastroenterologists and hepatologists on market development. We're literally building the plane while flying it, creating the market and helping establish guidelines with organizations like ASLD and the American Gastro Association. What I love most is hearing stories every day about how patients are improving and seeing the real impact we're making.