Cass Gregory-Awatt
Cass Gregory-Awatt is a healthcare founder and operations leader with 19 years of experience in the healthcare field. She began her career with a phlebotomy certification through Job Corps, building a strong foundation in clinical service and patient care. Over nearly two decades, she has worked across multiple healthcare environments, including frontline and leadership roles, gaining firsthand experience in both the strengths and challenges of the healthcare system.
In May 2025, she founded Alserva Votum GeneTrak, a mobile DNA testing initiative designed to make healthcare and genomic services more accessible on her own terms. The decision to launch her own organization stemmed from a desire to align her work with her core values and long-standing commitment to service, particularly after recognizing a misalignment in values within previous organizational environments. Her experience serving on the front lines during COVID further shaped her perspective, where she witnessed both the resilience of patients and the profound impact of systemic strain on care delivery.
Today, Cass leads her business as a hands-on founder managing all aspects of operations, including marketing, finance, IT, website development, and organizational visibility. She describes her approach as deeply multifaceted, balancing multiple responsibilities while maintaining a strong focus on service and impact. In addition to her entrepreneurial work, she gives back to the community by instructing office administration and project management at Job Corps, mentoring students and reinvesting her experience into the next generation of healthcare and workforce professionals. Her core values remain centered on service, community empowerment, and expanding access to care for underserved populations.
• Certified Phlebotomist
• Certified Management Executive (CME)
• MiniMBA Professional Certificate
• Project Management-Lean Process Certified
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• Independence University - BASc, Health/Health Care Administration/Management
• Featured in Influential Women 2026
• Launch Business in a Box (Launch B&B) Fellow
• P30 Community
• One Million Cups Community
• Job Corps Instructor - Office Administration and Project Management
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to Job Corps, where my healthcare career started with that hands-on training and where I developed the healthcare mindset and service mindset. I didn't know what I wanted to do prior to entering the program, but since exiting the program, I've been in healthcare hands down 19 years, both on the front lines and on the leadership side. I happened to witness the good, the bad, the ugly of healthcare, serving on the front lines during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and it was rewarding to see those that made it through, though heartbreaking to see those that didn't. The program gave me the foundation and the mindset that has carried me through my entire career.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was just keep going, don't quit. Sometimes when you're in your career, you really want to give up, you really want to quit. But the word that sticks with me is don't quit. That's a part of being resilient, you know, not giving up. Sometimes you have to pivot and find a different direction. Maybe the first route doesn't work for you.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be strong, remember that you are strong, and don't forget it.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is building trust back into DNA testing concerning data. Rebuilding trust in the wake of challenges faced by companies like 23andMe starts with transparency and consistent action. For me, it's simple, prioritize privacy, give people full ownership of their data, and communicate in a way that's easy to understand. Trust is restored through accountability, education, and putting people first at every step. To continue to address this, I've taken several innovative routes. I created a coloring book that I give out to those with children who book appointments to help them discover DNA, along with a magnifying glass and crayons. I have Lunch and Learns where I'm educating business to business about DNA and how it can benefit their business - like educating nutritionists on how healthy weight loss management DNA testing can benefit their clients, or dermatologists on how skincare DNA tests can personalize their client's treatment according to genetics. I'm also having genealogy parties for those that want to know and understand their background. The biggest opportunity I have is to service and impact my community in a positive way, reaching back and inspiring the same community that inspired me, making sure the youth of my community knows how impactful their time can be and how impactful they can be. I teach professional pride - it's about how you show up, making sure you show up and take pride in how you show up.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Service is my number one value - I'm all about service, hands down. Being in healthcare for 19 years and now involved with the youth of Indianapolis, giving back is all I do. My core values are centered around always being of service at whatever capacity that entails, whether it's helping the homeless, continuing to pour into students and the youth of Indianapolis, or pouring into my business and making healthcare more accessible. I also value integrity, a good strong work ethic, and being able to pivot and be flexible. I believe in the Ubuntu principle, which is a Nigerian principle that means 'I am because we are' - it's about being stronger together, strength in numbers. I am good because we are good, because you are good.