Her Story
About Sara
Sara Smith is Vice President at Nevro, a Globus Medical company, a position she stepped into in October 2025 after building approximately sixteen years of experience across the medical technology and medical device industry. Her professional journey started in medical-adjacent roles in her youth and continued through positions with a distributor and a plastic surgery practice, before she moved into direct sales with Globus Medical in the greater Pittsburgh area. From there, she advanced through progressively senior roles at NuVasive, eventually becoming Sales Director, and later returned to Globus Medical as Area Director following the company's acquisition of NuVasive. A second acquisition ultimately brought her into her current vice president role at Nevro. Throughout her career, Sara has centered her work on forming strong partnerships with physicians and empowering her field teams to speak confidently about the technology and products that improve patient outcomes. She approaches leadership as an act of service, prioritizing education, team development, and the elevation of others into positions of greater responsibility. Her academic path reflects a hands-on approach to learning, having worked while studying business at Stephen F. Austin State University and later completing a dual degree in business management and marketing at the University of Phoenix. In 2024, she furthered her leadership skills through a women's executive education program at the Yale School of Management. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Smith is active in initiatives that support women both within and outside her industry. She served as an Associate Board Member for HEARTH, an affordable housing organization supporting women in the Pittsburgh area, and held a leadership role with Women in Spine as Global Chapter Lead for U.S. Commercial Sales. In recognition of her contributions, she was selected to be featured in Influential Women 2026, representing Pennsylvania. Guided by values of honesty, transparency, and integrity, Smith continues to champion confidence, mentorship, and growth for women navigating careers in the historically male-dominated medical device field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to consistently challenging myself and putting myself out there, even before I felt completely ready. I've made it a priority to understand my company's goals and technology, while seeking out mentors who could guide me along the way. Building my own confidence and sense of self-worth has been just as important as the relationships I've built, and my willingness to get uncomfortable has allowed me to keep learning, growing, and moving into new stages of my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to stop waiting until I feel one hundred percent ready before taking the next step. As women, we often want to have everything figured out before we advance, but real growth happens in motion, not before it. I noticed my male counterparts didn't wait to feel prepared, they jumped in and learned as they went, and that lesson has stayed with me. I've also learned to bet on myself fully and to build relationships long before I actually need them.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to be yourself and stay comfortable in your own skin. Medical device remains a highly male-dominated field, and it can feel intimidating, but confidence in who you are and deep knowledge of your product and technology will carry you far. You have every right to be in the room, and nothing should stand in your way as long as you stay true to yourself and put in the work to be excellent at what you do. It truly is an equal playing field for those willing to earn their place in it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that it remains male-dominated, which requires intention and resilience to navigate. Acquisitions add another layer of complexity, as merging systems, cultures, and people while keeping teams motivated through transition takes real leadership. At the same time, I see meaningful opportunity ahead, as upcoming technological advancements have the potential to be truly revolutionary for large patient populations in the years to come.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, transparency, and integrity guide everything I do, both professionally and personally. I also place great value on partnership and on leadership that serves others rather than the other way around. Empowering the people around me and committing to continuous personal and professional growth are values I carry into every part of my work and life.
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