Tina Posey’s Journey with Harvard Online  

Published December 2, 2024

Course Mentioned in this Post: Strategy Execution for Public Leadership

“In my particular role and time in life, wanting to be immersed in something that I feel is high quality education—well, this fits the bill for me. It's always improving, getting better, and changing, so I think that's definitely a win-win for people who are thinking of doing this coursework.”

—Tina Posey, CEO of HealthCarePoint
 

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Tina Posey sat in her home office just outside New York City to connect with us about her career path, balancing work and family, and how Harvard Online is helping her grow as a leader in healthcare. Since 2018, when she began attending various conferences at Harvard, she sought ways to stay connected to the university amidst the continuous change and innovation around us. That’s when she discovered Harvard Online and, most recently, Eric Rosenbach’s online course, Strategy Execution for Public Leadership.

Tina, could you tell us about your role and what led you to the healthcare industry?
I'm the CEO of HealthCarePoint, and we specialize in assisting patients and sponsors of pharmaceutical companies in developing their clinical trial process. I came into the healthcare space right as the Covid pandemic was ending. I think a lot of us had a reflection about our healthcare system, and how processes and systems worked.

I'd worked in a variety of sectors–insurance, finance, technology, telecommunications–and in key roles across strategy, management, business development, marketing, and program management. While I didn’t have a healthcare background per se, I did have solid business skills at an executive level. 

You recently completed Strategy Execution for Public Leadership with Eric Rosenbach. What made you decide to pursue this course?
While it wasn't the same as being in the classroom with the professor, it worked for my schedule–working as many hours as I do, raising a family, and being able to do something for myself to grow my knowledge and background. I think many working career mothers would likely feel the same way. 

What did you hope to gain from the course, and how did it support your career goals? 
The course tied together a lot of variables, new tools, and ways to manage people and situations. In my previous roles at large companies–we're talking 200,000 plus people–when you have a group that size and you're trying to roll out a large initiative, you need to bring everybody with you. You need to have that foundational set of skills across people, technology, and processes to ensure everything is shored up correctly, and you’re all tracking in the same direction. Because Eric ran, effectively, a large governmental organization [the Pentagon], there were obviously other ways of managing things that maybe I hadn't thought of that I could kind of pull into and modify to what I needed in an enterprise setting. 

How did the course content and peer interactions enhance your learning experience?
The course offered a variety of case studies, two of which focused on women in the military–that was empowering, inspiring and motivational in itself. Eric also included a case about his late mentor, Ash Carter [former U.S. Secretary of Defense]. I know there was probably an emotional connection for him there. I really appreciated seeing how Eric shared his knowledge and background from his own past. He brought his A-game, so you're motivated to also uplift yourself. For example, we were requested to apply a concept we’d learned to a certain topical area. Everyone took time to reflect and the responses were at a much higher level than I'd seen in other courses that I've taken. So you're learning from each other’s perspectives and encouraged to read and respond to your peers in the course.

For organizations looking to invest in their teams, leaders, and high performers, this course provides an exceptional opportunity to learn not just from leading industry experts and Harvard faculty, but from each other–as Tina Posey describes. Enrolling as a group encourages collaboration and collective growth, making it an even more powerful experience. Whether you’re building leadership capabilities or driving change within your organization, this course can help equip your team with the tools to succeed and grow together.  

What advice would you give to someone who’s considering enrolling in a Harvard Online course? 
If you're looking to continue your education, don't be intimidated by the coursework. Harvard Online has made it so easy. There are so many benefits to this kind of content that it’s affording people. Go for it. You don’t know what you are capable of until you push yourself. People really should build it into your schedule and make it happen. It's really worth it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share before we wrap up? 
Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I'm intending to do more courses. In my particular role and time in life, wanting to be immersed in something that I feel is high quality education–well, this fits the bill for me. It's always improving, getting better, and changing, so I think that's definitely a win-win for people who are thinking of doing this coursework.

Tina Posey’s journey is a powerful example of how continuous learning and professional growth can go hand in hand, even in the midst of a busy career and personal life. For anyone looking to take the next step in their leadership journey, our easy to access offerings have the flexibility, support, and best-in-class content that can help one reach their full potential. This opportunity extends beyond individuals–it’s also an ideal solution for organizations looking to grow, skill-up, and retain their teams, high performers, and leadership groups. 

To learn more about how Harvard Online can help your organization thrive, visit Harvard Online for Organizations to explore our courses and training opportunities from Harvard University.