Bunny Ellerin appointed Director of Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Management Program at Columbia

I was appointed Director of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program at Columbia Business School in June and began full-time on September 1st. This is an exciting opportunity to combine my passion for creating a healthcare ecosystem in New York with the leading academic institution that can make the vision a reality. I will continue my work leading NYCHBL. Below is the message I wrote for the HPM website.

Message from the Director

I am honored to join Columbia Business School (CBS) as the new Director of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program (HPM). No industry is more exciting, challenging or fulfilling than healthcare. We touch people’s lives with every decision and interaction. It is a privilege to work in the field.

As HPM’s new Director, I am eager to build on the excellent work that Cliff Cramer started in 2006. Now going into its 11th year, HPM is one of the largest and most innovative healthcare programs among top-tier global business schools. We offer a strong curriculum, build long-term relationships with leading healthcare organizations, and help students obtain great career opportunities within the industry.

Many in the New York area know me through my work co-founding and leading NYC Health Business Leaders (NYCHBL), which is dedicated to building a healthcare ecosystem in the New York area that brings together great minds to discuss important issues and spur innovation. My goal with NYCHBL – and now with HPM – is to build bridges that encourage collaboration and cooperation. For too long healthcare has existed in silos. But healthcare is really a continuum that spans providers, health systems, patients, payers, biopharma, digital health, clinical research, and the many professional services (advertising/marketing, banking, consulting, law, media and regulatory) that support the industry’s growth. To be a successful leader in 21st century healthcare, it is essential to have a broad perspective and forge relationships that drive value for all stakeholders.

When I completed business school in the 90’s, healthcare was an industry in desperate need of business talent and New York was not a destination for the few interested in jumping in. While we’ve witnessed a great deal of progress on both fronts, there is still much work to do. I have realized that New York can’t be a leading center of healthcare innovation without a strong academic feeder. There is no better institution to fill this role than Columbia. I am looking forward to working closely with our students, faculty, alumni, other Columbia schools and the business community to strengthen our offerings and augment our position in the marketplace. I will not be satisfied until Columbia Business School is the preferred choice for students whose passion is to lead, innovate and drive healthcare forward.