CBOH Spotlights

What made you choose a career in healthcare?
I actually found healthcare through a non-traditional path. I was working in the technology space in Silicon Valley, when I was approached by a few of my friends that are doctors with a small startup that needed help. I saw the outsized impact I could make on people’s lives and the challenge of affordable access to care and I jumped in headfirst and have not looked back.

What made you choose UNC & Kenan-Flagler Business School?
The culture, the community, and the world class academics. Additionally, the opportunity to study abroad and the breadth of the partner school list drew me in. I was able to do a semester in India at the Indian School of Business and be exposed to very driven students that were looking to shape the world. It was an extremely rewarding experience that was enabled by Kenan-Flagler.

In what ways do you think the CBOH Leadership Board can be essential to the growth of the UNC Center for the Business of Health?
The Leadership Board consists of extremely talented individuals touching all aspects of the healthcare industry. From intimately understanding the challenges of the industry that need to be solved through innovation, technology, data, and financing, to shaping incoming student’s perspective on healthcare. It’s a multi-trillion dollar industry worldwide that is starting to embrace innovation in all facets.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?
Wow, I am big on experiences and have had the privilege of traveling and living in various cities in the US and India, but I would love to live in New York City and Europe at some time in my life. Additionally, I have always been drawn to those that are creative – I would love to be able to help creatives achieve their vision in some capacity.

What made you choose UNC & the Kenan-Flagler Business School for your undergraduate degree?
I grew up in Chapel Hill and am truly a tar heel born and bred. My father graduated with his BSBA from Kenan-Flagler, and I was thrilled to follow in his footsteps. I knew that the school provided the right fit in terms of a very high-quality education, the diverse and deeply talented community, the warm culture, and of course, the ability to cheer on my favorite teams! Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, so I was excited to pursue that curriculum at the business school and take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad at another top business school, the National University of Singapore. Finally, I was very fortunate to receive the Morehead-Cain scholarship to attend Carolina, which gave me unmatched opportunities to explore other interests in healthcare and public service while developing my leadership skills.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment to date?
I consider my family (with two children and one on the way) my greatest accomplishment and one that I continue to learn from daily. Advancing my career while growing my family provides such a sense of fulfillment, and I’m thankful for the support of my husband and broader family to do this. On a personal front, starting a chapter of the non-profit Building Tomorrow at UNC and fundraising to construct two primary schools in remote areas of Uganda was incredibly rewarding. Professionally, I was a core member of teams that executed two initial public offerings at the start of my career and later was a senior leader at two very early stage startups with successful exits. I always feel I have so much left to accomplish and believe the best is yet to come!

What has your career path been like? How did you end up where you are now?
One of the best pieces of advice I received from a mentor was “you can only connect the dots looking backwards.” That couldn’t be more true in my career! I started in consumer and retail investment banking at Morgan Stanley and worked on the Michael Kors IPO, shifted into strategy and corporate development to help ING U.S. execute its IPO and rebrand to Voya, then pursued my MBA/MPH to transition into healthcare as I felt called to the field. The attention to detail and financial modeling skills I developed as a financial analyst continue to serve me every day, but my MBA/MPH really enabled me to build both my understanding of, and network in, the healthcare ecosystem to make the transition. I originally thought I wanted to pursue hospital administration and am deeply grateful to have had leaders at three large academic medical centers who took a chance on a career switcher for their operations internships. These experiences deepened my appreciation for the patient experience and my desire to improve that experience with technology. Ultimately, I have always had an itch for entrepreneurship, so I have pursued roles at health tech startups across both software and hardware since grad school. I really enjoy mentoring students who are pursuing a career switch. Careers are long, and it’s always more fulfilling to find a role you are truly passionate about and that leverages your unique skillset.

What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?
One of the most important skills I have developed is learning how to influence without power. Early in my career, I was often in the room with the C-Suite and had to learn how to thoughtfully frame solutions and drive projects forward while building my “political capital” and reputation. Much of this comes from preparation, listening, and demonstrating value in conversations. My technical skills continue to help me make data-driven decisions, and my relationship-building skills enable me to follow through on decisions while often navigating complicated interpersonal dynamics and ambiguous next steps. My education at Kenan-Flagler absolutely planted the seeds for these capabilities with its focus on team consulting projects and new venture launch coursework (like Jim Kitchen’s and Ted Zoller’s class, where we had to produce full business plans and pitch to investors).

What are the top two items on your bucket list?
I would love to eventually found a company or non-profit and see it to stable growth and/or an exit. I have enjoyed launching products with the goals of improving the access to, and the quality of, healthcare, and I hope to eventually have my own venture to do this. I’d also love to take my family to all of the places where I have lived abroad while also experiencing new adventures like climbing Machu Picchu together.

What has been your most memorable experience during your time at Carolina?
I’m probably cheating a little bit on this answer since I’m a double Tar Heel: my favorite experience at UNC was seeing our basketball team have the confetti fall on them as national champions my senior year after we dealt with unimaginable heartbreak the year prior when Villanova hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Seeing how the team responded over that entire year was incredible. I was lucky to sprint to Franklin Street several times during undergrad, but nothing beats that one.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?
You’re here for a reason. You’re going to accomplish great things at this school and beyond in your professional lives. Don’t let a daunting few week stretch discourage you along your MBA journey. While you yourself are a bright future leader, also recognize that you are surrounded by an incredible variety of different resources – ask for help with anything if you need it. The Carolina community as a whole is there for you in any way you can imagine.

What made you decide to pursue a career in healthcare?
From a very early age, my parents emphasized that I should pursue an academic route, and subsequently a career, in an area that got me excited when my feet hit the floor every morning. In high school, my science teachers were incredible across the board in chemistry, biology and physics. The material was always incredibly interesting to me, and it drove me toward majoring in chemistry and minoring in biology at UNC. So fast-forwarding to where I am today, I still have that intellectual curiosity that excites me about life sciences and healthcare. Working in healthcare has been and will be a passion of mine because when my feet hit the floor in the morning, I know I’m about to tackle meaningful work that will one day help a patient in need.

What are your top two bucket list items?
One day, I am going to go skiing in the Alps. That’s high on the list for sure. I would also love to spend a Sunday in early April sitting by the 18th green of Augusta National watching the final round of The Masters.

From Eagle Scout to MBA candidate, Bradly Boaz has always been drawn to leadership. But it wasn’t until he entered the world of healthcare business that his dream of making a real impact began to take shape. “I’ve always dreamed of leading and motivating others,” he says. “Pursuing an MBA finally made that dream feel real — especially in a field like healthcare, where the decisions you make can truly affect lives.”

Originally from North Carolina, Bradly earned his undergraduate degree in Health Services Administration from East Carolina University. He knew early on that traditional hospital administration wasn’t the right path for him. Instead, he found his passion on the business side of the industry during his time at Blue Cross NC, where he began to understand the larger ecosystem that drives healthcare innovation and delivery.

When it came time to choose a business school, UNC Kenan-Flagler stood out not only for its top-tier healthcare program but also for its proximity to the Research Triangle Park. “I felt like a kid in a candy shop,” he says. “From healthcare start-ups to pharmaceuticals, the opportunities here are endless.”

Now a full-time MBA student, Bradly describes his time at UNC as “grounding” — a word that reflects both personal growth and a deepening sense of purpose. Among his academic highlights is Marketing with Professor Khristopher Keller, a class that challenged his assumptions about the field. “It was a reality check,” he says. “Marketing isn’t just about ads — it’s about understanding the deep complexity of creating and positioning a product.”

Outside the classroom, Bradly is stepping into a major leadership role as the incoming president of the MBA Healthcare Club. His goal? To make the club an inclusive space where anyone — regardless of background or functional focus — can explore the dynamic world of healthcare. “I’m excited to learn from others and help build a community that welcomes all interests.” Through projects like STAR and countless coffee chats and case competitions, he’s come to value authenticity above all. “It’s easy to feel like you need to mold yourself into something you’re not. But I always return to the idea that no one else can be a better me.”

Looking ahead, his career interests are evolving. Thanks to the MBA program and exposure through the Healthcare Club, he’s diving into a summer internship in the pharmaceutical industry — a space he hadn’t previously considered. “I love the idea of staying in a marketing function post-MBA, ideally within pharma. Without this program, I wouldn’t have had that door open.”

In the long term, Bradly is considering entrepreneurship or a leadership role that blends business strategy with patient advocacy. But whatever direction his path takes, one thing is certain: he wants to inspire others to believe in their own potential. “I hope my journey shows that anything is possible,” he says. “Everything I’ve achieved once felt out of reach — but with curiosity, mentorship, and grit, I’ve learned that unlikely things can come to life.”