Lu Ann Talley is a healthcare strategist with deep expertise in developing innovative care models that expand access, improve affordability, and enhance outcomes and care experiences across diverse markets, focusing on value-based care and population health. As VP of Strategy & Innovation at Teladoc Health, she leads enterprise initiatives to advance virtual-first and hybrid care models, driving growth and collaboration across health systems, payers, and employers.

Previously, Lu Ann served as Chief Strategy Officer for Providence in Southern California, where she led clinical service line development, market expansion, and digital health strategies, oversaw hospital acquisitions and strategic joint ventures, and drove physician alignment, global risk arrangements, and population health initiatives. Earlier in her career, she was a Partner at KPMG, advising healthcare C-suite leaders on market growth and revenue diversification strategies, payer-provider partnerships, and value-based care transformation.

How did you get started in healthcare? Have you always been passionate about this area, or did it happen by chance?

I’ve been drawn to healthcare and helping people for as long as I can remember. I began my career as a physical therapist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, but soon realized I wanted to make a broader impact. That led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Health Policy & Management from Harvard. Since then, I’ve intentionally navigated across the healthcare ecosystem — from clinician to strategist — working with a payer (Kaiser), provider (Providence), consulting firm (KPMG), and now in digital health at Teladoc. Each pivot deepened my understanding of the key drivers and interconnectiveness of our system and strengthened my commitment to improving health and care for all people, globally.

When evaluating a new opportunity for your company, what criteria do you use to determine if it is worth pursuing?

When evaluating a new opportunity, I start by looking for white space — adjacencies where we can leverage our core strengths to create differentiated value, particularly in advancing value-based care and population health. I look for opportunities where we can have a meaningful impact and where there’s alignment with broader strategic goals. I typically pilot and scale initiatives to accelerate time-to-market while managing risk.

I also believe in forging strategic partnerships that bring complementary capabilities and enable speed, scalability, and shared value creation. Measurement is essential. I create a balanced scorecard focused on Quintuple Aim goals and metrics. And I’m comfortable pivoting or exiting if the initiative isn’t delivering the intended impact. Every venture, even those we stop, teaches us something. It’s part of a ‘fail forward’ mindset.

Looking back at your career so far, what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of two things in my career. First, becoming one of the youngest consulting partners at KPMG — a milestone that reflected years of hard work, deep client focus, and a commitment to delivering high-value results that drove retention and growth. Second, my ability to successfully pivot across multiple segments of the healthcare industry — payer, provider, and digital health. I’m a lifelong learner, and at each transition, I’ve invested in understanding new domains to quickly contribute and lead.

For example, when I joined Teladoc, I self-funded an MIT Sloan School of Management and Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) Executive Program on AI: Implications for Business Strategy to build foundational knowledge in machine learning, NLP, and robotics. That helped me more effectively collaborate with our product and engineering teams and shape our forward-looking strategies.

Personally or professionally, what might the WBL network be surprised to know about you?

I did my Master’s thesis under Thomas Schelling, who later won the Nobel Prize for his work in game theory and economics. His teachings had a lasting impact on me. I still apply game theory principles in my work today to anticipate market dynamics, evaluate strategic options, and think several moves ahead. It’s a powerful and useful framework for navigating complex decisions and competitive environments, and designing partnership strategies.