Zachary N. Litvack, MD
University of Washington, Foster School of Business
Age: 48
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Family Members: Jamie (Wife), Zoe (Daughter 15), Alex (Daughter 12), Sam (Son 10)
Fun fact about yourself: I play rhythm guitar in a rock and roll cover band here in Seattle.
Undergraduate School and Degree:
Bachelor of Science – Molecular Biology and Bioorganic Chemistry – Brown University
Doctor of Medicine – Brown University Alpert School of Medicine
Master of Science – Clinical Research – Oregon Health & Science University
Where are you currently working? Providence Swedish, Seattle, WA – Neurosurgeon
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
UW Foster School of Business – EMBA Graduate with Honors – June 2024
Beta Gamma Sigma – May 2024
Regional Treasurer – Providence Swedish Medical Staff – January 2023-Present
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of my involvement with a startup called CLARA, which originated from a student project led by my classmate, Melinda Yormick, RN. Coming from a medical background, where risk-taking is often discouraged, I never envisioned myself in an entrepreneurial role. CLARA is a cutting-edge solution designed for ultra-precise indoor navigation, asset tracking, and value stream analysis, aimed at enhancing hospital safety, efficiency, and intelligence.
The project was honored with the University of Washington’s Holloman Health Innovation Award in 2024 and has started generating excitement in the local market. Participating in CLARA has been incredibly educational, offering real-world experience that surpasses traditional classroom learning. I am proud to have contributed to a venture that not only promises to extend beyond my academic career but also holds the potential to significantly benefit patients and health care providers.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Reflecting on my professional journey, I am particularly proud of my tenure as one of Swedish’s Chief Medical Officers from February 2020 through the end of 2021, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, we faced unprecedented operational and logistical challenges. Each day was a lesson in resilience and innovation as we strived to maintain essential services and ensure all patients’ safety, while supporting our frontline caregivers.
The success of our efforts hinged on our commitment to collaborative teamwork. Working as part of a dedicated leadership team, we fostered a culture of flexibility and rapid adaptation, essential for responding effectively to our community’s swiftly changing needs. Our collective efforts improved our hospital’s response to the pandemic and ensured we continued to provide high-quality care under extreme circumstances. The lessons learned and the strides made during this challenging time have left a lasting impact on our institution and on me personally.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? One of the most influential professors during my MBA was Dr. Dawn Matsumoto, the Foster School of Business Marion B. Ingersoll Professor of Accounting. Dr. Matsumoto taught the foundational accounting course in the first quarter of the first year for Executive MBA students. Coming from a medical background, my primary motivation for pursuing an MBA mid-career was to master the principles of finance and accounting—the universal language of business. Dr. Matsumoto’s course was exceptional in its organization, effectiveness, and its ability to engage students with diverse professional backgrounds. I greatly respect educators like Dr. Matsumoto who can tailor their teaching methods to meet students at their level, setting us all up for success not only throughout our academic journey but also in our future professional endeavors.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I chose the UW Foster School of Business primarily for its robust curriculum in finance and operations management. These areas are crucial for complementing my medical background, as I aimed to gain expertise that would enable me to navigate the business aspects of health care more effectively. The school’s strong history in these disciplines aligned perfectly with my goals.
Additionally, the extensive alumni network in the Seattle area, and especially within my own organization, Providence Swedish, was a significant attraction. This offered me invaluable connections and networking opportunities right in my backyard. This local network promised easy access to a community of professionals who could provide support and insight as I transitioned into blending business with medicine. Moreover, the availability of a monthly cohort format was especially appealing as it minimized disruption to both my medical practice and family life, best integrating my educational pursuits with my ongoing responsibilities.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Medical and surgical training heavily emphasizes individual responsibility and accountability. Historically, this made it challenging for me to delegate tasks and work effectively in small groups. Being accountable for my patients’ outcomes over many years led me to internalize these responsibilities deeply.
However, business school challenged this perspective by emphasizing teamwork. The curriculum is designed to require effective collaboration. I learned to leverage the diverse strengths and interests of my teammates to complete projects efficiently and to build trust, which is crucial for avoiding micromanagement.
These lessons have fundamentally changed how I collaborate across disciplines and work within teams to improve the delivery of care in my medical practice.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? I vividly recall one day when I was scheduled for surgery until around 4 p.m., followed by an online team meeting at 6:30 p.m. to work on a group assignment. Simultaneously, my eldest daughter was coming to my office after school to be dropped off at 6 p.m. for a nearby after-school activity.
Unfortunately, surgeries often run late, and that day was no exception. I dashed out of the OR at 5:45 p.m., having already texted my daughter to meet me en route to the car. We arrived at her activity a few minutes late. After dropping her off, I remained in my car in the parking lot and took the Teams call with my laptop tethered to my phone, in order to pick her up at 7:30 p.m. My wholesome dinner that night consisted of a protein bar.
No matter how meticulously you plan your schedule or arrange coverage at work and home, life’s demands don’t stop during business school. Fortunately, the normalization of virtual meetings and online collaboration due to COVID enabled me to be in multiple places at once. That said, I probably over-scheduled myself that day!
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? I think it’s very easy to underestimate the time commitment. It’s one thing to talk about 10-15 hours a week (minimum), but another to try to shoehorn that into a pre-existing work-life routine. I was quite fortunate in the support I received from my employer. Aside from their sponsorship for the program and partial tuition coverage, they were very accommodating in my request to scale back my clinical practice from 1.0 FTE in order to get the most out of my MBA program.
What was your biggest regret in business school? I don’t think I took as much advantage of the coaching opportunities or elective courses as some of my classmates did.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? (Please specify full name and specify why?)
I most admire my classmate, Scott Heesemann. Scott entered business school with nearly a decade of experience in wealth management and financial planning, following 10 years as a special forces officer in the Army. Despite his impressive background, you wouldn’t guess it from a casual conversation. Scott is remarkably humble, unassuming, and compassionate.
During our orientation, Scott took the initiative to organize class social activities, ensuring that we had opportunities to bond each month when we met in person. He successfully orchestrated these events without fail. On one occasion, when a classmate missed a session due to their spouse’s medical issues, Scott spearheaded a donation drive to send meals to their home, alleviating their stress about daily dinners.
Scott’s dedication to his family and the well-being of those around him is at the forefront. Whether this ethos was instilled during his military service or is simply part of his nature, Scott was pivotal in maintaining our class morale for two years.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I know that I learn best in the classroom. Given my schedule, protecting four contiguous days and one weekend a month was much easier than the part-time (weekly) option which would take up weekend (family) time nearly every week.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? CEO of a health system or health care–related business.
DON’T MISS: BEST & BRIGHTEST EXECUTIVE MBAS OF 2024
