Stephen Ondra

Stephen L. Ondra is vice president of MITRE's Center for Transforming Health and director of the CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare federally funded research and development center (Health FFRDC). Ondra leads collaboration with government, industry, and academia to drive innovation in healthcare, public health, and social services. Previously at MITRE, Ondra served as chief medical advisor for the Health FFRDC, advising all HHS organizations to advance private insurance markets, Medicare and Medicaid, value-based payments, and healthcare quality. Before coming to MITRE, Ondra was most recently CEO of Cygnus-AI Inc., a company specializing in artificial intelligence and clinical decision support tools for diagnostic radiology. He was also founder and chief executive officer of North Star Health Care Consulting, and served on the board of directors of Triple-S Management and electroCore. A neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, Ondra has also served in senior positions in the Federal government, having a role in health reform efforts and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. He advises corporations, provider organizations and early-stage start-ups on the transition to value-based care and health IT strategy.

Education Ondra began his post-secondary education at the U.S. Military Academy, but he was injured in a training accident. Ondra graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University. Recovering from injuries, he re-entered military service in the Army During his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,

Prior to HCSC, Ondra was senior vice president and chief medical officer of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He also served as the interim chair for the Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He continues to be an adjunct Professor of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Prior to returning to Northwestern, Ondra was a member of President Barack Obama’s Administration. At the White House, Ondra served in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as the health information technology co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council. At the White House, Ondra also served on the Implementation Deputies Group for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Prior to his appointment to the Administration by President Obama, Ondra was a professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University, and he chaired the Medical Device and Technology Committee at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Committees and board appointments The Guiding Committee of the Health Care Payment Learning Action Network Board of trustees, Louis W. Sullivan Institute for Healthcare Transformation America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Core Quality Measurement Task Force Health Care Transformation Task Force Board of directors, TriWest Healthcare Alliance Adjunct Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security Board of trustees, Illinois Wesleyan University