Bold Surgical Visionary & Medtech Innovator
“I design solutions that heal people and the systems that serve them.”
I bridge surgical science with bold innovation to redefine healing across systems, communities, and technology. From discussions with Dr. Cornel West as the founder of the endowed lecture series, Beyond the Knife, to my work as a strategic builder and deployer of SaaS technologies—including the development of APIs that power data-driven insights—my unique blend of clinical expertise, military discipline, and visionary leadership positions me as a powerful bridge between medicine, innovation, and equity.
Commanding the Room Like the OR—with Precision, Power & Purpose
My expertise spans critical topics such as:
Leadership Under Pressure: From the OR to the Air Force
Equity-Centered Innovation in MedTech
Women of Color in STEM: Breaking Barriers with Brilliance
Health Disparities & Disruptive Solutions
Dr. Karole Collier is Legacy In Motion
Dr. Karole T. Collier is a fifth-year post-graduate general surgeon in training and assistant surgical instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, a U.S. Air Force Reserve Captain, and a bold voice in healthcare transformation. She’s not only mastering the science of surgery—she’s reimagining what healing looks like across systems, communities, and technology.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. Collier’s path to medicine was deeply personal. As the daughter of parents impacted by poverty, addiction, and systemic disenfranchisement, she grew up in an environment that taught her resilience through necessity. A first-generation college graduate from Barnard College of Columbia University, she supported herself through five jobs, all while navigating immense personal loss—including the death of family members and her father’s 11-month hospitalization from a surgical complication. Those moments redefined her purpose. Her leadership spans both practice and policy.
She founded Beyond the Knife, an endowed lecture series focused on surgical health equity, and has published original research on disparities in access to surgical care in journals such as JAMA Network Open and The American Journal of Surgery. She is also a strategic builder and deployer of SaaS technologies, including the development of APIs that power data-driven insights—applying these capabilities to create tech-enabled, cost-effective care delivery systems that serve those most at risk.
As a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, Dr. Collier embodies the discipline and leadership demanded by both medicine and military service. She is known for connecting the dots between providers, technologists, policymakers, and venture leaders to drive real-world innovation with clinical impact. Dr. Collier’s value pillars—clinical authority, innovation catalyst, artistic expression, and collaborative leadership—capture the essence of a surgeon who dares to disrupt, create, and heal. Whether in the trauma bay or on a stage, her work continues to affirm one core truth: equity isn’t optional—it’s essential.
