Scott McIntyre—The New York Times/Redux

As president and CEO of CVS Health, Karen Lynch is on a mission to make health care simpler, more personalized, and more affordable. When you work with Karen, as I have on the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable, you can’t miss her authenticity, candor, and drive to make a positive and profound difference.

After taking the helm at CVS in early 2021, Karen spearheaded efforts to administer COVID vaccines at company pharmacies and more than 40,000 long-term-care facilities. On her watch, CVS also increased vaccine access in vulnerable, low-income communities. Most recently, Karen has led a growing movement to reduce the cost of women’s health products, unilaterally cutting prices on CVS store brands, and overseen an expansion into primary care.

For Karen, executive leadership means seizing opportunities to help others—including the underserved and the overlooked—and finding new ways for private industry to serve the greater good.

Frazier is Chairman of Health Assurance Initiatives at General Catalyst and a former Merck CEO

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