Mike Diakoumis is a manager of Talent Development at NM Academy at Northwestern Medicine. Through training, education and consultation, NM Academy provides employees and leaders with development opportunities for current and future roles.

Mike is also a U.S. Army veteran, and he helped found the Veterans’ Chapter of the Northwestern Medicine Champion Network, the health system’s employee resource group.
On this episode, Mike shares how his military experience shaped his perspective on leadership and why healthcare is a good career fit for veterans.

Matt Bednarczyk, director of Operations for Allied Health at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, shares his leadership journey from being a practicing physical therapist to overseeing a diverse portfolio of teams, including Rehabilitation Services, Clinical Nutrition, Patient Relations, Spiritual Care and Interpretation Services.

Matt discusses how leadership is built through experience, not titles. The conversation explores the importance of relationship-building when managing teams with different expertise and perspectives.
Matt also discusses the power of shadowing team members to truly understand their work, the role of intentional time management in leadership and how trust is built through meaningful personal connections.

Matthew Dandino, PharmD, program director of Ambulatory Pharmacy at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, explores leadership at the intersection of clinical care and business strategy.

Matt shares his passion for blending clinical expertise with operational and financial leadership. He offers an inside look at the vital — and often misunderstood — role pharmacists play across healthcare systems, from inpatient rounding to patient education and complex medication management.

Matt reflects on mentorship, the importance of “referent power,” and how connecting purpose to even the most detailed workflows can elevate both team performance and patient care.

Two Northwestern Medicine leaders, Lisett Bringas and Joanna Casillas, share how their backgrounds in the hospitality industry have molded how they approach their roles in health care today. Lisett is the manager of Support Services, overseeing Environmental Services at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, and Joanna is the residency program manager in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In this episode, they share how they apply hospitality practices to health care to effectively lead their teams.

​Daniel O'Donnell, PA-C, is a Northwestern Medicine physician assistant with nearly 20 years of orthopaedic experience. He's one of the first advanced practice providers (APPs) at Northwestern Medicine to manage a team of APPs. In this episode, he talks about his model of everyday leadership and how he grew from a hesitant new leader to managing dozens of APPs across multiple specialties.

​R. Kannan Mutharasan, MD, cardiologist and medical director of Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Palos Hospital, shares his leadership journey in integrating cardiovascular care across Chicago’s south suburbs.

He emphasizes that leadership is a mindset rooted in relationships, curiosity and service — not titles. Drawing from a range of experiences in medicine, engineering and history, he introduces frameworks like VOICE (Vision, Opportunity, Innovation, Communication, Execution) and advocates for “systems with soul” that prioritize people. His stories highlight the power of noticing, listening and acting to improve patient care. Dr. Mutharasan’s approach blends humility, continuous learning and a deep commitment to building compassionate, collaborative healthcare environments.

On this episode of Anatomy of an Everyday Leader, the spotlight is on Alexandra "Ali" Stewart, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CBC. Ali manages a complex and dynamic float pool nursing team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Her approach to leadership is grounded in curiosity and driven by connection.
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Ali shares how she gained the respect of a team working across dozens of units and how she creates a culture where everyone feels empowered to grow.

On the first episode of Anatomy of an Everyday Leader, hosts Gaurava Agarwal, MD, chief wellness executive at Northwestern Medicine, and Logan Pause, program director of Executive Development at Northwestern Medicine, talk about their definitions of great leadership and how it has impacted their lives and careers. They explore a values-based leadership model and dive into workplace determinants of well-being, setting the stage for a thought-provoking podcast season that profiles leaders among us on teams of all types in health care.