Meet Lisa-Jean Clifford
COO & Chief Strategy Officer
Gestalt Diagnostics

Supporter of the Women's Networking Event at PI Summit 2025
Interviewed on April 13, 2025

Grace:  Hi Lisa-Jean!  Where to begin! Your commitment to the Association for Pathology Informatics has been limitless, first as a PI Summit Planning Committee member for multiple years, then continuing as API Secretary, and, now, as President-Elect.  Can you share with us from where your deep commitment to API arises?  How did your dedication to the Society begin?

Lisa-Jean:  Hi Grace!  That is a great question. I often promote the API to others as it being near and dear to my heart and values.  There are so many positives that the API embodies in our industry. I think the fact that it is truly an education focused organization with the objective of promoting technology and technological advances in pathology. Clinical, AP, Molecular, etc., it is not a siloed approach but rather a forum for everyone to come together and learn, mentor, expand healthcare in ways that can only serve to have better, more accurate, faster results for patients.  

Grace:  In the short time I have gotten to know you, you strike me as someone who is mission-driven and who appreciates the impact pathology informatics can have on improving patient care. When did you first gain exposure to pathology informatics and was there a particular moment when you realized it was a path worth walking?

Lisa-Jean:  I have always focused on technology in healthcare.  My initial goal was to improve the speed and accuracy of cancer diagnoses, ensuring patients received timely and appropriate treatments for better outcomes.  I started college as pre-med but after taking a programming elective quickly realized that the way to have a larger impact for a greater number of people was through informatics.  Once I focused on healthcare, it also became immediately obvious to me that pathology is the start of the diagnosis process and that pathologists are at the center of where technology can intersect with expertise. I changed focus and have been walking this path for over two decades.  

Grace:  Who were your champions along the way? What advice did they give you?

Lisa-Jean:  I've been fortunate to have several champions and mentors throughout my career. The most impactful was my first professional boss at an informatics company, Yvonne Cekel. She was a formidable presence—the only female executive in a male-dominated environment—who stood out with her intellect, personality, and ambition. Beyond her professional capabilities, she was a wonderful person who offered invaluable advice on career development, work-life balance, and setting priorities and boundaries. Her guidance has stayed with me throughout my career. In fact, during a particularly challenging time, I reached out to her years later for advice once again. Truly successful women uplift and celebrate each other’s accomplishments, though it's important to support everyone in our circles.

Grace:  It seems that a month does not go by that you are not on the road for a conference or to meet clients. As the Chief Operating Officer of Gestalt and an engaged mother of accomplished young women, how do you balance between your commitment to the subspecialty and your role as a provider and caregiver?

Lisa-Jean:  Travel is definitely frequent but tends to follow a cyclical pattern, allowing me to plan for balance between my various roles. I've always traveled for work, and my children are used to it. I make sure to be home for major events and activities for them and my family. When I'm with them, I try to be present, though they understand that my career is a significant part of my life. I hope my dedication and determination in my professional life has set a positive example for them in their own careers ahead. As parents, we demonstrate to our children that we have multifaceted lives with multiple priorities, of which they are the most important, but not the only one.

Grace:  As a supporter of the Women’s Networking Event and the Women in Pathology Informatics group, what advice do you have to women just entering the field who may be looking ahead at doing the heavy-lifting required to change workflows and management systems? 

Lisa-Jean:  The first piece of advice I would give is that there are multiple paths you can choose in this industry. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one early on.  Keep your skills, and therefore your options, broad and open.  The next would be that career vs. personal life is cyclical. It is very rare that you will generally have a balance between them. There are always pushes and pulls in both directions. Decide what your priorities are and honor them. There is no right or wrong. Only what is best for you. Sometimes your career will take precedence and sometimes your personal life will.  Find your way to set the boundaries and expectations with both. And the most important, find your ‘tribe’. The group of people you surround yourself with are key to your emotional, intellectual and personal health and growth. They can, and if they are the right ones, will support you throughout your life stages.

Grace:  Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Looking forward to seeing you at PI Summit and at the Women’s Networking Event. Thanks so much for personally supporting the event!