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. What was meant to be a routine procedure for her father became a years-long struggle due to poor coordination and inequity in the healthcare system. From that pain, a mission emerged: to ensure that surgical care is not only technically excellent—but equitable, efficient, and rooted in justice.
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.
In 2025, she began the Master of Healthcare Innovation program at the University of Pennsylvania, further equipping herself to design scalable, patient-centered systems rooted in dignity and equity. 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.
Whether in the trauma bay or on a stage, her work continues to affirm one core truth: equity isn’t optional—it’s essential.
