SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cleo, the most comprehensive support benefit for working families, today announced its Clinical Advisory Board consisting of five industry leading and forward thinking health professionals in critical areas of support for today’s working families. Collectively, the board brings a progressive and holistic approach to areas including: neonatal development, pediatric care, better Medicaid support for marginalized communities, and improved Black maternal health outcomes.
From mental health to chronic illness, today’s families face a range of challenges that call for more specialized support. In fact, Cleo’s latest survey of working parents found that more than half of families are dealing with some type of pediatric health concern, a third of which is a neurodivergent or mental health condition.
Cleo’s newly organized Clinical Advisory Board was carefully recruited and designed to connect the Cleo leadership, product, and clinical operations teams to the boldest leaders and most meaningful research in the areas of health equity, access to care, and outcomes to continually improve Cleo’s impact for all of its members, with a focus on those most often left behind. Cleo’s member base spans the most progressive global companies from Fortune 5 employers to non-profit organizations.
Joining Cleo’s Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Chitra Akileswaran, MD, on Cleo’s Clinical Advisory Board are:
Dr. Monica R. McLemore, RN, PhD, FAAN: Dr. Monica R. McLemore is a tenured associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco in the Family Health Care Nursing Department, an affiliated scientist with Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, and a member of the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health. Click here for full bio.
Adimika Arthur: Adimika Arthur is a healthcare executive with significant leadership experience in serving vulnerable populations. Trained as a clinical epidemiologist, Adimika is now a successful healthcare administrator with a proven record of developing innovative strategies to improve the delivery and quality of health services, increase access to care, and stabilize struggling organizations. Click here for full bio.
Dr. Seth Bokser, MD: Dr. Seth Bokser has two decades of experience caring for working families as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School. He is a Board Certified Clinical Informaticist and has led many digital-health innovations throughout his career in the domains of telehealth, electronic medical records, and connected medical devices. Dr. Bokser is also a leader in Patient Experience, recently holding the position of Chief Medical Officer for Oneview Healthcare, an international digital patient experience company. Click here for full bio.
Dr. Pamela J. Simms-Mackey, MD, FAAP: Dr. Pamela J. Simms-Mackey, MD, FAAP is the Chair of Pediatrics and Chief of Graduate Medical Education at Alameda Health System. Prior to her role at AHS, Simms-Mackey was the director of Graduate Medical Education and Pediatric Residency Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. She also holds an appointment as a clinical professor of Pediatrics with University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, educating medical students as well as pediatric residents. Click here for full bio.
As health outcomes worsen for families across the U.S.—from the nation’s Black maternal crisis to worsening pediatric mental health—the demand for member-first, holistic programs is clear. Cleo’s approach is challenging traditional practices of our health systems and telehealth programs by bringing together personalized care and anticipatory guidance with data-driven innovation. With a focus on the most marginalized communities, Cleo is committed to designing programs built with equity and access for all.
Cleo’s Clinical Advisory Board brings together diverse experts across pediatric and family health to drive forward sustained, positive health outcomes for its member base during what has become a historical 18 months for working parents. These results are proven—with 30% of members reporting that Cleo support and preventative care has helped them avoid a medical or clinical escalation and 92% of women returning to work compared to an industry average of 60%.
"Providing holistic support for working families across all facets of health and wellness has been a core priority for Cleo since day one,” said Chitra Akileswaran, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of Cleo. “The biggest threats to family health are much more than illness or injury; they are mental health and burnout, lack of logistical support, unreliable childcare and incomplete recognition at work from managers and colleagues - all of which continue to be exacerbated by the pandemic. I’m proud of the model we’ve developed and excited to replicate this success as we expand our clinical programs and team. I’m thrilled to welcome a new slate of healthcare experts to our team as we continue to advocate for a holistic, adaptable approach to family health.”
ABOUT CLEO
Cleo is the most comprehensive support benefit for working families, reinventing how forward-thinking employers improve family health, control costs and attrition and build inclusive cultures. From the earliest stages of planning for a family to parenting older children and beyond, Cleo families are happier, healthier, and more engaged as they balance their roles at home and work, supported by proactive, expert guidance for every stage.
Cleo partners with diverse employers like Pinterest, PepsiCo, Box, and The Learning Care Group that actively seek to transform company culture surrounding employee retention, diversity and inclusion, and population health. Serving working families in 55 countries and over 100 enterprise clients, Cleo is headquartered in San Francisco. Cleo is backed by NEA, Greylock Partners, and Transformation Capital. Learn more at hicleo.com.
