Steve Valdiserri: Building Discipline in Modern Healthcare

Steve Valdiserri did not plan on becoming a healthcare leader. But over time, his mix of discipline, data thinking, and operational focus pulled him into the center of one of the most complex industries in the U.S. Today, he is known for helping healthcare and technology companies turn strategy into execution, especially in value-based care.

His career did not start in a boardroom. It started on a football field.

Early Foundations: Sports, Structure, and Leadership

Steve grew up in Indianapolis and attended Bishop Chatard High School. Football played a major role in shaping his mindset. He won two state championships and learned early how structure and accountability drive results.

“Team sports teach you quickly that effort alone isn’t enough,” he says. “You need systems, preparation, and trust.”

He carried that mindset to DePauw University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He was a four-year varsity football letterman and a senior captain. He also served on the University Presidential Captain’s Council.

“That experience showed me what leadership looks like when no one is watching,” Steve says. “You set the tone every day.”

Entering Healthcare: Learning from the Ground Up

After college, Steve moved into healthcare operations. He started out at a revenue cycle management company (Accretive Health, now R1) for 4 years and then moved to an industry that was changing fast. Value-based care was emerging, but many organizations were not ready for it.

He joined VillageMD in 2015, when the company was still in its early days. Steve was one of the first employees and over nearly a decade, he helped build the company’s operational foundation.

“I didn’t join something finished,” he says. “I joined something being built in real time.”

He started as a manager and grew into senior leadership roles, eventually becoming Vice President of Value-Basaed Strategies. His work focused on attribution management, patient engagement operations, and scaling value-based care models.

“What surprised me was how often good ideas fail because execution breaks down,” Steve says. “Healthcare doesn’t have a vision problem. There are plenty of good ideas out there. It has an operational execution problem.”

Scaling Value-Based Care in Complex Systems

At VillageMD, Steve worked closely with providers, health systems, and internal teams. His role required translating strategy into day-to-day workflows.

He became known for asking simple questions in complex meetings.

“How does this work on Monday morning?” he would ask.
“Who owns this process?”
“What data tells us this is working?”

“Complexity is unavoidable in healthcare,” he says. “Confusion is optional.”

Over time, Steve developed a reputation as someone who could connect financial performance with clinical operations. He focused on measurable outcomes, not presentations.

From Operator to Advisor

After nearly ten years, Steve decided to take what he learned and apply it across the industry. He launched a boutique advisory practice focused on healthcare technology and value-based care organizations.

Today, he works with companies as an executive partner and advisor. In June 2025, he started Avanti Strategy Group. The firm helps healthcare organizations solve operational problems and connect strategy to financial results, specifically in the value-based care and digital health space..

“My role now is to help leaders see around corners,” Steve says. “Not by guessing, but by using data, experience, and the tools / models that are being laid out in the industry.”

His work spans healthcare analytics, operations management, and emerging technology, including AI.

AI, Data, and the Future of Healthcare Operations

Steve holds a Harvard Medical School executive certification in AI in Healthcare. He sees AI as a tool, not a shortcut.

“AI won’t fix broken processes,” he says. “But it can amplify good ones. Broken processes need good ole fashion roll up your sleeves and get dirty work”.

Steve frequently shares insights on LinkedIn, where he has worked to build a consistent voice around healthcare operations, new innovation models released by CMS, Food is Health, discipline, and leadership.

Discipline Beyond the Office

Outside of work, discipline remains a core theme. Steve trains daily as a HYROX competitor and completed his first competition in May 2025. He plans to compete twice a year.

“Training reminds me that progress is boring,” he says. “You win by doing the basics every day.”

He has also become deeply interested in the Food Is Medicine movement. He believes chronic disease and healthcare costs cannot be solved without addressing nutrition.

“We keep treating symptoms,” Steve says. “But we avoid the root cause. Food matters more than we admit.”

Above all, Steve is clear about his priorities.

“My biggest role isn’t my job title,” he says. “It’s being a good husband and a present dad to my kids.”

A Steady Voice in a Noisy Industry

Steve Valdiserri’s career reflects a steady pattern. Learn deeply. Build patiently. Execute consistently.

He is not focused on hype. He is focused on outcomes.

“Healthcare rewards people who stay long enough to understand the mess,” he says. “Then do the work to clean it up.”

In an industry defined by complexity, Steve has built a reputation for clarity. And that, more than anything, is what makes his leadership stand out.