Praveen Chopra: Leader, innovator and change manager

Praveen Chopra: Leader, innovator and change manager

"As an Air Force family, we moved around a lot, so I learned that change is constant," he says. "My parents also taught me to value creativity and innovation, to commit to integrity in all aspects of life and to love others." These principles-in combination with his faith-shaped the person and the leader Praveen would become.

After high school, Praveen pursued an education and began a career in computer science and engineering in an industrial and manufacturing conglomerate. Then, one of his early mentors encouraged him to get involved in Total Quality Management (TQM) and Just-in-Time (JIT) processes for continual improvement. As a result, the international company he was working for in India asked him to take a short-term assignment in the U.S. in 1997. Though he had not planned on staying in the U.S., Praveen's life took a happy turn when he met his future wife.

Over the next two decades, Praveen progressed in his career, eventually holding executive roles in retail, consulting, academics and healthcare organizations throughout the country. At one point, he realized he was looking for more fulfillment, and that is when he took a job at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as chief supply chain officer and, later, chief information officer. "Changing the life of a child impacts an entire family," says Praveen. "That knowledge gave me a deep sense of purpose."

Having found the mission within healthcare that spoke to him, Praveen was recruited to Gundersen in 2021. "In addition to the high quality of life in this region, I am fulfilled because I believe we have the right people, the right purpose and the right potential," he explains.

Soon after joining Gundersen, Praveen was invited to serve on Gundersen Medical Foundation's Board of Directors-a role that also connects with his sense of purpose. "The work of the Foundation speaks to me," he says, "because we are more than just fundraising. We are training future healthcare providers, solving complex medical problems through research and touching so many lives through programs like Children's Miracle Network Hospitals®, Resolve Through Sharing®, a street medicine program and more. Gundersen, with support from the Foundation, has a real commitment to community-and better healthcare for all."