Shortly after I was diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA) at age 11, my mother was told by our family’s health insurance plan that coverage for my treatment was denied because arthritis “was not on their list of approved childhood conditions.” From this point on, my childhood was marked by similar barriers to effective treatments - the consequences of which ultimately shaped my access to educational and professional opportunities into adulthood. Today, I’m the head of strategy and development for a health economics and policy research center driving a research agenda that elevates patient engagement in value assessment in healthcare - working to ensure that the barriers to treatments that I’ve experienced are addressed on a system level. I combine my expertise as a patient with my experience in program and project management to consult with healthcare start-ups, pharmaceutical companies, and other organizations offering a collaborative and integrated approach to incorporating patient values into healthcare design, technology, and policy reform.