For Boopathy Sivaraman, Pharm.D., M.Sc., MBA, manager of pharmacy services at Cooper Green Mercy Health, effective leadership means looking beyond day-to-day operations to understand how pharmacy services contribute to broader organizational goals.
Through the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership, a program offered by the Leadership Development Office (LDO), Sivaraman broadened his perspective on healthcare leadership, strengthened his approach to team management, and built valuable relationships with colleagues across the UAB enterprise.
“What stood out to me most was the incredible opportunity to connect with peers and executive leaders from across our UAB enterprise who share a deep passion for healthcare excellence,” Sivaraman said of his experience in the institute’s 12th cohort. “It created a wonderful, collaborative environment to exchange ideas and look at our daily operations through a broader strategic lens.”
A broader perspective on leadership
The program gave Sivaraman the opportunity to learn directly from Michelle Fortune, MBA, FACHE, executive vice president of hospital operations at UAB Medicine, and David Randall, chief strategy officer for UAB Health System. Fortune emphasized the importance of trust in leadership, while Randall shared principles for transforming strategy into execution.
“Their insights, transparency, and strategic perspectives on health system operations left a profound and lasting impression on me, inspiring me to think bigger about how pharmacy leadership can drive value and support our entire organization,” Sivaraman said.
The program provided frameworks in strategic planning, developing a culture based off trust, and the importance of cross collaboration—all topics Sivaraman can implement in his day-to-day role.
“As a pharmacy manager, these lessons reinforced the importance of aligning clinical care goals with broader organizational strategies to ensure our teams are both clinically effective and operationally sustainable,” he said.
He’s put many of these lessons into practice already, and has felt the benefits across his team as they have created a trusting culture, improved workflow efficiencies, strengthened communication across departments, and more.
Sivaraman‘s path to pharmacy leadership was shaped by his commitment to patient care and continuous improvement, inspired by his family’s deep roots in healthcare. Over the years, he has embraced diverse clinical and operational challenges, building strong teams and championing innovations that directly benefit patients and staff. He credits his experience with the Institute for Leadership as the cornerstone of his recent career growth, as it broadened his perspective beyond clinical pharmacy operations and equipped him with the executive mindset and leadership tools needed to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare.
“The program taught me how to lead with greater confidence, empathy, and clarity,” he said.
Paying it forward
Beyond the formal curriculum, Sivaraman gained professional relationships that continue to support his development as a leader. The network he developed through the program has become a “brain trust” of colleagues he can call on for advice. For Sivaraman, those relationships were equally as valuable as the program’s curriculum.
Sivaraman’s advice to future program participants is simple—keep an open mind, put yourself out there, and soak up every moment—and the reward you will receive is invaluable.
“Dive in with an open mind and embrace every single opportunity to connect with your cohort and speakers,” Sivaraman advised. “I wish I had known how quickly the experience would fly by! I would advise future participants to lean into the vulnerability of stepping outside their comfort zones early on.”
Sivaraman hopes to use what he gained through the Institute for Leadership to make a difference in the careers of others across UAB Medicine.
“This program is a testament to UAB Medicine’s commitment to cultivating strong, forward-thinking leaders,” he said. “I am deeply grateful for the mentorship and knowledge I've gained, and I look forward to paying it forward by supporting the growth of others across the enterprise.”