Developing Leaders with Impact

Leaders in today’s healthcare environment must be prepared to navigate complex challenges to strengthen, grow, differentiate, and build their businesses and functions. That’s why Fresenius Kabi has partnered with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to build a community of Fresenius Kabi leaders prepared to deliver on the company’s mission, set clear and elevating goals, inspire others, and drive execution.

Over the past six years, more than 100 executives at Fresenius Kabi have graduated from the custom leadership development program, known as IMPACT. The newest cohort, a group of 39 employees, recently completed the nine-month program that features on-campus intensive learning experiences with world-class faculty combined with on-the-job practical applications and one-on-one sessions with senior leaders in the U.S. at Fresenius Kabi.

 IMPACT is designed to enable leadership following the formula of envision, enroll and execute by setting a clear vision, enrolling teams and stakeholders, and driving execution. Coursework focuses on maximizing leadership capabilities, building leadership presence, and developing people and teams. This year’s participants are the third cohort to complete the program.

“Our ongoing partnership with Kellogg is a vital part of our strategy for cultivating the leaders who will guide our company to continued success in a volatile, complex health care climate,” said Arun Verma, President, Fresenius Kabi USA. “Through IMPACT, we are fostering advanced capabilities and relationships that are essential to agile leadership.”

An internationally renowned business program, Kellogg offers the distinguished faculty and innovative curriculum that provide the foundation for IMPACT’s success. “Partnering with top business thought leaders at Kellogg helps us apply innovative concepts to our thinking and actions,” said Linda Hartman-Reehl, Sr. Director, U.S. Learning and Development, who directs the program. “We include leaders from all businesses and functions, which builds a strong leader network and supports collaboration beyond the program.”  

“Fresenius Kabi’s commitment to executive education stands out,” said Michelle Buck, Academic Director and Kellogg Executive Professor, who leads the school’s dedicated IMPACT team. “The level of support and involvement from the Fresenius Kabi Executive Committee for this program and developing its leaders is unparalleled.”

For instance, while most executive education programs focus on one or two sessions, Fresenius Kabi’s provides four to deliver an immersive experience.

“As we developed the program, the company felt strongly that we needed to help executives go on a journey to truly develop their leadership abilities, and you don’t typically do that by attending one class,” said Jim Callanan, Head of HR, Region U.S.

Graduates can also advance to earn a Kellogg Executive Scholar Certificate from Northwestern by completing an additional executive education course at the university. To date, 32 Fresenius Kabi leaders have earned Kellogg Executive Scholar Certificates.

Gaining Leadership Insights

Through IMPACT, participants have an opportunity to master key fundamentals while developing their leadership methods.

“The program created an environment that encouraged me to reflect critically on my leadership style while providing tools to sharpen my leadership effectiveness,” said 2025 graduate Kathy Lanahan, Sr. Director, Contract Marketing, IV Therapy. “It was an invaluable opportunity to build new capabilities to navigate complexity and refine my leadership approach to lead and grow a high-performing team.”

Recent graduate Libby Wittneben, Vice President, Pharmaceutical Sales, said IMPACT provides meaningful insights on topics such as leading with vision and purpose, building high-performing and diverse teams, improving decision making, and influencing without authority.

“I found particular value in discussions around leading through change and how technology and Artificial Intelligence can be leveraged to improve efficiency, deliver customer-focused programs, and drive growth,” Wittneben said. “IMPACT was a truly valuable experience, and I am deeply appreciative of the investment the company made in my development.”

Some participants find that the program clarifies what it means to lead. “IMPACT helped me to see that my role as a leader isn't to have all the answers or fix all the problems,” said 2025 graduate Lee Synder, PhD., Director, Quality Control, Grand Island. “Rather, I need to ask the right questions so my team can flourish on their own merits.”

IMPACT also helps leaders gain insights about themselves that can help them be more effective. “The biggest impact of the program is that it helped me identify and focus on the leader I want to be,” said IMPACT graduate Maria Salotto, Sr. Director, National Accounts and GPOs - Biopharma. “I learned so much.”

Forging Lasting Connections

Beyond the curriculum, developing relationships within the cohort is a key benefit for participants – and the company. “IMPACT helped me build new connections and relationships across the organization that would have otherwise taken years,” said 2025 graduate Barrett Mulford, Vice President of Commercial Operations, MedTech U.S. Blood Centers.

Recent graduate Jeff Bakker, Vice President of Sales, U.S. Biopharma, validated the importance of this aspect of IMPACT. “I now have numerous peers to engage to ideate and problem-solve across diverse functions of our business,” he said. “The talent and commitment of my IMPACT peers are exceptional, and learning with the class motivated me to grow my leadership capabilities and viewpoints.”

While the multi-day sessions are a significant commitment, some participants find the break from work routines valuable. “For me, the greatest value came in the pause,” said Monica Frias, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a recent graduate. “IMPACT allowed me prioritize self-reflection, which is when the lectures, interactions, and conversations all came together to help me to gain depth as a leader.”

Participants also come away with an optimistic outlook. “The learning is inspirational, and the opportunity to form deep bonds with our cohort is truly exceptional,” said recent graduate Kelly Davis, Senior Corporate Counsel. “I am excited for the future of Fresenius Kabi.“

With IMPACT complete, the recent graduates bring fresh perspectives and skills to their leadership roles.  “The program is named IMPACT with a focus on the word ‘act,’” said Northwestern’s Buck. “The impact truly begins as the program ends.”