Kathryn Wise, Program Director and Associate Professor

Name (pronouns)
Kathryn Wise (she/her)
Department/Division
MS in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership, School of Nursing
Years at UCSF
3
Role in technology
I am not a technologist, but I examine the future of work and the impact of technology on how we lead and organize healthcare — bridging human-centered practice and innovation, educating the future healthcare leadership workforce.
Woman in the desert with a cap and sunglasses in front of a hill
What technology project(s) have you worked on that you are most proud of?

One technology project I’m most proud of is developing the AI-Informed Leadership module within the MS-HAIL program. Rather than focusing on the technical mechanics of AI, the module prepares future healthcare leaders to critically evaluate, ethically govern, and strategically integrate AI into organizational decision-making and workforce design. It shifts the conversation from tool adoption to leadership responsibility — equipping administrators to navigate how emerging technologies reshape work, authority, and care delivery. This module is constantly evolving!

How has technology helped you achieve a goal within your role or department?

Although the MS-HAIL Program is not a program focused exclusively on technology, the conversations around technology has strengthened our program’s ability to stay ahead of emerging trends while reframing technology as a leadership and work design issue — not just an operational one.

What’s your favorite aspect of your role at UCSF and why?

One of my favorite aspects of my role at UCSF is the inherently interprofessional nature of the MS-HAIL program. I value the opportunity to engage with colleagues across clinical, operational, and technology domains and to have rich conversations about how healthcare systems function and evolve. Those cross-disciplinary exchanges deepen our collective thinking about leadership and administration, and they model the kind of collaborative approach our future healthcare leaders need.

What’s one ‘fun fact’ about you that not many people know?

I’m an Occupational Therapist by background, and my doctoral thesis explored the use of technology to support telehealth at a time when telehealth was still a novel concept — proposing rehabilitation delivered directly in a person’s home. I’ve always been curious about how technology can expand and improve healthcare service delivery. Now, with a focus on leadership, I often describe myself as an “Organizational Occupational Therapist,” focused on designing healthier systems of work, leadership, and technology integration that enable people and organizations to thrive.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

When I’m not at work, I love hiking ( I have a hiking group with friends), traveling, and spending weekends on the sidelines watching my two daughters play soccer — a perfect mix of movement, adventure, and family time.

If you could learn anything, what would that be?

I would love to learn to make pottery!