Leadership Spotlight: Juliana Van Daele, Head of Growth & Product Marketing

Our interviewee, Juliana Van Daele, brings a wealth of experience and a diverse background to Certify. Originally from Manhattan and raised in New Jersey, she attended Santa Clara University, where she earned a BA in Communications and Art History and competed on the lacrosse team. Her career includes positions at prominent organizations such as Google, Babylon, Genentech, and Sword Health, where she honed her skills and earned a Project Management certification. She has lived in London, Brazil, and New York, but currently resides in Newport Beach, California, with her husband, their new daughter, and their two dogs, Moses and Jude.

Career Journey and Background

Can you tell us about your career journey and what drew you to Certify?

I started out in pharmaceutical product launches for big names like Genentech, Pfizer, BMS, Sanofi, etc. It was a crazy amount of work and insight into how products get brought to market on a global scale and under FDA regulations, alongside providers, manufacturers, and pharmacies. One of my clients wanted to launch a 24/7 nurse line to accompany their new diabetes drug. We experimented with web applications and very early chat modules which sparked my excitement for the intersection of technology and patient care. After launching their online nursing model (years before telemedicine was a thing), I made my way to a few companies solely focused on health technology. Eventually, I started to follow General Catalyst as I felt they had a good eye for picking companies with a solid product-market fit. After leaving Sword Health, a General Catalyst-backed company, I was put in touch with Certify. Knowing data and AI is the future, I felt it was time to take a step away from direct to patient care and discover a bit more about how data can actually solve some of the biggest challenges. So here I am!

What is the most important skill that a product marketer needs to have?

More than anything, product marketers need to understand their audience. This means their problems, how they speak, their motivations, how they work, where they get their information, etc. The more we know the better so we can position our solution and services at the right time. Ultimately that knowledge of the audience will be transformed into great communication, a skill you cannot live without.

Did you have an influential mentor?

I have a few close senior mentors. I also like to follow people who see things more broadly than just healthcare. Here are a few: Vinod Khosla, Tim Ferriss, Gary V, Simon Sinek, Sam Altman, Arianna Huffington, Rick Rubin, Elon, Jensen Huang, Scott Gallaway. There are probably two dozen more that I check out regularly.

What about the healthcare space drew you in?

I always wanted to be a doctor but couldn’t quite pass biochemistry. I got accepted to a post baccalaureate program a few years ago and almost tried again but decided to take a job with Google and move to London instead. Who knows, maybe I’ll try again in a few years!

Management Insights

What did living in London and Brazil teach you about making health care better in the United States?

Healthcare is complicated. Universal healthcare isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! There are pros and cons to every way of doing it. Innovation and technology are the only things that can get us away from the tangled web we’ve been woven into over the past century. Focusing on the quality of care should be the goal of every healthcare company.

What is the most meaningful piece of leadership advice you were ever given?

Stay in the work. As you get more senior, don’t become complacent or removed from the work. “Stay close to where the magic happens.”

How do you view culture building as part of the long-term success here at Certify?

Culture will be key to our success. I think if we continue to foster continuous learning and growth over ego, we will be able to make the impact we are all hoping for.

Company-Specific Questions

How do you see Certify evolving in the next five years?

I really do think we are going to change the landscape of provider data and create the infrastructure for the future. I am excited to work more closely with our clients to understand where they are going.

What do you see as Certify’s biggest challenges right now? What are our blind spots?

I think we are up against time but, if we can accomplish our 2025 roadmap, we will be set up for a strong future. Luckily, we know our blind spots and are keeping a close eye on them should we need to pivot. AI and a strong competitive set certainly don’t leave much room for missteps!

Are there other companies operating alongside or adjacent to our space that you find interesting, inspiring or give you worry?

I think what HATCo is building is super interesting and I am curious to see where it all leads. I am mostly focused on AI advancements and how it will impact larger healthcare issues as well as our day-to-day work. I am cautiously worried about the unknown, but excited.

What’s your favorite thing about working for Certify?

The people! Never have I worked with such a wonderful group of people who are dedicated to their work while being so lovely to be around. It’s quite jarring!

Thank you, Juliana, for sharing your insights with us.

You can learn more about Juliana’s leadership journey in her bio.

If you are interested in joining our team, see our Careers page to find open positions.