#MeetModMed: Associate Vice President, Engineering, Liz Rodriguez

#MeetModMed Series

As an award-winning technology company, ModMed^® is known primarily for its innovative medical specialty-specific solutions. But that’s only half the story. The people that work here are at the core of what we do — they shape everything from how our all-in-one solutions are developed, to how we interact with practices, and everything in-between.

#MeetModMed is a series dedicated to exploring the numerous healthcare technology careers our organization offers, all through the lens of our fantastic people.

In this #MeetModMed, we talk with our Associate Vice President, Engineering, Liz Rodriguez, about her rewarding career in software engineering.

ModMed: What does a typical day at ModMed look like for you?

Liz Rodriguez: I’ve recently taken on an expanded role that includes overseeing the development of ModMed’s new medical specialties. My typical day involves many conversations around project vision and checkpoint status.

Our monthly lead meetings look at how the entire organization will manage the rollout, from the sales strategy to our marketing plan. OBGYN will be the first specialty to launch. Along with meeting regularly with my product counterpart, I talk a lot with Celine Kaiser, our vice president of payments and OBGYN, who is leading the rollout. We are also fortunate to work alongside two OBGYN doctors who have been in the industry for more than 20 years. They are partnering with us to review our product as we build. We constantly get input from them and our beta partner, who we meet with once a week. We are very grateful for that feedback loop.

Because I am involved in such a variety of conversations, I have to do lots of context switching throughout the day, which can be challenging. I manage that by staying centered on our mission and our vision. That is what keeps me here — and the people, of course.

ModMed: You started at ModMed in 2016. How would you describe your career path from that moment to today?

Liz Rodriguez: A thrilling joy ride that keeps getting better. I joined ModMed as a software engineering manager in 2016. I started with a team of 12 and quickly took on more responsibility, doubling the size of our team in a year. I felt strongly about hiring more associate and mid-level engineers rather than just bringing in engineers at the senior level. We have a great culture and environment at ModMed, so it’s an ideal place to grow as a junior employee.

In 2019, I moved to a director-level role overseeing the whole web team, roughly 80 engineers. Then, just last year, I took on this new role as associate vice president of engineering. Managing the expansion of ModMed into new medical specialties for our products is a dream come true and has been so rewarding.

ModMed: You’ve worked in web development and software engineering since 2000. Have the components of what makes a great engineer shifted over the past few years?

Liz Rodriguez: Absolutely. Over time, the shift from a linear Waterfall methodology to an Agile framework has highlighted the soft skills that a developer needs to be successful. At ModMed, we embrace a very collaborative style of work. A developer needs to interact with the whole process, engage with the team, ask the right questions, and have the empathy to think deeply about user experience.

ModMed: You’ve recently taken on an expanded role. Can you speak to your personal leadership style?

Liz Rodriguez: ModMed is a people-centric company, so we embrace a democratic style of decision-making. That carries over to my personal leadership style. I am collaborative, flexible and like to make sure every team member has a voice. The transformational model of leadership resonates with me the most. I see my role as empowering employees to create meaningful change in our organization and industry.

ModMed: What are some of the traits you look for in new ModMed engineers?

Liz Rodriguez: Being passionate about your craft is essential. We definitely try and cultivate that at ModMed. We also look for candidates who are self-starters: people who can take direction and run with it. That’s important because it aligns with one of our core values — “innovate boldly, then make things happen.”

That said, something I like about ModMed is that we have a solid onboarding process to support new team members at every level. New hires are also paired with a mentor who is their primary point of contact for any challenges, from technical help to practical questions, like, “Where do I park my car?”

ModMed: What advice do you have for people interested in joining your team or ModMed?

Liz Rodriguez: Do your homework and read about the company. Do you want to be part of something that aims to change the healthcare space and the world? Do you want to help people? If the answer is yes, then this is the place for you.

ModMed: You are also a certified spin instructor and a long-distance runner. What role does running play in your life, and are there any lessons from it that you carry into your career with ModMed (or vice versa)?

Liz Rodriguez: I am always telling my team, this is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. I would know: I’ve done both! I used to run track in school, but later, I fell in love with long-distance running. My personality is geared for marathons: I have the mental stamina to persevere through roadblocks. That is important when you work for a company like ModMed because we’re constantly trying out new ways to innovate. Sometimes an idea works; sometimes, it doesn’t. You have to pick yourself up and try again. Long-distance running has helped me cultivate resilience.

ModMed: Which of ModMed’s core values best reflects your personality?

Liz Rodriguez: I think the one that describes me best is “align passion with purpose.” I have a passion for the healthcare industry and a passion for technology. At ModMed, I get to do both of those things alongside some of the smartest people I’ve ever worked with.

If you find Liz’s career story compelling and would like to learn more, our team is growing quickly with open roles throughout the United States. If you’re interested in joining Liz’s team or simply want to learn more about what it’s like to work at ModMed, check out our careers page and follow us on LinkedIn.

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