I grew up in the Czech Paradise region, surrounded by forests, cousins, and the kind of big family where the dinner table is always full and everyone helps each other. Almost everyone in my family was a doctor, many of them oncologists, so the language of care and healing was part of my life from the beginning. Helping others was never an abstract idea. It was daily life.

Even as a child in the communist era, I felt the pull of the wider world. I wanted to work internationally, to connect with people and ideas far beyond the borders of my small town. My parents worried about my big ambitions, especially when I spoke about working in Africa, but the spark was already there.

I studied pharmacology because it seemed the logical step, but I realized almost immediately that working in a pharmacy was not my future. I finished my studies quickly, determined to find a career where I could create, innovate, and connect.

That chance came when I joined an American clinical research organisation in the Czech Republic. The pace was fast, the projects complex, and the opportunities endless. By 26, I was managing business across four countries. I set up offices from scratch, built teams, negotiated with banks, and turned my region into one of the company’s most profitable.

From there, my career became truly global. In Silicon Valley, I built a biotech company linking Czech and US teams and learned the American way of business: hire the best, work with the best, and aim high. I worked with China, mastering cross-cultural projects that many avoided. In Denmark, I led a program for children with genetic diseases and obesity, a role that changed me. It inspired me to start a non-profit organization in Indonesia, focusing on building schools, assisting impoverished families, and enhancing children’s health. I also began projects in Africa to tackle deadly diseases for pregnant women and their babies.

In 2013, I launched my own consultancy, Shasta Medical, advising global clients on clinical trials and healthcare innovation. Later, I became president of the Czech Association for Health Improvement, began a PhD in artificial intelligence for medicine, and in 2025, together with Peter M. Kovacs, started building InScreening to develop advanced diagnostic technology for prevention and early detection.

What defines me is not just the places I have worked or the titles I have held. It is the way I work. I build networks that cross borders, industries, and cultures. I see opportunities where others see risk. I connect science, technology, and humanity so that innovation serves people, not the other way around.

And at my core, I am still that girl from the Czech Paradise. I believe courage opens doors, prevention saves lives, and that the right combination of knowledge, creativity, and empathy can change the future of healthcare.