Smitha Chowdary Kankanala

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT SMITHA CHOWDARY KANKANALA

Healthcare leadership is tested in uncomfortable moments. I’ve had enough of those to know that clinical skill alone is never enough.I am the CEO of Mitra Fertility & Beyond, where I lead strategy, clinical operations, quality, and growth for a fertility and women’s health platform grounded in ethical care, strong clinical outcomes, and long-term patient trust. I am also the Founder of Balenso Ortho, a specialist orthopedic clinic built around thoughtful care design, clinical excellence, and a patient experience that respects time, pain, and context.Over the last 15+ years, I’ve worked across clinical operations, patient safety, governance, communication, and strategic growth in both large tertiary hospitals and entrepreneurial healthcare settings. I’ve led service line transformations, launched advanced clinical programs, strengthened governance frameworks, and scaled revenue — without trading off dignity or integrity.Across all these environments, one pattern became impossible to ignore: escalations rarely begin with negligence. They begin with communication breakdown — a misjudged tone, softened urgency, unvoiced concern, or hierarchy that discourages speaking up. That recognition led me to found the Centre for Healthcare Communication Practice, where I work to professionalise communication as a core competence in modern healthcare. My focus is on trust, escalation, hierarchy dynamics, and the cultural patterns that quietly shape patient experience.Alongside this, I serve as an independent POSH consultant, partnering with growing organisations to build compliant, safe, and accountable workplaces. For me, this work goes beyond policy — it addresses culture, power, boundaries, and the everyday decisions that define trust.I am also the creator of STEADY, a leadership container for women navigating ambition and complexity — grounded in clarity, accountability, and self-trust. I volunteer as a Lean In Circle Leader, facilitating structured spaces where women support one another in professional growth and leadership development.My training includes Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification, the Advanced Healthcare Management Program at ISB, a Management Consulting mentorship through Growth School, and Strategic Brand Management & Communication at MICA. I mentor healthtech startups through ISB’s I-HEAL accelerator — helping innovation translate into care that works in the real world.If you’re building or fixing something in healthcare where ethics, clarity, and accountability matter, we’ll likely have something meaningful to talk about.