Susannah Fox

Susannah Fox is a health and technology strategist whose career centers on empowering patients, survivors, and caregivers through open access to information and data. Fox has focused on exploring and mapping the landscape shaped by patients, survivors, and caregivers, with a belief that open access to information, data, and tools can support better decision-making and drive health care innovation. Known for her expertise in digital health and consumer empowerment, Fox has contributed significantly to the field.

Fox spent 14 years at Pew Research Center, where she directed research on consumer-focused health and technology. She introduced participatory research methods to examine how information technology and social media influence the health care industry and the consumer health care experience, with an emphasis on individuals living with chronic and rare conditions. Fox combined traditional survey research with fieldwork in online patient communities. Her research has appeared in publications such as Pediatrics, Journal of the American Medical Association, New York Times, and Harvard Business Review.

Fox became the third chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the first woman to hold the position, following her role as entrepreneur-in-residence at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As CTO, she created opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation across the department’s divisions and workforce, helping HHS leverage data and technology to improve national health and welfare. Fox led an open data and innovation lab and launched Invent Health, an initiative focused on user-driven innovation for medical and assistive devices. She played a key role in fostering a culture of innovation within HHS, advancing the department’s engagement with the health technology sector.

After her government service, Fox has continued to influence the national conversation on patient-led innovation. Her book, "Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care," published by MIT Press, explores how consumers are enhancing collective health and how the health care ecosystem can benefit from stronger connections with those it serves. Fox has been recognized among the "Top 19 Health Technology Influencers to Follow" by Solved magazine. As an Internet geologist, she advises organizations across the health care industry on navigating the intersection of health and technology, with a focus on improving outcomes for patients, survivors, and caregivers. Fox is also a keynote speaker, engaging audiences interested in fostering innovation within regulated industries.