From Refineries to Resilience: How Health Union’s New COO, Steve Warker, Plans to Drive Alignment, Efficiency, and Innovation

The first is the launch of Amplify+, our data-driven programmatic media solution. When I came in, Amplify+ was already in motion, but not yet launched. It represented an entirely new business line—not just a product—and it required us to learn, build, and iterate at lightning speed. Within 18 months, we created a successful business line, learned a lot along the way, and proved that we could successfully expand beyond our core.

The second was the integration of Adfire Health, the company we acquired in September 2024 to help us break into HCP marketing. The acquisition came at the right time, with the right team and complementary products. We integrated the business in just one year, maintaining and growing revenue momentum. 

An “Enabler” Mindset

Meghan: As COO, you’ll be focused on organizational effectiveness and strategic alignment. How do you define your role’s primary function—are you an operator, an enabler, or a bit of both—and what’s your guiding philosophy for resource allocation across key areas like Sales, Community, and Data capabilities?

Steve: The day-to-day operations already run well within Media Operations, Community, and Sales. My focus is on helping those teams run even better—driving efficiency, adopting innovative solutions, and ensuring that we’re operating smarter tomorrow than we are today.

Ultimately, it’s about partnership and enablement, not control. My goal is to help tighten the organization’s alignment, eliminate friction, and create space for teams to move faster and more effectively.

On Alignment and Agility

Meghan: You mentioned wanting to drive “cross-functional alignment.” Can you give an example of what success looks like in that area, and how a more unified approach will ultimately benefit our partners and the communities we serve?

Steve: Our market is volatile, whether it’s ongoing disruption in programmatic, changes in DTC regulations, or new technologies emerging daily. To succeed, we have to be both fast and flexible.

That starts with alignment. We can’t move quickly if our “wheels are loose.” Everyone needs to be locked into the same priorities, moving in the same direction. When we’re aligned, we can go faster, react quicker, and ultimately deliver more value—both to our partners and to the patient communities we serve.

The Responsible Use of AI

Meghan: You’ve been a big champion of AI and its responsible integration. Where do you see the most immediate and impactful opportunities for AI to drive innovation and streamline operations within Health Union, and how will this translate to a greater ROI for the business?

Steve: I see AI today as the equivalent of the internet in 1995. It’s here, it’s functional, but it’ll evolve into something much greater than it is today. Therefore, we need to be comfortable adopting this new technology to responsibly enhance, not replace, human expertise, while also remaining flexible to adjust to its rapid evolution.

In the near term, that means automating repetitive operational processes—data entry, workflow approvals, and analytics—so our teams can focus on the high-value work that moves the business forward. Longer term, the real opportunity is in our unstructured community data. With the right safeguards, AI can help us uncover new insights about patient needs and empower pharma partners to connect more meaningfully and effectively with the people they serve.

A Culture of Focus, Transparency, and Measurement

Meghan: If we look out two years from now, what will be the most significant, tangible difference the organization will feel due to a sustained focus on efficiency and strategic prioritization?

Steve: I’m big on measurement, transparency, and communication. People do their best work when they understand what success looks like and they can see their impact.

At a previous company, I installed live dashboards above the operations floor showing real-time KPIs that updated every 10 minutes. The team got so into it that they asked for the screens to cheer when they hit their goals—so we built that in. It sounds small, but it built ownership, energy, and alignment. That’s what I want to nurture here: a culture where everyone knows what’s important, and can see the impact of their work in real time.

The Road Ahead

Meghan: What excites you most about the future of Health Union and the opportunity you have to shape it in this new role?

Steve: One thing I’m excited about—especially for Health Union—is that what’s old is new again. For years, we’ve built trusted, authentic communities that can’t simply be replicated by technology. As the broader market becomes more commoditized and restrictive, people are realizing how irreplaceable genuine connection really is.

The foundation Olivier [Chateau, CEO of Health Union] and the team built—these communities—is our superpower. Technology will augment what we do, not replace it.

At the end of the day, our mission doesn’t change. We’re here to support patients and caregivers—giving them the tools, connections, and communities they need—and to help our partners better understand and serve them.

Yes, new technologies and market shifts are exciting, but the heart of what we do remains constant. My role is to make sure we stay focused, move efficiently, and keep building on the incredible foundation that’s already here.

The future of Health Union is full of opportunity—and I couldn’t be more excited to help shape it.