As part of Boomerang Ventures’ ongoing series highlighting women leaders across its portfolio—introduced in “10 Leaders Shaping the Future of Connected Health Technology”—we are featuring the executives driving innovation across the connected health landscape.
In this Q&A, Jeri Judkins, CEO of WithYou Therapeutics, shares how her three decades of experience in healthcare technology led her to focus on one of the most overlooked areas in care delivery: survivorship. With a background in commercialization, growth strategy, and scaling healthcare solutions, Jeri brings a disciplined, execution-driven approach to building a platform that supports patients beyond treatment.
Origin & Strategic Insight
What drew you to lead this company, and what unmet need did you initially see in the market?
After more than 30 years in healthcare technology, I’ve seen where the system delivers and where it consistently falls short. Survivorship is one of the largest, most underserved segments in healthcare. Through improved treatments, we’re extending lives, but we’re not supporting what comes after.
WithYou presented a clear opportunity to build a scalable platform for emotional and behavioral survivorship support—grounded in clinical evidence and designed for real-world use. The combination of unmet need, market size, and scalability is what drew me to the opportunity.
When did you realize this required a fundamentally different solution?
When it became clear that nearly half of survivors experience ongoing psychological distress, yet there’s no structured, scalable solution embedded in care delivery. Traditional models are episodic and resource-constrained. This requires a continuous, digital-first approach that operates outside the clinic and reaches survivors consistently.
What makes your approach differentiated in today’s connected health landscape?
We’re not just digitizing care—we’re translating evidence-based therapy into something people can actually use in their daily lives. Our platform is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and built specifically for survivorship, with input from those who have lived it. It’s continuous, personalized, and designed to integrate across health systems, payers, and partners. That combination of clinical credibility, accessibility, and scalability sets us apart.
The Problem & Its Broader Impact
What is fundamentally broken in your segment of healthcare today?
Survivorship is treated as an afterthought. Care effectively stops when treatment ends, despite clear evidence of ongoing psychological need. There’s no consistent, scalable support model built into the system.
Why has this issue persisted for so long without effective resolution?
Because the system has been built to focus on acute care—diagnosis and treatment—not long-term recovery. Emotional and behavioral health has historically been fragmented, under-resourced, and difficult to scale within traditional models.
If your solution scales as envisioned, how does it change outcomes for patients, providers, or payors?
For patients, it means access to consistent, evidence-based support throughout their survivorship journey.
For providers, it extends care beyond the clinic without adding resource burden.
For payors, it has the potential to reduce downstream costs tied to unmanaged mental health and disengagement. It’s a more complete, sustainable model of care.
Building in Connected Health
What has been the most challenging aspect of building and scaling in this environment?
Balancing speed with clinical rigor. Healthcare requires proof, but speed to market is paramount. Navigating both simultaneously is challenging yet critical to success.
What milestones validated that your company was ready for growth or broader adoption?
Clinical validation, early user engagement, and strong market dynamics around digital health signaled both the need and viability of what we’re building.
How has working with Boomerang Ventures influenced your company’s trajectory?
They’ve been a value-added partner—bringing healthcare-specific expertise, strategic guidance, and access that accelerates execution beyond capital alone.
Leadership & Perspective
As a woman leading a health tech company, how do you view your role in shaping the future of healthcare innovation?
As a healthcare IT leader, I have always seen my role as one that brings a broader perspective and a more inclusive vision. Healthcare impacts everyone, and leadership should reflect that. For me, it’s always been about building solutions that are both effective and deeply human.
Have you encountered unique challenges as a female leader in venture-backed healthcare?
Male or female, it can be challenging to lead a company while delivering strong financial results.
As a female leader, I’ve had to gain trust earlier in the process to demonstrate I’m making business decisions that balance both VC and company goals. Over time, consistent performance and clarity of vision lead to the best possible outcomes.
What leadership principle guides your decision-making during periods of uncertainty or growth?
Clarity: clear priorities, clear communication, and accountability at every level. This has guided me for over 30 years.
The Future of Connected Health Technology
Where do you see the biggest opportunity for transformation in healthcare over the next five years?
Shifting care from traditional, episodic care to continuous care that is personalized and accessible. The infrastructure to support patients outside traditional settings via connected health technology will define the next wave of healthcare innovation.
How do you believe connected health technology will redefine patient experience and access to care?
It will shift care from episodic to continuous. Patients won’t have to wait for appointments to get support—they’ll have tools and resources available in real time, integrated into their daily lives.
Access becomes immediate and ongoing, not appointment-based. Support integrates into daily life rather than being confined to clinical settings. This will greatly improve the patient experience.
What does long-term success look like for your company beyond financial performance?
Success is redefining survivorship care—making emotional and behavioral support a standard part of the journey, not an afterthought.
Quick Insights
One word that defines your company today: Transformative
A lesson that has shaped your leadership philosophy:
At one point in my career, I worked at a health tech company where I struggled to connect with the value the organization delivered. From that experience, I learned that purpose matters most. We spend so much of our lives working, and without belief in the mission, the work becomes much harder over time. Since then, I’ve found that the most meaningful success comes from aligning purpose with execution – that’s where real impact happens.
Advice for the next generation of women entering health tech:
Know that your perspective makes a difference. Be clear in your vision, trust your instincts, and don’t wait to be invited – speak up, step in, and take your seat at the table.
Looking Ahead
WithYou Therapeutics is advancing a new model of survivorship care that prioritizes continuous, evidence-based emotional and behavioral support beyond treatment. As the company continues to grow, it is positioned to help redefine how healthcare systems support patients long after clinical care ends.
WithYou Therapeutics is currently raising capital to support its next phase of growth. To learn more, visit WithYouTherapeutics.com or connect directly with Jeri Judkins on LinkedIn.
Next month, we continue the series with another leader advancing innovation across the connected health ecosystem.
