Innovators for Children’s Medical Center Foundation

Innovators Launch Event

What was discussed?

We fostered a conversation on how breakthrough thinking in the health care and technology industries led to innovation during COVID-19. Plus, we discussed the dedication to excellence and the spirit of innovation at Children’s Health that drives the field of pediatric research forward.

Your Panelists

Julie Hall-Barrow, Ed.D.

Senior Vice President, Network Development and Innovation at Children’s Health

Julie Hall-Barrow serves as the Senior Vice President, Network Development and Innovation for Children’s Health, spearheading the organization’s development and implementation of innovative care delivery models. She oversees Children’s Health Care Network; a collaborative network of health providers, including both employed and community physicians as well as other like-minded providers, who work together to provide the best care for children in the community.

Since joining Children’s Health in 2015, Julie has guided the system’s strategic use of technology to extend access to quality health care beyond the hospital walls and into the community. She is a well-known expert in the field of telemedicine, and currently oversees one of the largest and fastest-growing telemedicine programs in the region.

Julie has long been a proponent of using technology to improve long-term health outcomes and empower patients to take an active role in their own care. Her leadership in facilitating collaboration between national technology and health care organizations has earned her accolades from industry publications, including recognition among the Most Powerful Women in Health Care IT by Health Data Management and the Achievement in Innovation in D CEO’s Excellence in Healthcare Awards.

Prior to joining Children’s Health, Julie held leadership positions focused on health care transformation, including corporate health, chronic disease management and telemedicine, and she continues to advance the telemedicine field through research and education as an active member of the American Telemedicine Association. Julie holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master of Science in Kinesiology from University of North Texas.

Sarah Beddoe

Chief Brand Officer at Main Event Entertainment

In her role as Chief Brand Officer, Sarah leads the marketing, sales and digital teams focused on driving memorable experiences for families one visit at a time.

Sarah has 15 years of extensive, multi-faceted experience leading national and local store marketing initiatives, developing and implementing creative, digital, social, and media strategies. Additionally, Sarah offers a significant depth in leveraging consumer insights and analytics to develop impactful brand and marketing strategies that drive traffic and top-line growth.

Sarah began her career in retail finance for Neiman Marcus. From there, she moved to Yum! brands, specifically focusing on driving growth at Pizza Hut. During her tenure, Sarah held various leadership roles where she led brand strategy, product innovation, brand, and content development, as well led the development of the customer experience for all e-commerce platforms.

In 2015, Sarah joined Sonic Drive-In as Vice President of National Marketing, leading national marketing strategies to drive product innovation, advertising, social media, and digital marketing initiatives.

In 2017, Sarah joined Taco Bueno as Chief Marketing Officer where she developed a turnaround strategy anchored in reviving the core of the brand through product innovation, menu development, advertising refresh and a modernized guest experience through technology.

Sarah earned her BA in Business Administration from Texas A&M University. Sarah is married with two kids, and when she isn’t working, she is carpooling and she is LOVING her new Peloton (that her husband has yet to acknowledge is in their bedroom) and is always open for a challenge! (Compete against her! profile: beddoe1).

Paul Puopolo

EVP of Innovation at DFW Airport

Paul serves as Executive Vice President of Innovation at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. He leads DFW’s Innovation function to identify, assess, and drive the collaborative development of new solutions and business models to create new growth and competitive advantage. Mr. Puopolo joined the DFW staff in August 2018.

Mr. Puopolo is an experienced “intrapreneur” with multi-industry innovation, emerging technology, and direct to consumer background. Throughout his career he has built and led corporate innovation teams within large, complex organizations. Prior to DFW, he served as the VP Innovation at MetLife Inc., VP of Business Innovation & Development at Highmark Inc., and Director of Consumer Innovation at Humana Inc.. In these roles he was accountable for developing business innovation strategies and portfolios and their strategic implementation to increase profitable growth, improve the consumer experience, and champion an innovative culture.

Mr. Puopolo served as an active duty officer and pilot in the U.S. Navy (retiring after 22 years of service) and holds Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Science from Villanova University and a Masters degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Cindy Revol

Principal at Perot Jain L.P

Cindy currently serves as Principal of Perot Jain, a Dallas-based early stage tech venture capital investment firm founded by long time business partners, Ross Perot, Jr. and Anurag Jain. Cindy has over ten years of relevant experience in investment banking, healthcare, technology and venture capital.

Prior to Perot Jain, Cindy served as a Principal Quantitative Scientist at Flatiron Health, a healthcare technology startup based in New York (acquired by Roche Pharmaceuticals). In this role, Cindy helped to build the data analytics team and contributed to development and strategy for Flatiron's most valuable research products. Before Flatiron, Cindy worked in healthcare consulting at Analysis Group, public markets investing at Taconic Capital Advisors and investment banking at Goldman Sachs.

Cindy holds an MBA and Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology from Columbia University and a BS in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

Nicole Small

CEO of LH Capital/Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Nicole Small is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of both entities, including investment and philanthropic activities. Ms. Small is the co-founder of the If/Then Initiative, which seeks to further advance women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers.

From 2001-2013, Small was the CEO of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and has previously held positions including founder and CEO of an internet start-up, Entrepreneur in Residence at an incubator, and analyst with McKinsey & Company.

Small received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. She is a member of The Dallas Assembly, YPO, Charter 100, IWF, and serves on the Boards of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Hockaday School and Texas 2036

Ms. Small resides in Dallas with her husband, two daughters and two dogs.

Hubert Zajicek, M.D., M.B.A.

CEO & Co-founder at Health Wildcatters

Hubert Zajicek is CEO & Co-founder of Health Wildcatters, a nationally top ranked healthcare accelerator and investment fund in Dallas. Health Wildcatters provides mentorship, capital and guidance to healthcare related startups. The accelerator raises an angel-investor backed health innovation fund that has invested in 68 healthcare startups - from over 25 states. These startups have attracted over $70M in capital in about 7 years and are valued at over a quarter billion dollars.

Dr. Zajicek has extensive experience with startups and is an active speaker, panelist and thought leader on healthcare startups, entrepreneurship, financing & healthcare. He serves as an advisor, mentor and board member on various organizations and startup companies.

He was managing director – medical technology at NTEC (North Texas Enterprise Center), where he ran what eventually became the Southwest’s largest medtech investment conference, showcasing startups that attracted in excess of $300M. Prior, he was on faculty at UT Southwestern, as an NIH funded principal investigator, in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Cell Biology.

He has an MD from the University of Vienna and an MBA from SMU.
Program Info
Innovators is an exclusive group of engaged philanthropists who will collectively impact the future of promising pediatric research at Children’s Health℠. Innovators will be informed and empowered by actively participating in the clinical research process through this unique, hands-on program.
- Discover: Listen to presentations from renowned researchers that hold unique potential for future discoveries.
- Invest: Commit to a $5,000 minimum contribution that will be pooled with other Innovators for maximum impact.
- Influence: Vote on the specialty area that you, and the other Innovators, agree will yield the most ground-breaking medical advances.
- Experience: Go behind-the-scenes with doctors and researchers to learn about scientific processes through a hands-on, externship-style experience.
- Celebrate: Recognize the impact of your collective investment in research discoveries that transform patient outcomes, and make life better for children, and their families.
How to Join

Become an Innovator today, with a minimum $5,000 annual contribution. Commit to actively participate with fellow Innovators in regular educational experiences and collectively decide which high-impact research study to fund.

High school students can join Innovators by giving or raising at least $1,000 annually. Students will not only learn about pediatric discoveries and the healthcare industry, they will also learn about the importance and rewards of giving to others.

Join Innovators today!