Kara Miyasato, CLFPDirector of Marketing, Flex Financial
Stryker
Member, ELFA Women’s Council
Member, ELFA Captive & Vendor Business Council Steering Committee
Member, Monitor Editorial Board
As the director of marketing for Stryker’s financial services business, Kara Miyasato leads a team that is responsible for creating and marketing innovative financial solutions for Stryker’s equipment, helping Stryker’s customers meet their clinical and financial goals. In 2020, with the toll COVID-19 took on hospitals and surgery centers, she worked closely with Stryker’s businesses to create new programs that would allow hospitals to meet their dynamic equipment needs to care for patients. One of these programs provided hundreds of hospital beds to the hardest hit regions.
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VISION FOR THE FUTURE: “In my early experiences in the industry, I looked around, didn’t see many people like me, and wondered if I belonged. My vision for the industry is that no one feels like that due to factors like skin color, gender or age. Our industry can be a diverse and inclusive destination for talented people.” |
Miyasato is passionate about championing the voices of the underrepresented and believes that those in the industry should consider diversity, equity and inclusion in all things. It is not a project or workstream or task force. It is not the responsibility of a small team. It is the responsibility of everyone at all levels of the industry.
To that end, she has been active in the ELFA’s Emerging Talent Advisory Council, chairing it for 2019 and 2020, and ELFA Equality. She’s excited to begin work with the ELFA’s Women’s Council. Within Stryker, she served as the vice president of development for the Global Steering Committee for Stryker’s Women’s Network and advises Stryker’s Asian Community Empowerment ERG. It has been important to her to challenge the status quo and advocate for others who don’t feel comfortable speaking out. Women and people of color experience a disproportionately positive benefit from having mentors and advocates, and Miyasato has made it a priority to mentor others both inside and outside of Stryker.
“Kara is a dynamic leader with a very forward-thinking mindset. She is constantly challenging the status quo to meet customers where they are with innovative programs that create value beyond just equipment finance,” James Cress, vice president and general manager of Flex Financial, says. “In addition, she is a passionate leader for diversity, equity and inclusion at our company and in the industry. She strives to create inclusive environments where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. Kara leads in a way that consistently inspires others to action. I am confident her vision and leadership will benefit the industry for years to come.”
