Changing the World, One Conversation at a Time

by Annette Pinder 

Long before Dr. Ana Stearns became a physician, public health leader, patient advocate, educator, and mentor, she was a little girl growing up in Caracas, Venezuela. On her way to school, she passed a plaza where Ramón sold kites and flowers. Her mother sometimes bought flowers from him for Shabbat. Then Ramón disappeared. Weeks later, he returned missing a leg. Diabetes had led to the amputation. For Ana, the lesson was that behind every diagnosis is a person whose life can be changed forever, and she decided to become a doctor.

Raised by professors of literature and economic history, Stearns grew up valuing learning, culture, service, and humanitarian responsibility. Her parents taught her that what mattered most was not what she received but what she gave. After becoming a family physician in Caracas, Stearns’ work expanded beyond the examination room. She traveled across Venezuela and other parts of Central and Latin America, caring for underserved communities in orphanages, churches, prisons, and refugee camps. 

A mentor taught her that a diagnosis can emerge from a medical history. Stearns learned that listening is not only a clinical skill, but also an act of respect. Before solving a problem, she believes, you must understand the person experiencing it. That philosophy deepened through humanitarian work. One woman she met, Victoria, was living in a tent on a garbage dump. An organization helped relocate her to an apartment. Yet Victoria eventually returned to her former community because she missed the people who knew her, supported her, and shared what little they had. It taught Stearns an enduring lesson: “We have to give people what they need—not what we think they need.” It also deepened her understanding of the social determinants of health. A medical test may identify disease, but it cannot always explain why someone cannot follow a treatment plan, what barriers stand in the way, or what matters most to that person and their family. 

Over time, Stearns’ career evolved from treating individual patients to improving health at the population level. She became involved in public health, health equity, patient education, health literacy, advocacy, prevention, and the challenges people face when navigating the healthcare system. Her approach to healthy living is practical rather than perfectionistic. “You don’t need to spend two hours at the gym, and you don’t have to give up dessert forever. Better health may begin with drinking more water, taking the stairs, walking farther, or simply finding small ways to move. The goal is meaningful progress that fits into people’s lives.” 

Human connection remains central to her work. Stearns has built strong relationships across healthcare, education, advocacy, public health, and community organizations. As President and CEO of Transformational Intelligence, she brings that same focus to organizational strategy and leadership. She has mentored dozens worldwide, encouraging them to lead, serve others, and recognize what we make possible. She served on the Board of the Population Health Collaborative and contributed to regional initiatives and strategic partnerships with Eli Lilly. Her community involvement has included Jewish Family Services, Harvest House, Reach Academy, the Hispanic Heritage Institute, Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo, and the East Side Transformation Partnership. 

One phrase captures much of her philosophy: “Put your glasses on so you can see through other people’s eyes.” What appears to be resistance may be fear. What appears to be noncompliance may be a barrier. What seems like a lack of motivation may be exhaustion or limited resources. Her approach is simple: listen first, understand deeply, and then act. 

Today, Stearns serves as Senior Director of Population Health & Provider Relations at Brook Health, a company whose mission aligns with her values. Buffalo has become part of her story, and she believes better health outcomes require collaboration across systems among healthcare providers, community organizations, educators, businesses, advocates, and residents. Her guiding philosophy is Tikkun Olam, the Jewish principle of helping repair the world and leaving it better than we found it.  

Raised in a multicultural family with Venezuelan roots, Stearns sees every conversation, mentoring relationship, and act of service as a seed that can grow. Her journey began when a little girl asked why Ramón had lost his leg. That question led to medicine, humanitarian work, public health, advocacy, mentorship, and leadership. Through it all, one belief has remained constant: people will tell you what they need if you take the time to listen. She believes that changing the world does not require changing everything at once. Sometimes it begins with one person, one relationship, one act of service—or one conversation at a time.