Campus to Commure: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Commure Team
 | 
April 25, 2025

Why do so many MIT alums choose to be at Commure? We asked a few of them to share their perspective.

What did you major in?


Allison Park
, 2014 (Course 1 & 14) Chief of Staff/Head of FDE: I majored in Civil Engineering and Economics because I was excited about building real-world applications. Economics gave me a foundation in concepts widely used in business, while my Master’s in Water Quality Engineering deepened my understanding of environmental remediation and sustainability. That focus on making a social and environmental impact is what ultimately drew me to healthcare later in my career.

Natasha Gunther, 2016 (Course 2A) Director, Product Growth and Deployment: I majored in Mechanical Engineering, with a sub-focus on Product Development. I loved how Mechanical Engineering touched both the physical and real world - you can watch a ball roll down a hill and model the forces on it. It made sense to me. The Product Development focus was because it gave me added flexibility to be able to study whatever I was most curious about that semester.

Lily Keung, 2010 (Course 10B) Senior Operations Manager: I majored in Chemical Biological Engineering. I actually wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in because I like to know a little bit about everything, but my dad was a Chemical Engineering major, so I decided to choose that. I later added in the biology aspect because I had more interest in healthcare. It was exciting to be able to work with stem cells and mouse models while at MIT!

Dhruv Parthasarathy, 2013 (Course 6-2 & 18) Chief Technology Officer: I originally planned to major in Economics and Math, but switched to Computer Science and Math in my sophomore year. I see engineering as a form of applied economics — you can create the economic system you want with the right technological leverage. I also just enjoy Math and constantly find myself thinking, “How did people come up with this incredibly detailed way of perceiving the world?” That whole body of knowledge is fascinating to me.

You likely had several options — why did you choose Commure?


Allison: I was looking to work with motivated team members and continue to grow and learn from peers and mentors, while making an environmental or social impact. There is an incredible amount of opportunity for improvement within healthcare. I was not only drawn to the team here at Commure, but also excited about how technology and custom solutions could positively improve patient outcomes. The values at Commure also excited me. I loved the ownership mentality and the idea that you are encouraged to bring a concept to life in a space that really needs it.

Natasha: At this point in my career, I know what I care about - impact and people. If I’m working with incredibly intelligent, kind, and motivated people on problems that matter in the grand scheme of things, I know my work will be very gratifying. Commure was a unique situation where it was aligned on all of these fronts. Having come from healthcare operations, consulting, and investing, I knew exactly how game-changing it would have been if I could’ve leveraged the exact tools Commure is building. Commure being unafraid to tackle the most challenging pieces of healthcare signaled to me that this team would be able to actually drive meaningful improvement in this space.

Lily: My background was in billing operations, specifically surrounding healthcare billing. I knew I wanted to stay in healthcare and operations, but the company culture and my manager was also important to me. When I was interviewing, I knew I would love working for this company and this team. Commure has a great combination of employees who want to make a positive impact on the world and seek constant new challenges to overcome. We tackle lots of tough issues, but everyone is willing to work hard to make things better for our customers.

Dhruv: I’m in engineering because the act of constructing something impactful is important to me. There is no field more meaningful to me than healthcare. Healthcare is one of the fundamental bottlenecks in everyday people being able to thrive in America. It’s too expensive, confusing, and poorly designed. Commure helps me work on something beneficial every day, there's no price you can put on that.

How did MIT prepare you for working at Commure?


Allison: MIT taught me key problem-solving skills that I utilize today. It also taught me how to work well in a team and collaborate with others to find a solution to some really tough problems. MIT also taught me grit and to never give up. At Commure, we’re constantly learning and working with each other to develop the best solutions for health systems. We need to be resilient to changing landscapes and regulations, as well as constantly innovate.

Natasha: MIT is such an incredible place, which again I attribute to the people it attracts. Everyone there is passionate about their niche interest, with a work ethic like you’ve never seen. Commure feels very similar, the people here are always ready to be helpful, they’re kind, intelligent, and incredibly motivated to do whatever it takes to deliver improvements to our customers.

Lily: One of the most important things I learned at MIT is that there’s a lot I don’t know and that I can always learn something from each person. This gave me a good mindset when I entered the real world. Another thing it taught me was dedication, getting through school while playing on the softball team and having multiple jobs and work studies was by far the toughest obstacle I had to overcome.

Dhruv: MIT gave me the confidence in my ability to learn quickly. Every quarter was a new, even more difficult challenge. We were thrown into really esoteric topics with limited support and had to just figure it out. Beyond that, MIT was all about collaboration. The way we got through it was leaning on each other and working together. Those are fundamental skills for succeeding in startups. At Commure we have to learn super quickly, there’s no manual on the intricacies of healthcare, and you have to work together.

How have you grown?


Allison: I have been faced with many ambiguous problems that naturally exist within healthcare. I’ve grown by learning how to navigate through challenging environments with constant roadblocks. I believe these are skills that are extremely transferrable to any workplace.

Lily: When I was growing up, I had a lot of fear and anxiety when it came to speaking to strangers. I was known as the quiet kid, who only spoke when she had to. I have met many amazing people throughout my life who have helped me grow and overcome that fear so much so that I was able to build and manage a dynamic multi-level team. I even discovered that I love helping people grow and learn!

Dhruv: I’ve had to essentially question and change all my core beliefs every year. In particular, when I graduated I knew nothing about design, product quality, and real-world engineering. I now live and breathe these domains. MIT doesn’t teach you how to make products, it teaches you how to learn technical concepts and reason quickly. I’ve also had to learn how to lead, help others grow, and be a mentor. That’s something you only experience in a small environment with rapid growth.

What would you tell another MIT student considering Commure today?


Allison: Commure is an amazing place if you’re looking to work with really smart and hardworking people in a space where you can see your work come to life and be used in real-world applications.

Lily: I would tell another MIT student that Commure is a place that’s great for people who enjoy working hard to make a positive impact in the world. This is a place where everyone collaborates to build products that allow healthcare providers to focus on providing great patient care, which this country desperately needs more of. You will be constantly challenged with new problems to solve since the healthcare world is constantly changing. You will learn a lot, but also be rewarded and recognized for your hard work and accomplishments.

Dhruv: I would tell them there are very few places where you can do valuable, meaningful work that you’ll be able to look back on with pride. I think Commure is one of those places. Hopefully you will be able to tell your friends and family that you’ve made hugely significant contributions to the state of healthcare in the country. Beyond that, it’s a fun, exciting place, and it’s brimming with creativity and passion. Come join!

Ready to take the next step and start transforming healthcare? We’d love to learn about your background and share more about Commure.

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