News Detail

December 2021: Olivia Deitcher '14

12/1/2021

Upon graduating from Duke University with a degree in biomedical engineering, proud Laurel lifer Olivia Deitcher ’14 dove into the world of startups in NYC. At Roivant Sciences, a healthcare company that builds nimble and focused biopharmaceutical and health technology companies, she has been involved in such wide-ranging projects as launching an AI-enabled drug discovery joint venture to selling five subsidiaries in a $3 billion deal. Olivia is now focused on building new, innovative digital health businesses to modernize the delivery of medicine. Her advice to others interested in startups is to be open to days that involve anything and everything, focus on widening the breadth of your tool kit and rapidly absorb learnings. Read on to find out more about Olivia’s journey thus far!

What were your interests as a Laurel student?

As a Laurel lifer, my interests evolved as my education progressed, from my kindergarten dreams of being a travel agent to ultimately doubling down on my love for science. Along that journey, I developed a love of learning. I saw Upper School as an academic playground to explore—including taking part in Model UN, the debate team, volleyball, the online newspaper, Green Key and class government.

How did your experiences at Lyman Circle influence you as a person and/or shape your life path?

Most notably, Laurel gave me a community to call home. I spent large portions of high school living by myself, but I never felt alone at Laurel. I came to feel most at home when I was learning, a feeling that has stuck with me ever since. My teachers’ classrooms were an oasis, One Lyman Circle felt like an academic fortress, and my friends were my family. In fact, I currently live in New York City with one of my best friends from Laurel (shoutout to Hanna Elszasz ’14)!

If you could describe your Laurel experience as the title of a research paper, what would it be?

“The Class of 2014 Should Have Won Song Contest: A Retrospective Analysis”

At Duke University, you studied biomedical engineering. What was the transition to college like after attending an all-girls school for so long?

First of all, Shaker Heights did not prepare me for the humid heat of a North Carolina summer, especially when moving furniture into a centuries-old, non-air-conditioned dorm room on the third floor of a stairs-only building. Otherwise, the transition went super smoothly. My experiences coming from an all-girls school in Ohio provided me with plenty of antidotes to share with my new classmates. My college pro tip is that bringing up Cleveland sports is an instant conversation starter, especially at a basketball-loving school like Duke.

During college, you interned at multiple biotechnology and medical device companies. You were also a Research Associate at Stanford University. How did you find these opportunities? Why are internships important and how did yours help clarify the career path you wanted to take?

Internships are a key ingredient in any student’s academic narrative. View internships as killing two birds with one stone: you get to try on a job for fit AND start to tell your story as a professional. To the interviewer or college admissions team, it helps to see that you have reified passion with real life experience.

To find these opportunities, I utilized my networks (whether from Laurel or Duke) and sent A LOT of emails. I never expected that it would take 100+ applications and cold outreach emails to get an internship, but that has become the name of the game in a competitive internship market.

In 2018, you joined Roivant Sciences, a healthcare company with pharmaceutical and health technology subsidiaries, founded in 2014. What has it been like working for such a young company? Any advice for alums who are interested in startups?

I’ve loved working at a startup. My professional experiences have spanned projects, departments and Roivant’s maturation. When I first started at Roivant, we had no approved therapeutics and one health technology venture. Since then, I’ve been privileged to work on launching a new subsidiary company, selling five of our subsidiaries in a $3B deal, launching an AI-enabled drug discovery joint venture and incubating a handful of new health technology ventures. Multiple drugs developed by Roivant are now approved therapeutics and we are a public company! The startup world lives and breathes the motto of “Dream. Dare. Do.” My advice to alums interested in startups is to find a company founder or mission that inspires you. Be a sponge! Constantly absorb learning and build your tool kit.

You started on the pharmaceutical side of the business, identifying gene therapies for sickle cell anemia, and moved into corporate development, working on mergers and acquisitions. What are some skills you’ve found to be valuable no matter your path?

I’ve found that being a quantitative thinker and a kind, thoughtful colleague are universally valuable life skills. Quantitative thinkers can tackle problems regardless of the discipline. Strong relationships with colleagues make work more fun and give you an internal network to leverage when you need support.

Is there a project(s) you are most proud of your work on?

I was proud of my team’s ability to maintain productivity despite the impact of COVID-19. In 2020, we were able to bring in a $200M investment from a South Korean group. Given the importance of in-person time in business, we had to thoughtfully build relationships over Zoom and across challenging time zone differences. We demonstrated our grit and got the deal done!

Now you are in the health technology group, looking at ways to build new digital health businesses. How would you describe a typical day at your job?

Depending on the stage of a project, my “typical day” varies by a lot. When projects are in the early stages of incubation, I spend my days learning about healthcare inefficiencies to identify areas where technology can be applied to reduce the time or cost of care. Healthcare inefficiencies may be related to disease treatment, clinical trial operations, healthcare data (e.g., genomics), hospital administration, or health insurance, among others. Once we have a validated thesis for a product to build, I’m focused on getting the new company launched, which may include drafting a go-to-market strategy, securing seed capital, and building a team. Every day is a little bit different, which keeps me on my toes!

Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies or interests?

I foster dogs who are transported to New York City from kill shelters in the South. It is a time-intensive but extremely rewarding volunteer opportunity that I would highly recommend! I also love playing indie board games, searching for the best refried beans in Manhattan and seeing Broadway shows. During the pandemic, I picked up piano and tennis . . . still a work in progress!

Recently you volunteered to do informational interviews with Laurel Ninth Graders, helping them practice communicating professionally as part of the school’s Signature Programming course in which students learn to articulate their personal narratives. What was the experience like? What would you say to another alumna considering getting involved?

The Ninth Graders I spoke with were extremely impressive! They came prepared with great questions that organically led to conversations about how great Hamilton is, the pros and cons of living in Cleveland and which extracurriculars I would recommend for building confidence— insert plug for Debate! I loved reconnecting with the Laurel community and comparing my experience to today’s classes. I’d recommend it to any alumna!

What makes you proud to be a Laurel alum?

Seeing my amazing classmates happy, thriving, and connected even after 7.5 years! When I’m with my Laurel friends, we can’t help but sing every word of our Song Contest lyrics. It is a special language that we will always share with each other, no matter where life takes us.

Anything else you’d like to add?

If you’re ever in New York City and want to grab a coffee, let me know! Always happy to connect with Laurel alumnae.

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