ABOUT ALISSA
Alissa Hsu Lynch is a board director, speaker, and host of the podcast The Leadership Dance who started her career as a world-class modern dancer before transforming into a global business leader.
The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Alissa learned the value of hard work, humility, and dreaming big from her parents. She discovered her passion for dancing at an early age and dreamed of becoming a professional one day. After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in English, she realized her childhood dream and enjoyed a successful career as a professional modern dancer for six years, performing on stages around the world. Following her “retirement” from dance, Alissa earned her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and pivoted to the world of business.
Over the course of 25 years in corporate America, Alissa demonstrated her agility in navigating multiple industries, roles, regions, and companies. She rose rapidly through the ranks at Johnson & Johnson from Assistant Brand Manager to Worldwide Vice President and made her imprint on iconic consumer brands including Johnson’s Baby, Aveeno, Neutrogena, and CeraVe (at Bausch Health), as well as J&J’s medical device businesses. She also lived abroad twice–in Shanghai, China and Zürich, Switzerland.
She then made a daring leap to Google, where she reinvented herself once again, pioneering strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies to drive digital transformation in healthcare through the innovative application of data, analytics, and AI.
Recognized by Fierce Healthcare as one of the most influential minority healthcare executives, Alissa now serves as a director on corporate and nonprofit boards, is a Henry Crown Fellow at The Aspen Institute, and an Executive in Residence at Columbia Business School. She holds two U.S. design patents.
The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Alissa learned the value of hard work, humility, and dreaming big from her parents. She discovered her passion for dancing at an early age and dreamed of becoming a professional one day. After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in English, she realized her childhood dream and enjoyed a successful career as a professional modern dancer for six years, performing on stages around the world. Following her “retirement” from dance, Alissa earned her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and pivoted to the world of business.
Over the course of 25 years in corporate America, Alissa demonstrated her agility in navigating multiple industries, roles, regions, and companies. She rose rapidly through the ranks at Johnson & Johnson from Assistant Brand Manager to Worldwide Vice President and made her imprint on iconic consumer brands including Johnson’s Baby, Aveeno, Neutrogena, and CeraVe (at Bausch Health), as well as J&J’s medical device businesses. She also lived abroad twice–in Shanghai, China and Zürich, Switzerland.
She then made a daring leap to Google, where she reinvented herself once again, pioneering strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies to drive digital transformation in healthcare through the innovative application of data, analytics, and AI.
Recognized by Fierce Healthcare as one of the most influential minority healthcare executives, Alissa now serves as a director on corporate and nonprofit boards, is a Henry Crown Fellow at The Aspen Institute, and an Executive in Residence at Columbia Business School. She holds two U.S. design patents.
BOARD DIRECTOR
Passionate about making an impact and improving diversity in the boardroom and beyond, Alissa serves on several boards and is a role model for many women and Asian leaders. She is currently on the Board of Directors of The Honest Company (NASDAQ: HNST), which offers clean, sustainably designed personal care products, and is a Board Trustee at American Ballet Theatre, America’s National Ballet Company®. She also previously served on the board of Pulmonx Corporation (NASDAQ: LUNG), a medical device company.
Alissa was named to the Financial Times Agenda Diversity 100 and included among the 100 AAPI Board Members Making a Difference by BoardProspects. She holds an NACD CERT certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight and attended the Stanford Directors College. Alissa is an advocate for improving representation of Asian executives in the C-Suite and boardrooms. Read her article, “Representation Matters: Busting the Bamboo Ceiling for Asian Americans” in Profiles in Diversity Journal.
“Alissa is a great director, bringing decades of experience in leadership and development at the highest levels. She is a thoughtful contributor to the culture of the board, and the mission and values of the company. She stands out as measured and sharp: asking very relevant questions at the right level of abstraction, resulting in productive discussions.” - Board Member at Pulmonx
Alissa was named to the Financial Times Agenda Diversity 100 and included among the 100 AAPI Board Members Making a Difference by BoardProspects. She holds an NACD CERT certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight and attended the Stanford Directors College. Alissa is an advocate for improving representation of Asian executives in the C-Suite and boardrooms. Read her article, “Representation Matters: Busting the Bamboo Ceiling for Asian Americans” in Profiles in Diversity Journal.
“Alissa is a great director, bringing decades of experience in leadership and development at the highest levels. She is a thoughtful contributor to the culture of the board, and the mission and values of the company. She stands out as measured and sharp: asking very relevant questions at the right level of abstraction, resulting in productive discussions.” - Board Member at Pulmonx
Photo: Lucas Hoeffel
SPEAKER
Hailed as “visionary, inspirational, and a stand-out,” Alissa brings her dynamic, compelling stage presence to every speaking engagement. She offers strategic expertise on the topics of leadership growth, digital transformation, and health technology.
In addition to delivering a TEDx Talk, Alissa has been a featured speaker at the Yale Healthcare Conference, Stanford University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins, ViVE, The Hill Healthcare Summit, National Association of Corporate Directors, Boardroom Summit, and many other public and corporate events.
Alissa ensures her talks resonate with different audiences and align with company or conference themes. For examples of past engagements, click here.
For speaking inquiries and rates:
Speaking InquiriesIn addition to delivering a TEDx Talk, Alissa has been a featured speaker at the Yale Healthcare Conference, Stanford University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins, ViVE, The Hill Healthcare Summit, National Association of Corporate Directors, Boardroom Summit, and many other public and corporate events.
Alissa ensures her talks resonate with different audiences and align with company or conference themes. For examples of past engagements, click here.
For speaking inquiries and rates:
Dancer
“My love for dance started when I was three and my parents took me to my first ballet performance. I’m told I was dancing in the aisle during the whole performance. From that moment, I was hooked. I believe that being a dancer has made me a better leader.”
Before her business career, Alissa lived her childhood dream as a professional modern dancer for six years, gracing international stages with the renowned Limón Dance Company and Ralph Lemon Company. She had the privilege to work closely for several years with the award-winning choreographer Ralph Lemon, recipient of the National Medal of Arts and a Macarthur “Genius” Grant. Alissa performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center, and the Cannes Dance Festival. She developed her lifelong love for travel while touring extensively throughout Central and Eastern Europe, South America, and the United States.
Alissa serves on the Board of Trustees of American Ballet Theatre and enjoys giving back to the arts as a patron and mentor.
Before her business career, Alissa lived her childhood dream as a professional modern dancer for six years, gracing international stages with the renowned Limón Dance Company and Ralph Lemon Company. She had the privilege to work closely for several years with the award-winning choreographer Ralph Lemon, recipient of the National Medal of Arts and a Macarthur “Genius” Grant. Alissa performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center, and the Cannes Dance Festival. She developed her lifelong love for travel while touring extensively throughout Central and Eastern Europe, South America, and the United States.
Alissa serves on the Board of Trustees of American Ballet Theatre and enjoys giving back to the arts as a patron and mentor.
Photo: Philip Trager
Contact Alissa
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
