Patty Horoho is a globally recognized executive and strategic trailblazer whose career is defined by breaking barriers, driving innovation and delivering extraordinary results across diverse sectors. She is renowned for guiding both large-scale organizations and high-growth startups to multi-billion-dollar success. With a distinguished 33-year military career culminating as the first woman, nurse and non-physician to serve as Army Surgeon General, and her leadership positions during 8 years with Optum, Patty has dedicated herself to improving the U.S. healthcare system and championed health equity, military and Veteran-focused initiatives. Patty is a frequently sought-after speaker, leader and advisor in these areas.
Patty joined UnitedHealth Group in 2017 as the Founding CEO of Optum Serve, the end-to-end federal business for both Optum and UnitedHealth Group. She successfully united three legacy businesses, forged a high impact leadership team, and transformed Optum Serve into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse and cornerstone of federal healthcare. Optum Serve secured the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network contract and expanded its support in technology, health services, data analytics and consulting initiatives in federal and commercial markets, serving nearing a half-billion lives.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Patty’s agility and resourcefulness enabled Optum Serve to rapidly establish new business models to support both COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution. Under her leadership, Optum Serve implemented the Priority Identification Vaccine Operating Tool (PIVOT), which informed and monitored equitable COVID-19 vaccine administration, and the Vaccine Outreach – Implementing Community Engagement (VOICE) initiative that provided customized community engagement and collaboration to address the vaccine hesitancy and difficult-to-reach consumers.
From 2023 – 2025, Patty expanded her role at Optum driving strategy, growth and transformation in several leadership capacities. This included serving as CEO of Optum Health Solutions, an integrated direct care delivery platform dedicated to re-engineering the healthcare delivery system, particularly for those in greatest need. The platform provided holistic condition-care management for oncology, kidney care, rare diseases and transplant. In 2024, Patty was promoted to Chief Strategy, Innovation and Transformation Officer of Optum Health and led efforts to transform health. In 2025, Patty assumed the role as Head of Business Transformation at Optum and led initiatives to design, develop and execute transformational strategies across Optum’s diverse businesses. Patty played a key role in advancing Optum’s operating model, helping to create a connected, intelligent and compassionate health and well-being ecosystem.
Additionally, in 2023, Patty founded the 2Serve Together Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring military women, inspired by her late father, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Frank J. Dallas, a Veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Through collaboration with a renowned jeweler, Ann Hand, Patty’s vision materialized in a symbol of empowerment, recognition and gratitude for women who have served or are serving in the United States Military.
Patty’s distinguished professional career also includes 33 years with the U.S. Army, where she retired as a Lieutenant General, the 43rd Army Surgeon General and Commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command. She made history being the first woman, first nurse and first non-physician to hold these positions, leading the third-largest healthcare system in the world with a global logistics, research and care network spanning five continents, a multibillion-dollar budget and a staff of more than 156,000. An expert in healthcare transformation, Patty led the Army Medicine organization’s shift from a disease focused model to a system for health, implementing groundbreaking long-lasting initiatives in behavioral health while improving healthcare considerations and force protection for military women.
Throughout her Army career, Patty served during pivotal moments, including leading triage during the Green Ramp Disaster in 1994; standing up triage at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001; transforming care at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 2006 to 2008; and serving as the Special Assistant to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Afghanistan.
Following her retirement from the Military in 2016, Patty was chosen to establish Accenture’s Military Health Directorate, focusing on expanding the firm’s support for the Department of Defense and enhancing health readiness for Military Servicemembers. She was selected for this role due to her proven leadership and exceptional ability to transform and grow organizations with a focus on improving health outcomes for Military Servicemembers and their families. Patty oversaw strategic growth for Accenture until she joined Optum in 2017 to establish Optum Serve.
Currently, Patty is a board member of the Gary Sinise Foundation and a member of the International Women’s Forum, Florida Suncoast and the Women’s Business Leaders. Patty is also a Senior Fellow in the Association of the United States Army and the American Academy of Nursing. Patty formerly served as the Chair of the Optum Maternal Health Board, on the Schultz Family Foundation Board of Trustees, UnitedHealth Group’s Equity Advancement Board, United Through Resilience, Optum Care Solutions Return Better to Work Steering Committee, The Institute for Nursing Leadership Advisory Council, Boulder Crest Foundation Advisory Council, The Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare Advisory Board, Wounded Warrior Project Board of Directors, former member of the Finance and Investment Committee, Connected Communities – Military, Veteran & Spouses, Home Base Honorary Board and Leadership Council, Women of Impact, Tiffany Circle/American Red Cross, University of North Carolina School of Nursing Board of Visitors and the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees and formerly the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Patty is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Science as a Clinical Trauma Nurse Specialist from the University of Pittsburgh. Patty has served as a Distinguished Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Graduate School of Nursing and holds a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. She has been awarded five honorary doctorates and received numerous recognitions, including a Distinguished Alumni and Fellow Award from the University of Pittsburgh as well as a scholarship in her name at the University of North Carolina.
Patty’s military awards and citations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, France’s National Order of the Legion of Honour Chevalier (Knight), Japan’s Defense Cooperation Award Second Class and the President’s Lifetime Achievement award.
Additional recognition: 2024 SoldierStrong Commitment to Service Award; 2024 Army Distaff Foundation’s Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Award; 2024 GOVTECH Pinnacle Award; 2023 FedHealthIT100 Hall of EagleForceFame; 2021 FedHealthIT100 Award; 2019 Warrior Foundation’s Health Hero Award; 2018 FedHealthIT Women in Leadership Impact Award; 2016 Woman’s Memorial Hall of Fame; 2016 Women of Impact in Healthcare award; the American Red Cross Women Who Care Humanitarian Award; a Jonas Center for Nursing and Military leadership honoree; the Helen Manzen Award from the New York University College of Nursing for exemplary leadership on behalf of the health of the nation; 2014 Honorary Rock of the Year award; the New York Institute of Technology’s Riland Public Service Award (first military service member and nurse to receive this award); voted in as a Family Circle Top Ten Most Influential Mom; Tiffany Circle Distinguished Woman Warrior; 2010 Margaret Cochran Corbin Award; 2009 USO Woman of the Year; the American Red Cross and Nursing Spectrum National “Nurse Hero;” and Honored by Time Life Publications for her actions at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
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