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By Mike Grubb, President & CEO
You probably don’t know her name. Almost no one does.
But you probably relied on her work before you got out of bed this morning.
Every time you send a text, check your email, download lab results, look up a patient history, search for new studies or research, or order supplements, her quiet invention is working in the background, holding the entire system together.
She never became famous. She never sought recognition. But her contribution changed the modern world in profound ways.
In the early days of computing, networked systems were fragile and easily overwhelmed. One small error could bring everything crashing down. Radia Perlman worked to solve that problem so that networked systems could grow and scale reliably.
Radia’s invention became the invisible backbone of the modern internet.
The fact that you’re reading this letter is evidence of her contribution. It’s not an overstatement to say today’s massive digital world was made possible by her work.
It’s an extraordinary story — made even more remarkable when you consider the era and culture in which she worked.
Radia earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics in 1973 and 1976, and a Ph.D. in computer science in 1988 — all from MIT — at a time when women made up only a tiny minority of those programs. She was one of only a few women working at her level in technology, especially in networking, which was overwhelmingly male-dominated. She was often the only woman in the room.
But Radia was driven by a desire to solve real problems and a quiet, powerful resolve to listen, analyze, search, study, interpret, and methodically advance toward the goal — all on an unseen stage, at a time when the dominant culture probably doubted her.
You might be wondering why I’m telling you Radia’s story in my year-end letter.
It’s because her quiet focus, her skill, and her profound impact — an impact for which she neither seeks nor receives recognition — reminded me of something important. Something I see every day in you and in so many of the practitioners we serve.
The truth is, this letter isn’t about Radia.
It’s about you.
And that’s why I’m writing you this year-end letter:
To remind you that you’re the hero in this story.
I also want to offer my gratitude on behalf of everyone whose lives you’ve touched.
Thank you for the expertise you bring to your patients and the depth of thought you invest in every case. Thank you for staying committed, staying grounded in what works, and choosing the harder path.
And thank you for allowing us to support you.
So, as we close out this year, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to rest in the knowledge that your heroic work is incredibly valuable and deeply appreciated, and that your impact is huge. You don’t do it for recognition — but I want you to know that I see you.
In health,
Mike Grubb
President & CEO
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