In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Healthy Careers, host Maddie Traylor sits down with Kim Marden, CEO of Watauga Orthopaedics, to confront one of healthcare’s most persistent leadership challenges: the gender wage gap.
With decades of experience leading in private orthopedic practice, Kim shares her path from healthcare management into the C-suite, and the barriers she’s broken along the way. This candid conversation dives into the realities of compensation inequity among healthcare executives, especially female CEOs, and how data-driven advocacy—not emotional appeals—is key to driving change.
Whether you’re a female leader, emerging executive, or someone committed to creating a fairer healthcare workplace, this episode delivers actionable strategies to elevate equity, transparency, and courage in boardrooms and beyond.
Key Takeaways:
Episode Highlights:
00:35 Meet Kim Marden: Breaking Barriers in Orthopedics
02:15 From Management to CEO: Kim’s Journey
03:14 The Realities of Running a Private Practice
04:16 CEO Leadership: Challenges & Rewards
07:29 The Wage Gap in Orthopedic Leadership
15:04 Why Data, Not Emotion, Changes Pay Conversations
31:22 Advice for Women in Healthcare: Know Your Worth
33:58 Final Reflections and What’s Next for Equity in Healthcare
Keywords:
Gender pay gap in healthcare,
Women CEOs in orthopedics,
Executive compensation equity,
Orthopedic private practice leadership,
Healthcare pay transparency,
Equal pay advocacy in medicine,
Women in medical leadership,
Female healthcare executives podcast,
Data-driven salary negotiation,
HR and DEI in orthopedic care,
Healthcare recruiter podcast,
Healthcare recruiting agency,
Flat fee healthcare recruiter,
Nurse practitioner and physician assistant recruiter,
Surgeon and orthopedic staffing agency,
Medical office and billing staff recruitment,
Connect with Kim Marden:
LinkedIn: Kim Marden
Visit Watauga Orthopaedics