Katherine Schneider, MD
Class Year: 1986
How long have you lived in Philadelphia?
Six and a half years.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
This is too hard a question since I have one in every category! We live on Rittenhouse Sq and are still trying to get to every restaurant in a 2 block radius. Love this foodie town. I eat here as well if not better than on recent trips to Paris and Umbria! Yesterday I tried Dizengoff and almost fainted from the deliciousness of the lamb hummus.
What are you up to now?
I am the CEO of the Delaware Valley Accountable Care Organization, a joint venture of four regional health systems to implement new business models in healthcare that reward value and population health, not just volume of services. If you have a few hours, ask me about Health Reform!
What house did you live in on campus and what was your favorite thing about it?
Chapin for 2 years. I loved the beauty of it from the outside, my funny back stairwell room that looked out over the palm trees in the greenhouse, and the lazy factor of no “commute” to class.
What is your favorite Smith tradition and why?
Mountain Day, of course. Plant the seeds of self-care and enjoyment of nature.
Who was your favorite professor/what was your best class?
I plead the same answer as to the restaurant question above. I took classes in 21 departments and am a huge proponent of a true liberal arts education, even (especially) for someone going into science and technology. I fondly recall the killer Bio 100 which was so hard (and great) it was changed from one semesters to three, and also Calligraphy with Elliot Offner which has continued to stun people who see me write (the doctor with great handwriting).
How did your Smith experience shape your life?
1) Professionally, of course, it gave me the expectation of ability to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated field. When I got to medical school I was shocked that my highly accomplished female classmates from Ivy league colleges had been actively discouraged by some of their undergrad professors. 2) Although I was a Biochemistry major, I use that knowledge today about 0% of the time – as opposed to writing, critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills all of which were the lifelong skills that Smith gave me. 3) A network of women that continue to amaze me as I come across them everywhere – including four of us Smith Glee Club alumnae in my little church choir at First Unitarian in town!
The Smith College Club of Philadelphia 