How I Nuna: Sam Kimbrel
What do you do at Nuna?
I’m a Principal Data Engineer at Nuna, where I have worked since the summer of 2017. My work focuses on improving and optimizing data pipelines, so that Nuna’s products can offer greater functionality and incorporate different types of data.
I began at Nuna on our government team, helping our clients at the Medicare program measure the cost and quality of care provided to Medicare patients and reward doctors that deliver good and affordable care. Now I work on our commercial team helping to build the Value Platform, which helps health plans implement a similar approach on an even more comprehensive scale.
Regardless of the client, to build products that solve these really sticky and challenging problems in our healthcare system, it takes both experience with software engineering and a deep and clear understanding of healthcare administration and payment systems. So while my team and I bring our software and data expertise, a major part of our work is learning from our clients and their experiences and leveraging both disciplines to solve the problems that stand in the way of quality, affordable care.
When I’m not problem solving around data engineering, you can also find me thinking and talking with colleagues about building the culture of Nuna, from what it means to be a technical lead, to how to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, or even plotting my next extravagant baking project for an office potluck.
What drew you to Nuna?
In the tech world, you don’t always have opportunities to work on projects that help heal the world. But my eyes were opened to the possibility that tech could be used to advance social good when I was working at Twilio — their non-profit support arm had collaborated with the Polaris Project to give human trafficking victims access, via text messaging through Twilio’s platform, to case workers who could help get them to safety. So when I learned about Nuna’s work advancing healthcare transformation for some of the most vulnerable Americans, I couldn’t resist the chance to be part of it.
The other major factor in my decision to join Nuna was the people. Everyone I met in my interview process was so committed to the healthcare mission, so humble, and so eager to learn. I knew I had found a job where I would learn a lot, grow professionally, and feel good about what I’d accomplished about at the end of the day.
Your hair and nails are on point. What enables you to show up with such style everyday?
A thing I love about Nuna is that I can always bring my whole self to work. Whether that’s baking outrageous bread pudding for an office event, or having blue hair and pink nails (I do both myself), my colleagues let me be who I am. It even extends to a willingness to let people share about things that are hard in their lives. We’re not always feeling 100% everyday, but we show up with what we’ve got and we support each other.
