When Lauren Settle moved from Charlotte to Raleigh, she wasn’t just relocating—she was stepping into the next chapter of a story she’d been writing since college: one about building a better healthcare system from the inside out.
Lauren is the Practice Manager at Advaita Health’s Chapel Hill office, but her path to that title has been anything but traditional. A recent graduate of UNC Charlotte’s Master of Health Administration program, Lauren balanced full-time graduate coursework with full-time work in healthcare—earning a 4.0 GPA along the way. “I always knew I wanted to continue my education,” she said. “I wanted to be competitive, to grow, and to make an impact.”
Initially drawn to the clinical side of medicine, Lauren’s perspective shifted during undergrad when she began to see the systemic gaps in healthcare—around access, education, and equity. “I realized I could have more influence on the business and operations side,” she explained. That realization led her to health systems management, and eventually, to an early entry into graduate school where she immersed herself in everything from research and policy to operations and leadership.
What she didn’t expect? That her first full-time role post-grad would involve helping open an entirely new practice location—while often being the only administrative team member on site. “There were definitely days where I wore five different hats,” Lauren laughs. “But those months taught me more than any classroom could. I got to see how every part of the system works—from the front desk to billing to managing a team.”
Her perspective on leadership has evolved quickly. At Advaita Health, Lauren’s embraced a culture rooted in mentorship, thoughtful communication, and continuous growth. “We practice radical candor here,” she says. “It’s not always easy, but it’s empowering. I’ve learned how to give and receive feedback, to have hard conversations with empathy, and to grow into a more confident leader.”
She’s also become a champion of data-driven operations. “I’m fascinated by how much a single number can tell you about a patient’s experience or a provider’s workflow,” Lauren says. She’s already helped redesign internal reporting systems, making it easier for teams to collaborate and make better-informed decisions. “It’s rewarding to build something that helps the whole organization move forward.”
But what really sets Lauren’s journey apart is the sense of purpose she’s found. “When I started interviewing for jobs, I kept hearing, ‘Your dream job won’t be your first job.’ But then I found Advaita—and I realized that sometimes, it can be.”
At Advaita Health, Lauren found more than just a job. She found a place where people are invested in her growth, where innovation is welcomed, and where patient-centered care isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a north star. “I get to be part of a team that truly wants to change healthcare for the better,” she says. “That’s not something I take for granted.”
Looking ahead, Lauren is eager to continue deepening her knowledge in operations and collaborating more with the clinical and medical teams. And if she ever starts her own podcast (a dream she mentioned during the recording), we’ll be the first to tune in.