Under the Sisterhood
Under the Sisterhood podcast is one of our key storysharing platforms, celebrating the journeys of women as leaders, changemakers, and advocates in women’s health, mental wellness, and overall well-being. Host Elizabeth Elfenbein engages with women aged 18 to 100+ in intimate conversations, uncovering their experiences and wisdom while highlighting their impact on creating a healthier, more inclusive world. These stories not only honor women’s resilience and leadership but also foster meaningful dialogue around mental health, empowerment, and innovative solutions that help close the gender health gap and inspire change.
Seasons & Special Editions:
- Season 1: Being a Woman in Today’s World
- Season 2: Women’s March of Voices
- Season 3: Women Making the World Healthier
- Special Editions: Under the Hood Vlogs, Women Investing in Women’s Health, Women Making History
- Season 4: Women’s March for Mental Wellness
The Under the Sisterhood podcast is a tribute to the strength and impact of women leading the way in fostering change. With podcast producer Matt Butler and music by Ayla Schafer, Elizabeth Elfenbein creates a space where women are seen, heard, and celebrated, driving deeper connections and inspiring action through the power of storysharing.
Under the Sisterhood
Smitha Gudapakkam: From Postpartum Isolation to Empowerment
Today we’re getting Under the Hood with Smitha Gudapakkam a mother, daughter, sister, women’s advocate and the Founder of Sakhee, a women's health startup on a mission to transform postpartum care for mothers—a period she believes deserves far more attention and resources than it currently receives.
Born in Southern India, where she earned her Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering from Osmania University, Smitha moved to the United States to pursue her Master's in Biomedical Engineering from Syracuse University, followed by an MBA from Babson College. This combination of engineering, business, and international education gives her a unique ability to solve complex problems while building scalable solutions.
With over 17 years in healthcare innovation, Smitha has worn many hats—from developing medical devices at Boston Scientific and Covidien to raising over $50 million in grants as Director of Business Development at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, where she expanded quality improvement initiatives across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Through her work at eClinicalWorks, the leader in ambulatory care Electronic Medical Records systems, Smitha gained a deep understanding of the internal workings of the US healthcare system while leading EMR implementations across multiple outpatient networks. Her international healthcare experience extends even further through her work at Massachusetts General Hospital's Global Health Department, where she played a pivotal role in growing the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies (CAMTech) Program. This initiative took her across India and Uganda, where she witnessed firsthand the stark disparities in maternal healthcare access and quality—experiences that would fuel her passion to improve women's health.
Smitha’s own postpartum journey after childbirth was isolating and revealed a critical gap in maternal care. To truly pursue her passion for postpartum care, Smitha became a postpartum doula herself. This hands-on experience provided her with direct insight into both the systemic healthcare challenges and the deeply personal needs of mothers during this vulnerable time. Sakhee has evolved into a Medicaid-approved provider for postpartum support and is actively developing an integrated care model for comprehensive postpartum care.
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