Erich Gazaui serves as the CIO of Papa, a modern elder care company providing companionship, assistance with daily activities, and transportation services for seniors. With a mission to combat loneliness and enhance the quality of life for senior citizens, Papa connects individuals with "Pals"—trusted companions who help seniors remain independent and healthy longer. Erich's leadership has played a pivotal role in enabling Papa’s services to thrive in a fully remote environment while maintaining high standards of security and innovation. His unique journey from early tech entrepreneur to CIO offers valuable insights into IT leadership and building a strong company culture.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- How Papa addresses the loneliness epidemic and its impact on senior health
- The role of Medicare Advantage in providing companionship services
- Insights into Papa's fully remote operational model and its benefits
- The importance of HIPAA compliance in ensuring data security and privacy
- Erich's path to becoming a CIO and his perspective on IT leadership
- Tips on leveraging proprietary and off-the-shelf systems for operational efficiency
- Strategies for fostering a chat-first company culture and enhancing team communication
In this episode…
Erich Gazaui discusses Papa's mission to combat the loneliness epidemic affecting senior citizens. With services offered nationwide, Papa leverages Medicare Advantage to provide companionship through its network of Pals, creating meaningful connections that improve seniors’ mental and physical health. Erich explains how the company operates remotely while maintaining a personal touch, ensuring that Pals and members have seamless access to their proprietary platform.
Erich dives into the challenges and solutions of managing HIPAA compliance, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding sensitive information through rigorous internal processes and external consultations. He also shares the journey behind building Papa’s technology stack, combining proprietary systems with enterprise-grade solutions to ensure scalability and efficiency.
Drawing from his own career path, Erich reflects on the non-linear journey to becoming a CIO, starting with his passion for technology through video games. He highlights the importance of mentorship and community, underscoring his commitment to fostering leadership through groups like Inspire, where CIOs can share challenges and solutions in a supportive, commercial-free environment.
Finally, Erich provides actionable insights on creating a chat-first organizational culture, leveraging short, relevant training modules, and managing notifications to boost productivity. His experiences illustrate how IT leaders can drive innovation while maintaining a focus on mission and values.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Matthew Connor on LinkedInCyberLynx
Erich Gazaui on LinkedIn
Papa Website
Inspire CIO Website
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