Meet the Team: Nicole Flynn

Nicole Flynn is the Project Services Manager for the Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH). Nicole has been with Carnegie Mellon University for almost six years and has been a part of the Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance since the beginning.

Where are you originally from?

I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I left to pursue my undergraduate program in BioBehavioral Health at Penn State University and later my master’s degree in Health Education. New opportunities brought my husband and I to Pittsburgh in 2015. We have been married for 21 years and have two children who enjoy Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas.

What led you to the Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance?

When I moved to Pittsburgh and having worked in nonprofit healthcare for 15 years, I knew I wanted to be a part of something new and exciting – particularly in the health/tech space. CMU ranks among the best in computer science while Pitt ranks among the best in medical research. What better opportunity than to be a part of the PHDA, which bridges these two disciplines together? Then, add in the UPMC clinicians and you have a recipe for success. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity than to be a part of the PHDA and work with all the people who come together from various disciplines with a common goal to help others, help their communities, and drive new medical innovations into the future of healthcare.

What have been your biggest takeaways from the PHDA?

I’m thrilled to interact with medical and academic professionals who are pursuing innovative ideas and solutions that could ultimately help the patients and our communities. Observing the drive and passion that researchers have for discovering new ideas, methods, and technologies in healthcare is exciting.

What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?

I’ve learned to expect the unexpected and that the only thing that is constant is change. Also, I’ve learned to be open-minded to new ideas and to be able to take in constructive feedback. While sometimes this can be hard to do, it offers me an opportunity for self-reflection both professionally and personally.

What’s a fun fact that most people don’t know about you?

I learned how to snowboard for the first time this year with my two children. Our family enjoys spending time together in the mountains with our giant schnoodle, Montana. When we are not in the mountains, we enjoy going to the Outer Banks in the summer, where we can go off-roading, boating, and paddle boarding!