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  • The Women Behind Expertise, Quality and Reliability

The Women Behind Expertise, Quality and Reliability

8 th March 2026

8 Mar
2026

Healthcare is built on meaningful moments.

A nurse adjusting a monitor in the middle of the night.

A surgeon preparing for a complex procedure.

A caregiver waiting for essential supplies to arrive exactly when they are needed.

And behind each of those moments are dedicated professionals ensuring that everything works as it should.

With expertise.

With quality.

With reliability.

At Medline, these are more than guiding principles, they are the core foundations that drive the way we support healthcare professionals every day. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women who turn these foundations into decisive action.

In EMEA, women make up 70% of Medline employees, and across hospitals and care homes they form the majority of nurses, the backbone of patient care.

From hospital wards to boardrooms, women help healthcare run better.

Expertise: Making the Right Decisions for Patients

 

For Leonie Starmans, General Counsel EMEA, expertise heals while innovation moves healthcare forward.

Healthcare is evolving rapidly. Medical innovation, artificial intelligence and data-driven care are transforming how diseases are treated and how healthcare systems operate.

“Working in healthcare means working with purpose,” Leonie explains. As the fourth child in a family of dentists, she grew up understanding the impact healthcare can have. “It means contributing to solutions that directly improve and often save lives.”

Societies are changing, and populations are aging as medical innovation, better prevention, and more accessible healthcare help people live longer. One thing is clear: healthcare is not just another industry; it is the backbone of our future.

After more than 20 years in the industry, Leonie is encouraged to see women’s healthcare finally receiving the attention it deserves. Women live longer than men, yet historically much medical research and clinical data has been based on male bodies. That imbalance needs to change.

By welcoming more female leaders, diverse thinkers, and fresh perspectives into healthcare, we can create more inclusive, evidence-based care for everyone.

Because expertise means asking the right questions today to protect patients tomorrow.

Reliability: Being There When It Matters Most

 

For Ana Urraca, Director of Customer Service Process Improvement, reliability is about people.

Growing up in a family of healthcare professionals, she always understood how much this sector affects everyday life. But the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced just how essential healthcare truly is.

“I felt a renewed sense of purpose,” she says. “I wanted to contribute more directly to something so vital.”

One moment during her Medline journey has stayed with her. During a visit to the Customer Service team in the United States, she sat alongside colleagues answering calls from hospitals and end users.

“Every interaction on the phone influences someone’s day, someone’s work, or someone’s care.”

Behind every order is a patient.

Behind every shipment is a healthcare professional relying on the system to work.

Reliability, she says, means empowering teams to deliver consistent service and staying close to the voice of the customer.

When healthcare systems depend on you, reliability is not optional.

Quality: Protecting What Matters Most

 

For Zeren Cavdar, Director Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, quality is deeply personal.

Inspired by her mother, a healthcare professional, Zeren’s connection to healthcare began early.

“Her career in healthcare started in the pharmaceutical industry, working in a raw material laboratory. But her understanding of quality deepened when she moved closer to finished products and to customers.

“That transition changed everything,” she says. “When you see how your work directly impacts customers and patients, you fully understand the responsibility behind quality.”

Today, Zeren oversees processes that guarantee Medline products meet the highest regulatory and quality standards.

By welcoming more female leaders, diverse thinkers, and fresh perspectives into healthcare, we can create more inclusive, evidence-based care for everyone.

In healthcare, there is no room for compromise.

“Reliability, for me, means being consistent, transparent and committed to doing what is right for our customers and for patients.”

Surgeons trust the products they use.

Nurses trust the tools they rely on.

Patients trust the care they receive.

Trust is earned through quality and reliability.

Collaboration: Turning Expertise, Quality and Reliability into Action

 

Healthcare does not work in isolation. It is a chain of professionals, systems, and decisions that must work together.

 

For Michela Toffali, Marketing & Communications Director EMEA, collaboration is the glue that binds Medline’s foundations of precision, quality, and reliability.

After many years in fintech, Michela chose healthcare because she wanted her work to have a tangible impact on people’s lives.

“Healthcare touches all of us every single day. I wanted my career to reflect the values that matter to me and contribute to something meaningful and human-centred.”

She believes reliability and quality are built through strong partnerships.

“We are always stronger as a connected chain than as individuals. Reliability is built through collaboration, trust and mutual support.”

For Michela, leadership also means helping others grow.

“I challenge myself to improve every day, but what truly motivates me is helping my team grow alongside me.”

Creating Space for Women to Lead

 

For Joanna Molema, HR Director EMEA, building a strong healthcare organisation begins with trust.

“When people feel trusted, they stop waiting for permission and start taking ownership,” she explains.

Creating that environment means recognising and addressing unconscious bias, making sure talent is recognised and opportunities are accessible to everyone.

Michela adds another important point:

“I would love to see women feel more comfortable asking for new challenges, promotions, or salary increases when they deserve them.”

Too often, talented women hesitate to advocate for themselves.

“Every woman should be able to look in the mirror and see a superstar.”

Women Powering the Future of Healthcare

The women leading across Medline demonstrate how different perspectives strengthen healthcare systems.

Every role plays a part in making healthcare work better: ensuring decisions are precise, standards remain uncompromising, and professionals can rely on the systems that support them.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate not only the women working across healthcare today, but also the next generation who will shape its future.

As Michela Toffali concludes:

“There is no need to behave like a man to build a successful career. Female qualities such as empathy, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and resilience are key strengths, especially in healthcare.”

By supporting and inspiring the next generation of women leaders, we continue building a healthcare system that works better for patients, professionals, and communities everywhere.

About Medline

Medline is the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain solutions serving all points of care. Through its broad product portfolio, resilient supply chain, and leading clinical solutions, Medline helps healthcare providers improve their clinical, financial, and operational outcomes. Headquartered in the U.S., Medline employs more than 43,000 people worldwide and operates in more than 100 countries and territories.

In EMEA, Medline partners with hospitals, care homes, and healthcare professionals to deliver clinically focused products and supply chain solutions that support patient safety, operational efficiency, and improved outcomes.

To learn more about how Medline helps improve healthcare delivery and outcomes, visit www.medline.eu/