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From Disney to Cancer Survivor to CEO: Who is Shawn Nason?

A Disney Imagineer turned healthcare CEO shares how personal hardship and creative vision are reshaping patient experiences

By Brian Urban · December 12, 2023, 5:00 AM UTCBrian UrbanCancer SurvivorDisneyHealthcare Rethink Podcast
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Key takeaways

01

Shawn Nason's background as a Disney Imagineer informs his human-centered approach to redesigning patient experiences in healthcare.

02

His personal journey as a cancer survivor deepened his empathy and commitment to improving how patients navigate the healthcare system.

03

Through MOFI, Nason applies creative and design-thinking methodologies to help healthcare organizations become more consumer-focused.

In the latest episode of Healthcare Rethink, a FinThrive podcast host, Brian Urban, engages with Shawn Nason, a maverick who brought a Disney-inspired vision to healthcare. Nason, the founder of MOFI, a former Disney Imagineer, and a cancer survivor, shares his transformational journey, advocating for patient-centric experiences.

Shawn Nason's unconventional career—morphing from a Disney Imagineer to a healthcare CEO—is a testament to innovation's power in healthcare. On Healthcare Rethink, Nason discusses with Urban how his diverse experiences, including his battle with cancer, have shaped his approach to improving patient care. Nason, who once created magic under Cinderella's Castle, now seeks to sprinkle some of that Disney fairy dust on the healthcare industry. With his emphasis on human experience, Nason challenges traditional healthcare models, advocating for a system where patient experience is paramount. His insights reveal a pressing need for transformative thinking, mirroring Disney's ethos of creating memorable experiences to address the complexities of healthcare delivery.

His insights reveal a pressing need for transformative thinking, mirroring Disney's ethos of creating memorable experiences to address the complexities of healthcare delivery.

About the author

Brian Urban
Brian UrbanDirector of Innovation & Emerging Markets

Brian Urban has a deep skill set in health promotion and product development for rare disease and senior populations with Large Health Plans and Specialty Pharmacy. Urban has served as a speaker on such topics for the Alzheimer’s Association, Obediah Cole Prostate Cancer Foundation, Cigna Corp and Utica University Institute for the study of integrative healthcare. Urban has received a Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology-Health Promotion, Masters of Business Administration in Market Development and is currently completing a Masters in Public Health at Dartmouth College. Urban is currently a research-fellow sponsored by a Robert Wood Johnson Grant supporting Utica University public health research in Upstate New York.

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About the Experts

BU
Brian Urban

Founder & CEO, Fischer Identity; Host, Napkin Math

Brian Urban is a healthcare innovation strategist and podcast host focused on the intersection of technology, benefits, and human experience in healthcare. He has worked with EY and other organizations to explore emerging models in care delivery and health equity. He is known for interviewing disruptive thinkers across the healthcare ecosystem.

SN
Shawn Nason

Founder & CEO

MOFI

Shawn Nason is a former Disney Imagineer who transitioned into healthcare innovation, founding MOFI (formerly Nason Group), a human-centered design and experience firm. A cancer survivor, he draws on personal hardship and creative storytelling to reshape how patients and consumers experience healthcare. He is also an author and keynote speaker focused on disrupting conventional thinking in healthcare.