On Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, we kicked off our 2025–2026 Voices in Nursing Innovation Fireside Chat series with energy, laughter, humility and inspiration. Held in the Peterson Room at Suzzallo Library, this fall’s Fireside Chat brought together students, faculty and community partners for a powerful conversation about nurse-led entrepreneurship and digital health.
A Journey from Bedside Nurse to CEO
Our featured guest was Jo Masterson, RN, MBA, CEO and co-founder of 2Morrow, a Kirkland-based digital health company that helps people change health behaviors through app-based programs. In conversation with Dr. Oleg Zaslavsky, director of the UW School of Nursing Digital Health Innovation Hub, Jo shared her journey from bedside nurse to tech entrepreneur.
In reflecting on what sparked the initial idea for what would become 2Morrow, Jo described something common to all nurses and entrepreneurs—how a moment of frustration in her daily clinical practice inspired creative problem-solving. That spark, coupled with a pragmatic problem-solving approach inherent in almost all nurses, grew into a company that now partners with the Washington State Department of Health, employers and health plans—and has helped over one million people.
Lessons in Innovation and Leadership
Jo’s story was full of practical wisdom. She talked about blending behavioral science, education and technology to close gaps in healthcare. She shared how NIH-funded research helped build credibility for her products and how she learned to scale those products responsibly while staying true to her mission of working to improve healthcare for all people.
One of the most memorable takeaways? Jo’s reflection on what it takes to lead and innovate: “Big ears, thick skin and an open mind.” That phrase stuck with many of us in the audience—especially our students—because it captures what nurse-led innovation really requires: empathy, resilience and a willingness to learn.
Building Bridges and Creating Space
We’re grateful to Jo for her honesty, humor and insight—and to Oleg for guiding such a thoughtful conversation. We also extend a heartfelt thank-you to Jessica Roberto and the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship for co-sponsoring this event and helping us build bridges between nursing, healthcare and entrepreneurial leadership.
Explore the Digital Health Innovation Hub
If you haven’t yet explored the UW School of Nursing Digital Health Innovation Hub, now is the time. Our Digital Health Innovation Hub is a collaborative space where nurse scientists, students and entrepreneurs can create, test and scale digital health solutions. It’s designed to support bold ideas and practical tools—because innovation in nursing isn’t just possible, it’s already happening and improving healthcare locally and globally.
Looking Ahead
As we looked forward to the winter Fireside Chat, we carried the energy and insights from this event with us. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped launch the 2025–2026 series.