Welcome to Hawthorne Strategies

I’ve spent my career helping others translate health policy into practice — guiding organizations, shaping frameworks, and trying to make a complicated system a little more human. But after years of leading inside other people’s structures, I realized it was time to build my own.

Hawthorne Strategies was born from that decision and from a deep desire to do this work differently. I wanted to create a consulting practice rooted in integrity, curiosity, and empathy; one that values understanding as much as expertise. Independence wasn’t just appealing, it was necessary. I needed the freedom to pursue the work that matters most, on my terms, and to model the kind of leadership I wish I’d seen more of in this field and throughout my career.

The name Hawthorne carries personal meaning. It comes from the street where my dad lived for forty years and the closest thing to “home” I’ve ever had. (My family is still there, but my dad passed away from a stroke in 2023). My dad embodied steadiness and quiet strength: a man who worked hard, did what was right, and always believed in doing your best even when no one was watching. Naming this company after him is my way of honoring that legacy. To me, Hawthorne evokes resilience and rootedness — dependable, grounded, and unpretentious. Those are the values I want reflected in every relationship I build.

Writing has always been how I make sense of the world. As a shy kid with a lot of change and emotion swirling around me, I found clarity through putting words on paper. That impulse never left. Over the years, writing became both my craft and my compass; a way to process complexity, to teach, and to connect. It’s where my analytical side meets my creative one.

Here, I’ll be sharing ideas that sit at the intersection of policy, technology, and trust — the forces that shape how health information moves and how people experience care. I’ll also occasionally write about the human side of this work: leadership, burnout, resilience, and what it means to build something of your own.

If you’ve seen any of my recent pieces such as my Digital Health Divide series or my consumer newsletter Make (H)IT Make Sense, you’ll recognize the throughline: the belief that progress only matters when people can trust the systems designed to serve them.

Thank you for being here at the beginning of this next chapter. I’m proud of what Hawthorne stands for and excited to see where this journey leads.

— Karen Ostrowski
CEO & Chief Policy Advisor, Hawthorne Strategies