Last month, we announced a new heavy-hitter to the Corus team with the introduction of Tracy Moawad, as our new Vice President of Practice Operations. With her impressive background and infectious enthusiasm, she’s here to help shake things up and take Corus to new heights. If you’re in the orthodontic world, you probably already know Tracy – she’s kind of a big deal.
But enough from us, let’s get to know her a little bit better, shall we?
What motivated you to join Corus?
I’m thrilled to be joining Corus as the new VP of Practice Operations. Many might know me from my time with Hummingbird, where I had the pleasure of working with several Corus doctor-partners. From the very beginning, I’ve been a firm believer in the vision of Corus, which made my decision to join this incredible team an easy one. I sought a place where I believed in the business (check), shared values (check), and could make a positive impact (check!) Corus feels like home to me, and I’m excited to meet and collaborate with all my new colleagues.
What are you most looking forward to?
As an operations enthusiast at heart, I’m really looking forward to working alongside my Ops colleagues to deliver and enhance systems and support for doctor-partners, practice managers, and their teams. I’ve also been so impressed by the talent, knowledge, and work ethic of everyone at Home Office. I see a big part of my job as understanding where the pain points are at the practice level, continuing to build trust and confidence in Corus Operations, and refining our systems and standards that bring value to everyone in the network. People are the heart of any successful business – when you can elevate and empower each other, everyone wins, and the business thrives.
Any standout career highlights or achievements you’re proud of?
For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a natural drive to make things better and a sincere desire to help people solve problems. I fondly remember making “suggestions” to my parents about how they could “improve things” around the house. Reflecting on my career to date, I feel extremely blessed to have worked with such amazing, collaborative teams and in environments that fueled my curiosity and love of problem-solving. It’s been such a wild journey, from making retainers and mounting models in my dad’s dental lab in high school, to working as an orthodontic assistant in college, and pursuing a career in private equity where I worked on amazing projects across many industries and eventually oversaw an in-house Global Field Operations team. In ortho, I’ve had the honor of consulting with top practices in North America, designing leadership and management programs, and participating in the Wharton-AAO MBO program. Seeing it all come together in my new role at Corus is truly unbelievable.
“With Tracy’s extensive experience, her presence and leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our ability to deliver world-class support.”
– Dr. Paul Helpard, CEO & Founder of Corus Orthodontists
In your experience, what are the biggest challenges that ortho practices face today? What advice do you have?
I firmly believe that building and maintaining great teams is crucial for any business. Since COVID, staffing has been incredibly difficult and I don’t see it changing, which means we must adapt and evolve. The challenge is staying relevant to attract and retain talent, especially with Gen Z expected to make up 30% of the global workforce by next year. They are digital, globally connected, social, mobile, and visual. They look for modern, less complicated jobs that pay well and offer growth. To compete, practices must simplify job complexities, utilize tech, and offer growth opportunities and employee engagement.
On the consumer side, the oldest Gen Z is roughly 30 years old – a parent (or patient) in your practice who increasingly expects a digital and convenient (on-demand) experience. And with Gen Alpha on the rise, we need to stay ahead of their expectations as they reach adulthood in the coming years.
My advice? Embrace change, leverage technology, and focus on building a strong, engaged team. By doing so, we can meet these challenges head-on and continue to thrive.
How did you get involved as an educator and coach with the AAO-Wharton MBO program?
I really owe my participation to Paul Helpard. At the time, I was firing on all cylinders with consulting and couldn’t imagine squeezing another thing in. However, Paul encouraged me to meet the team building the program, and I quickly got excited. I can honestly say I enjoyed every part of the process and in hindsight, it was one of the most rewarding things I have done (to date!) in my career. So, thank you, Paul, for encouraging me to take this step.
What excites you about the future of orthodontics?
The challenges ahead are what excite me the most. Joining the Operations team at Corus presents an incredible opportunity to innovate and evolve how we do business while staying true to our values. Our partner practices and the rapidly changing landscape will continually inspire me to find new ways to improve and adapt. Together, we can play a vital role in elevating this industry and celebrating the people who make it so special and rewarding.
Now for some fun rapid-fire questions…
✈️ Hobbies: Hiking, traveling, camping, attending music concerts, and tackling escape rooms with my family (we’ve done nearly 60!). I love snorkeling and hope to start scuba diving soon. Exploring Los Angeles and being a lifelong learner are also passions of mine.
🏝️Favorite vacation spot: Cozumel has been a favorite for its snorkeling. Hawaii is always a great choice, and summers at the lake in Michigan are wonderful. The common theme: sun and water!
📚Books/podcasts/TV series: Currently finishing “Supercommunicators” by Charles Duhigg. On the learning front, some Masterclasses include Howard Schultz (Starbucks), Bob Iger (Disney), Kelly Wearstler, and Esther Perel. Blinkist is a great app for summarizing key points from books.
Podcasts: my family loves listening to “Smartless” on road trips – it’s hilarious and offers inspiring insights into the lives of people in the music and film industries and public figures.
TV: “Ted Lasso” will forever be a favorite – we need more feel-good, human stories! “The Tourist” and “Bodkin” are both excellent with a twist. We also enjoy National Geographic and the History Channel, with “Secrets of the Octopus” and “The Curse of Oak Island” currently in our queue.
We couldn’t be more excited to have Tracy join our star-studded Corus team and are certain she’s going to do some pretty incredible things here. Welcome aboard, Tracy!
To learn more about the Corus Leadership Team, please visit the About Us page.
