Meet the West Health Accelerator Team: Alison Kou, MPH

In her role as the communications specialist for the West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham, Alison Kou wears many hats—from managing the Accelerator website and intranet resource pages to designing marketing materials and slide decks to developing stories and videos.

She works closely with Jan Lamey, the Accelerator’s program director, to develop internal and external strategies to elevate the visibility of the Accelerator and to support its work.

 Q&A

What do you enjoy most about this work?

One of my favorite parts of this work is creating space for people’s individual stories. Everyone has a story — whether it’s a patient that's been impacted by what we’re doing, one of our West Health Champions, or a colleague on the West Health Accelerator team. I’ve especially enjoyed playing a role in the “Meet the Team” series, which has been a big focus of ours this year. I’ve also loved getting to create videos for the Accelerator. I think video content really allows people to speak for themselves, to show their faces and to share their experiences with a sincerity that’s hard to capture as fully in any other format. In 2026, I’m especially excited to bring patient stories to the forefront, because they speak most directly to the “why” behind everything we do. And I’m really hoping to create more engaging and inspiring video content for the Accelerator.

What sparked your interest in health care?

I chose to study nutrition science in college, a decision that was influenced by witnessing my father have a severe heart attack that sent him to the hospital for emergency surgery. After that happened, I remember wanting to understand what factors impact the trajectory of a person’s health as they age and how adverse health events can be prevented.

How does your degree in public health shape how you approach your work?

My public health background has given me a knowledge base and perspective that helps me to understand the big picture of the work that our team does. I understand the patience, perseverance and commitment it takes to create change at the system level and to bear the responsibility as healthcare leaders, operators, administrators and clinicians to advocate for the people we serve. As the communications specialist, I see myself in a true supporting role: I’m here to support the implementation of the Accelerator and to make sure the work is visible.

What has it been like to partner with the West Health team on this work?

It’s been such a valuable learning experience to partner with West Health. I’m so appreciative of their investment and passion for this work, which comes through in every interaction and meeting. Their input, feedback and perspective have been instrumental in shaping the work and our communications. Shoutout to Renee [Tyska], who has been a huge advocate for telling the story of the Accelerator!

 What have you learned working on the Accelerator?

As someone at the beginning of their career, the opportunity to work on an initiative like the Accelerator is incredibly meaningful. Being in a fairly independent role has forced me to identify where and how my unique strengths and skills fit into the team. I’m still building confidence in that way, but the last year and a half have really allowed me to practice being flexible, creative and more courageous. One thing I’ve learned working on the Accelerator is to believe in myself as much as I believe in my colleagues and in the work that we’re doing together.

What’s most exciting to you about the West Health Accelerator, or what brings you the most pride?

I think what excites me most about the Accelerator is that we’re helping to create not only a better future, but also a better current reality for patients over the age of 65. Of course, we are building the Accelerator with sustainability and wide-spread adoption in mind, but we’re also seeing real-time impact on patients in our hospital system right now, and it’s so rare to see that done at this scale.

In terms of what brings me the most pride, it has to be our team. We have so many passionate and knowledgeable individuals collaborating on the Accelerator. For many of them, this is the culmination of many years of vision, hard work and dedication to changing how care is delivered. Being able to contribute to something that reflects their expertise and long‑standing commitment, and to see that work come to life in such a tangible way, is inspiring. It makes me proud to be part of a group that isn’t just talking about change but is actively creating it every day. I’m so thankful to witness it all and to learn from them.