Ep. 57: Matt Mehlbrech, From IT Intern to Global CIO, Leading Turnarounds and Using AI in Healthcare

In this episode of Next in Line, Cesar Jimenez sits down with Matt Mehlbrech, CIO and leader within the Inspire community, to unpack his journey from starting as an intern at Eaton to becoming a multi-time CIO leading major organizational turnarounds. Matt’s career is a masterclass in growth through discomfort, raising your hand for hard opportunities, and building real business acumen—not just technical expertise. Now operating in the biotech space, he shares how AI is transforming healthcare, while also cutting through the hype to explain what actually matters.

This episode dives into: Overcoming early career uncertainty and growing into leadership Why business acumen is the most important skill in IT Lessons learned from failure, accountability, and speaking up Leading IT turnarounds and building high-performing teams AI in healthcare: real impact vs hype Why strong data foundations matter more than AI tools The importance of being present and building real relationships

Balancing leadership pressure, family, and personal growth Matt also shares powerful insights on discipline, ownership, and why true growth only happens when you step outside your comfort zone. If you're looking to grow in your career, break into leadership, or understand where AI is really headed—this episode delivers.