A Natural Navigator: Meet Service Delivery Director Noa Lustgarten

Noa Lustgarten recently stepped away from her headphones, three screens, and a framed photo of her three daughters to sip a soy latte and discuss what she loves about her job as Director of Service Delivery at Assured Allies. Enjoy!

What path led you to join Assured Allies?

I practiced as a licensed physical therapist (PT) in acute rehabilitation care for about 12 years. Since my specialty was neurorehabilitation, I worked mainly with patients who suffered from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, and surgery complications. I was moved by the struggles of my older adult patients who dreaded going into a nursing home but also found it extremely challenging to age independently at home. The mission of Assured Allies, to help older adults live longer at home, resonated strongly with me. 

Was there anything besides the mission that you found appealing about Assured Allies?

Yes, my clinical work as a PT was meaningful, but I was only able to impact one life at a time. Assured Allies would enable me to make a difference and help solve aging-at-home challenges for a much larger population.  Also, compared to other start-ups in the same space, Assured Allies stood out for its hyper-focus on research-based iteration.

How so?

Well, first off, we have a robust research department! [laughs] All of our protocols, solutions, and engagement strategies for helping older adults to stay independent are very evidence-based. I was also impressed by the results of the company’s internal research, like the fact that they reduced claims by 10% for our longest-running LTCI client.

What is your role, exactly? What’s a typical day like?

My role is to oversee service delivery’s day-to-day operations, which include our Ally (health coaches) and Admin (vendor management) teams. I ensure that we serve a high volume of members while maintaining a high quality of service. 

Most of the day I am in back-to-back meetings across teams and departments. optimizing how we work, and driving our goals forward. I monitor our performance to ensure we meet our KPIs (key performance indicators) and SLAs (service level agreements). When there are gaps or obstacles, I raise flags and work across teams to resolve them. I also manage our capacity to enhance our operational efficiency. When any escalations arise from the teams, I work with them to resolve the issues and make sure they are handled promptly and with a high degree of customer service.

What do you do when things don’t go according to plan?

I take a breath, think about the problem, the goal, and try to break it down through a corrective action plan. I might also go for a run to clear my head.  

What advice would you give a twenty-something about how to succeed in work and life?

Travel outside your comfort zone! See the world while you can. When I was 21, I backpacked alone in India for three months and developed some skill sets that I still draw upon today..

Like what?

Always challenge yourself,  even when it is scary to jump, otherwise you stay in the same place. Self-reliance and flexibility are really important, especially when you’re in a very unfamiliar situation. 

Speaking of new places, how do you find the culture at Assured Allies? 

One of the things  I love most here is the culture. Everyone is highly engaged and deeply cares about the work we are doing for our members. The collaboration is exceptional: everyone volunteers, jumps in, raises concerns when needed, and pitches in to resolve them. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an outstanding team.  

What do you like to do outside of work? 

When I’m not being mom to my three girls, 10, 8, and 5, you might find me running and training for my next half marathon or dancing with a bunch of friends at a rave!