Fikir Wordofa
@fikirwordofa
Strategic privacy and compliance leader with 12 years of experience.
What I'm looking for
I am a strategic, data-driven privacy and compliance leader with over 12 years of progressive experience in healthcare, research, and regulatory environments. My expertise lies in operationalizing scalable privacy architecture and advising on regulatory and product risks. I have successfully built and scaled global privacy programs across digital health, clinical research, and surgical robotics ecosystems, translating complex legal frameworks into sustainable controls that have enterprise-wide impact.
Throughout my career, I have led global privacy operations initiatives, developed structured regulatory frameworks, and implemented data sensitivity classification models. I have a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives that advance localization, cross-border data transfer compliance, and regulatory readiness for emerging frameworks. My leadership in privacy architecture and incident response has significantly reduced response times and improved compliance culture across diverse teams and global stakeholders.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Staff Data Privacy Engineer
Intuitive Surgical
Jan 2024 - Present (1 year 5 months)
Leading global privacy operations initiatives, I build regulatory frameworks supporting GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA compliance. I partner with Legal, Product, Engineering, and Security teams to embed privacy by design into product lifecycles and develop scalable incident response procedures.
Manager, Compliance and Privacy
Headway
Jan 2023 - Jan 2024 (1 year)
As the first Privacy hire, I developed automated reporting for compliance incidents, co-led HITRUST readiness, and guided engineers on privacy-specific designs. I provided executive reporting and led risk assessments aligned with privacy regulations.
Privacy Compliance Manager
Carbon Health, Inc.
Jan 2022 - Jan 2023 (1 year)
I led the first Compliance, Privacy, and Security product risk assessment, advised on role-based access controls, and directed investigations of privacy incidents. I also drafted SOPs for privacy incidents aligning with HIPAA and CMS.
Program Manager, Compliance and Privacy
Stellar Health
Jan 2022 - Jan 2023 (1 year)
I chaired the Enterprise Compliance Council and launched the first cross-functional compliance risk assessment. I developed privacy-by-design initiatives and authored enterprise privacy policies to align operations with HIPAA and GDPR.
Compliance Manager/Privacy
Cerebral, Inc.
Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 (1 year)
As the first Privacy hire, I launched the decentralized clinical trials program and created an incident reporting dashboard. I also directed internal audits and improved the patient grievance resolution process.
Clinical Research Manager
ThreeWire, Inc.
Jan 2020 - Jan 2021 (1 year)
Oversaw clinical operations and compliance for FDA-regulated trials, managed IRB proposals, and led adverse event investigations aligned with federal research mandates.
Procedure Medical Documentation Specialist
Digestive Healthcare of Georgia
Jan 2018 - Jan 2019 (11 months)
Audited medical records for HIPAA compliance and collaborated with clinicians to maintain data integrity and patient confidentiality standards.
Medical Assistant
ICU and Trauma Unit, Reading Hospital
Jan 2016 - Jan 2017 (1 year)
Maintained PHI transmission integrity and ensured HIPAA compliance in documentation. Conducted safety audits and trained new staff on compliance procedures.
Clinical Research Assistant
Dr. Adrian Ong, Reading Hospital
Feb 2014 - Feb 2015 (1 year)
Managed patient recruitment and compliance with HIPAA and IRB protocols. Supported data integrity audits and assisted in post-study debriefings.
Researcher
Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
Jul 2012 - May 2013 (10 months)
Designed and maintained compliance for national-level research protocols, ensuring informed consent compliance across multi-site studies in line with WHO guidelines.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Georgia State University
Master of Science, Biomedical Sciences/Healthcare Administration
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences/Healthcare Administration, emphasizing healthcare management and regulatory compliance.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences and Psychology
Grade: Magna Cum Laude
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Psychology with a Minor in Medical Ethics, graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Georgia State University School of Law
Juris Doctor, Law
JD Candidate at Georgia State University School of Law, focusing on legal aspects of healthcare and compliance.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Job categories
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