From Engineer to Product Executive: Building AI Products at Scale with Maddie Schults

What happens when healthcare, AI, and product leadership collide? In this episode of Build Well, Kelly Scherer, Alex Tong, and Kristi Lui sit down with Maddie Schults, Senior Director of Product at https://innovaccer.com/, to explore what it takes to build AI-powered healthcare products at scale. Maddie shares her journey from software engineering to product leadership and the mindset shift that helped her move from focusing on how products are built to what should be built and why. The conversation dives into how AI is fundamentally changing product development—from replacing traditional PRDs with visual prototypes to enabling healthcare applications to be built in days rather than months. Together, they discuss the importance of trust, explainability, and human-centered design in healthcare AI, as well as how product leaders can navigate strategy, prioritization, and decision-making in rapidly evolving environments. Maddie also shares practical insights on building high-performing teams, creating psychological safety, empowering individuals to play to their strengths, and leading through influence rather than authority. Whether you're a product manager, healthcare innovator, founder, or technology leader, this episode offers actionable insights on AI, leadership, product strategy, and the future of healthcare innovation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Why great product leaders focus on *what to build*, not just how to build it How AI is reshaping product development, prototyping, and delivery The future of PRDs and visual-first product communication Building trust and explainability into healthcare AI systems Creating high-performing teams through psychological safety and empowerment Product strategy frameworks for prioritization, roadmapping, and customer value Balancing innovation, execution, and stakeholder alignment Where AI-powered healthcare platforms are creating the greatest impact Lessons from leading enterprise healthcare products at scale ABOUT THE GUEST Maddie Schults leads product teams building AI-driven healthcare intelligence platforms at  Innovaccer, helping health systems, payers, and life sciences organizations turn complex healthcare data into actionable insights and better outcomes. Recorded at https://womensaudiomission.org/) in San Francisco, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and gender-expansive people in music, audio production, and creative technology. Chapters 00:00 The Journey to Product Management 05:54 Focus on 'What' vs. 'How' in Product Management 11:15 Challenges with Traditional PRDs and Visual Aids 17:27 Building Trust and Explainability in AI Systems 24:00 Team Dynamics and Motivation in Product Development 29:37 Building Trust and Resilience 35:56 Strategic Decision-Making and Leadership Flexibility 42:39 Leadership and Team Empowerment 50:12 Investing in Healthcare Innovation 55:43 A Day in the Life: Strategy and Sales