Anthony DeSena, CEO and Co-Founder of Pax Health, joins Michael Stamatinos on The Advancing Healthcare Innovation Show to share the remarkable journey of how a physical therapist from Brooklyn built one of the Northeast’s most dynamic behavioral health platforms.

This is a story about discipline, compassion, and conviction.

Anthony began his career treating patients one-on-one in a small physical therapy clinic. Over time, that single clinic evolved into a multistate rehabilitation network, known for its outcomes, its culture, and its human touch. As COO and Chief Development Officer, Anthony led the company through rapid expansion, private equity investment, and an eventual exit to a hospital system…learning hard-earned lessons about leadership, integration, and staying grounded in purpose through every phase of growth.

Today, he’s leading Pax Health, a platform created through the merger of three behavioral health organizations backed by HCAP Partners and Hamilton Lane. The mission: to expand access for Medicaid patients, injured workers, and underserved communities, and to build a system that values both care and caregivers.

In this episode, Anthony opens up about how to scale without losing your humanity, how culture becomes the real moat, and why leadership is less about managing and more about meaning.

Whether you’re a healthcare founder, investor, or clinician, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, purpose, and what it means to build something that lasts.

What You’ll Learn:

* The early story behind Anthony’s first clinic in Brooklyn

* The unseen realities of scaling in healthcare

* How to navigate private equity deals without losing your mission

* Why culture, accountability, and truth-telling drive sustainable success

* The future of behavioral health innovation and the growing role of technology

* How Pax Health is redefining access for underserved communities

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Introduction

03:00 – From Brooklyn beginnings to building a rehab powerhouse

06:00 – The patient story that changed everything

08:00 – Lessons learned from scaling and scars that stay

10:00 – The truth about private equity and life after the deal

14:00 – The formation of Pax Health and merging three cultures

17:00 – Building unity in a telehealth-first organization

21:00 – How Pax Health helps clinicians feel valued and connected

23:00 – The future of behavioral health and tech-enabled care

27:00 – Quick-fire round with Anthony DeSena

30:00 – Final reflections and takeaways

About the Guest:

Anthony DeSena is a licensed physical therapist turned healthcare executive and the CEO of Pax Health, a behavioral health platform transforming care delivery across the Northeast. Under his leadership, Pax Health is pioneering new approaches to access, culture, and clinical integration while expanding care for communities often left behind.

🌐 Learn more: https://www.paxhealth.net

🔗 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pax-health

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About the Show

The Advancing Healthcare Innovation Show is hosted by Michael Stamatinos, a nationally recognized connector, strategist, and advocate for innovation with purpose. Each week, Michael interviews healthcare leaders who are driving meaningful change—highlighting stories of access, resilience, equity, and transformation.

The AHI Show started with the idea of wanting to highlight stories of what healthcare innovation truly looks like in action. Our mission, highlight real people who are really innovating within healthcare. Guests include healthcare entrepreneurs, providers, payers, and professionals from the investment community. We showcase little wins as well as valuable lessons learned from setbacks through these interviews. The real innovators in healthcare are often the ones in the trenches doing the work with razor-sharp focus. We find these innovators and bring their stories to light.

🔗 Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstamo

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