Health tech founder builds on public health roots to increase access to care
Kate Monti, MPH/MSW ’17
Founder and President, Avela Health
Kate Monti's path to becoming an entrepreneur and digital health innovator was shaped by deeply personal experiences that gave her what she calls “a front row seat to health technology.”
As a child, she watched her father and grandmother manage type 1 diabetes, witnessing firsthand how medical technology transformed their lives—from manual blood sugar testing and insulin injections to smartphone-based diabetes management. This early exposure to the transformative power of healthcare technology would later influence her career in unexpected ways.
A three-time University of Michigan graduate, Monti completed her bachelor’s degree in Sociology before pursuing dual master’s degrees in Public Health and Social Work. At the School of Public Health, she earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Department of Health Behavior & Health Education (now called Health Behavior & Health Equity).
During her graduate studies, she began exploring how technology could address health disparities, conducting research on food insecurity and how grocery apps could impact food access in underserved areas. She also did community organizing work on substance use disorder in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.
However, it was a personal crisis that would ultimately shape her professional trajectory. While studying at Michigan, Monti found herself struggling to find addiction treatment resources for her cousin in rural Michigan.
The ability to have those natural synergies and for the schools to recognize the importance of giving students the opportunity to spend time in multiple different programs with multiple different perspectives gave me flexibility in my thinking.”
“I would go to work every day trying to increase access to recovery solutions,” she said. "And then I’d go home and call around and be told, ‘There's nothing for you. We don't take Medicaid.’”
Monti was frustrated by the clear disconnect between her public health work in Ann Arbor and the stark reality of healthcare access in rural communities.
A pivotal moment came when Monti attended a women’s entrepreneurship event at the School of Public Health, where she heard one of the co-founders of Workit Health speak. The Ann Arbor-based startup was developing digital substance use disorder treatment, allowing people to access evidence-based care directly through their smartphones—from even the most remote communities.
LEARN MORE about Health Behavior & Health Equity at Michigan Public Health.
“I had this moment of realization,” Monti said. “What Workit was doing was exactly what I had imagined—combining the best of tech with the best of medicine to change people’s lives.”
Inspired by their mission, Monti reached out to the founder she had heard speak and was excited to learn they were looking for support. She soon joined as head of operations and eventually became chief operating officer, spending eight years at Workit helping build technology-enabled addiction treatment services that would reach tens of thousands of people.
Drawing from her experiences at Workit Health and her own journey into parenthood, Monti co-founded Avela Health in 2023 with Robin McIntosh, whom she’d worked with at Workit Health. The company provides clinical support for families navigating neurodivergent conditions, such as autism. Avela is working to transform how families access and receive support, combining clinical expertise with technology to make care more accessible and comprehensive.
Monti’s approach to healthcare innovation is deeply influenced by her public health and social work training at Michigan.
“The ability to have those natural synergies and for the schools to recognize the importance of giving students the opportunity to spend time in multiple different programs with multiple different perspectives gave me flexibility in my thinking,” she said.
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This interdisciplinary background helps her bridge the gap between clinical expertise, community needs and technological solutions.
Today, Monti emphasizes the importance of building healthcare solutions with—rather than for— communities. At Avela, this means creating programs that not only connect families to resources but also provide emotional support and community connection.
“We sit with the whole family,” she said, noting how crucial it is to address both the practical and emotional needs of parents navigating neurodivergent care pathways.
Her advice to current and prospective students?
“Be intentional about stretching your education experience outside of your focus area,” she said, encouraging students to take classes across different schools and disciplines. And perhaps most important: “Just go to things and talk to people.”
After all, attending just one speaking engagement launched her own entrepreneurial journey in digital health.