2025 C-Suite Awards
ENTERPRISE PRIVATE COMPANY: Michelle DeRoche
University Orthopedics Inc. | Chief operating officer
IF YOU WANT to know a little something about Michelle DeRoche, just look at the two-worded sign in her office: “Communicate relentlessly.” It reminds DeRoche what’s key to effective leadership.
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“The more you communicate, then the more aligned, engaged and effective you are,” said DeRoche, chief operating officer for University Orthopedics Inc.
“I’ve seen over the years how miscommunication can create barriers, with staff, patients and stakeholders.”
DeRoche joined the East Providence-based health organization nearly a decade ago, serving as COO for the last seven. University Orthopedics is a regional referral center for patients with various ailments, including back and neck pain, joint pain, sports medicine problems, shoulder pain and hand problems, among other health issues.
DeRoche says adaptive leadership and collaboration are key components of her management style. She tries to balance decisiveness with flexibility to ensure the organization pivots when needed and aligns its mission to provide orthopedic care integrated with world-class education and research.
She’s onto something. Kimberly Mittelsteadt, University Orthopedic’s chief human resources officer, lauds DeRoche for creating an environment where her team feels empowered, valued and trusted.
“This has contributed to the overall success of the practice,” Mittelsteadt said. “She doesn’t micromanage; she listens. Collaboration is encouraged. It’s working. That there has been very little turnover speaks volumes.”
DeRoche’s secret power is the ability to get things done, such as overseeing the opening of University Orthopedics’ state-of-the-art facility in Middletown last year.
Mittlesteadt said DeRoche had an important role in supervising the facility’s design, including the exam room layout.
DeRoche also spearheaded the integration of a new orthopedic group of 70 people who came on board in early 2024. This enhanced the practice’s capabilities and expanded patient services.
She further moved University Orthopedics forward by creating a sustainability task force last year. The company will work to reduce its carbon footprint in various ways, including switching to solar and reducing single-use items, among other energy-saving initiatives.
DeRoche is also in the trenches with patients. If patients need help, no matter the time of day, DeRoche is there for them, Mittelsteadt says.
“I’ve heard her talking to patients at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.” Mittelsteadt said. “She’s empathetic and looks for solutions.”
It’s all in a day’s work for DeRoche, who also offers her team praise.
“Our success is a reflection of the team, the committed people who do their best every day,” she said.
DeRoche is proud of how the organization handled the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, adapting to constant rule and regulation changes throughout the crisis. But since the pandemic ended, recruiting and retaining staff members have been challenging, she says. Such issues keep her awake at night.
“COVID-19 changed expectations. People want flexibility and a different environment,” DeRoche said. “We’ve tried to be creative and more engaging with things, [such as] weekly yoga classes. We [also] started … monthly employee appreciation events. We’re at a pivotal moment of rethinking how we support the workforce. It’s not only about salary but culture.”
There’s more on DeRoche’s to-do list. Currently, DeRoche is seeking ways to leverage technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
“How can we use that technology for routine things? We want to use technology to enhance and not hamper patient care,” DeRoche said. “We have to put our toe in [the] water to see how we can use technology.”
Within the community, DeRoche serves as a commissioner for the Narragansett Bay Commission. Her participation in monthly board meetings and her service on the personnel subcommittee highlight her commitment to advancing environmental sustainability on a state level.
DeRoche also organized the inaugural “A Reason to Run/Walk” event in Rhode Island last year to raise awareness and funds for brain cancer research. Helping patients with glioblastoma – an aggressive brain cancer that her husband died from two years ago – is her other passion.
Looking forward, DeRoche hopes to leave a small, lasting impact on how University Orthopedics delivers care “that it is equitable, patient-centered and accessible.”
