Rising to Meet the Moment: Scaling a Maryland Digital Health Success to Meet National Need

​Join PACE Healthcare Capital for a virtual fireside conversation celebrating Backpack Healthcare’s five-year anniversary and its continued expansion to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of children and families enrolled in Medicaid.

​Speakers

• ​Hafeezah Muhammad — Founder & CEO, Backpack Healthcare

• ​Stephen Rice — Deputy Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce

• ​JD Willingham — Partner, PACE Healthcare Capital

​Founded and led by Hafeezah Muhammad, Backpack Healthcare is a Maryland-based digital health company that has grown into a multi-state, technology-enabled care platform serving some of the most vulnerable populations in the country. PACE Healthcare Capital led Backpack's 2024 Series A round.

​This conversation will explore what it takes to scale responsibly in complex healthcare markets — from operational discipline and public-private partnership to leadership and capital readiness — and how Maryland-born innovation can grow to meet national need.

​The program will also feature remarks from the Maryland Department of Commerce, highlighting the state’s role in supporting companies that combine innovation, growth, and access.

​We’ll close with a live Q&A designed for emerging digital health leaders navigating growth, capital formation, and mission-aligned execution.