Healthcare executive Nickolas G. Mitilenes possesses the kind of composure that fills a room without a word being spoken. When we sat down for a recent interview, it was clear he is a people-centered leader others turn to when the moment calls for clarity over chaos.
“I have always been drawn to the idea of serving many patients rather than one at a time by leveraging best-in-class technology, data analytics, and process,” he said. “After growing up watching my family manage a community-based lab, with all its trials and tribulations, I felt compelled to bring in fresh ideas. At that time, it was the power of molecular diagnostics for infectious disease testing.”
Mitilenes’s executive career spans more than 15 years across laboratories, health systems, and startups. Yet what stands out most is his steady presence and the spirit of excellence that follows him into every boardroom, lab floor, and classroom.
He leads with precision and patience, guided by a belief that integrity is not just a professional value but the foundation of every sustainable business.
“In healthcare, if you lose sight of what is best for the patient, you lose everything,” he said.
That mindset has shaped his journey from a family-run lab in New Jersey to the helm of Hatchleaf, an AI healthcare startup focused on connecting patients to the right specialists faster and more efficiently. Along the way, he has overseen pandemic testing programs, scaled laboratories into multimillion-dollar enterprises, and built teams that operate with both urgency and purpose.
A Legacy of Service and Science
Healthcare runs deep in Nick Mitilenes’s DNA.
His grandfather founded a clinical diagnostics lab in 1951, laying the foundation for a family legacy built on precision and care.
“I grew up watching my family manage a community-based lab,” he said. “I saw the long hours, the regulations, and the pressure to be perfect, but also the difference it made in people’s lives.”
He studied molecular biology at Colgate University, then earned an MBA from Cornell and an MS from Weill Cornell Medicine, uniting science and strategy in a way few leaders can. That balance became the hallmark of his leadership.
“I have always been drawn to solving problems that affect many people at once,” he said. “Working in diagnostics lets you do that. You can help thousands through technology, data, and process.”
As president and COO of MedLabs Diagnostics, he helped transform a regional reference lab into a $30 million operation that serves 450,000 patients annually. Under his direction, the company achieved double-digit annual revenue growth and a 102 percent increase in EBITDA over a three-year period, before its successful private equity exit.
“It taught me how to balance ambition with responsibility,” he said. “The goal was never just to grow. It was to grow right.”
Leadership Under Pressure
Mitilenes has held senior roles at Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics, where he integrated maternal-fetal and pediatric genetics divisions and led initiatives in bioinformatics and high-volume testing.
Later, as vice president and general manager of the Pandemic Response Laboratory at Opentrons, he oversaw a $60 million operation with more than 250 employees across three states.
The work demanded precision under pressure. “We were building during a global emergency,” he said. “Every decision carried weight. We had to deliver fast, but we had to deliver responsibly.”
Through it all, he refused to compromise on compliance or patient safety. “Cutting corners might seem efficient, but in healthcare it never is,” he said.
He has faced his share of tough decisions. “I once pulled a lab test from the market because I believed the clinical performance was not right for the audience,” he recalled. “It was financially damaging, but the right call. In this industry, you have to live with yourself after the decision is made.”
That willingness to take unpopular positions has defined his reputation. “I have turned down opportunities when the risk did not align with our values,” he said. “Competitors might have taken them, but I believe being transparent builds credibility that lasts.”
The Human Side of Leadership
Despite managing complex operations, Nickolas Mitilenes never lost sight of people.
His leadership style is rooted in empathy and communication, a lesson he credits to one of his earliest mentors. “They taught me that empathy is not weakness,” he said. “It is a form of strength. People perform better when they feel understood and supported.”
He carries that lesson forward by prioritizing transparency. “A team cannot communicate too much,” he said. “That does not mean endless meetings. It means keeping each other informed. If you are ahead, behind, or need assistance, please let us know. It builds trust.”
He views success not as a milestone but a continuum. “Achieving objectives without compromising your values is one part of success,” he said. “Having the strength to tackle the next challenge and inspire others to do the same is what makes it sustainable.”
He keeps himself grounded by remembering the ultimate purpose of the work.
“Even in a lab or a boardroom, you are serving the patient,” he said. “When you make decisions with that clarity, everything else falls into place.”
Lessons in Growth and Resilience
Mitilenes does not romanticize leadership. For him, it is a combination of vision and discipline. “You rarely have all the data you want,” he said. “You have to make the best decision possible, then revisit it when new facts emerge. That is how you build experience.”
He encourages younger professionals to embrace discomfort.
“Seek out challenge,” he said. “Surround yourself with people who are more successful than you. Take roles that stretch your abilities. That is how you grow.”
He also believes great leaders are those who can admit failure. “Many see admitting mistakes as weakness,” he said. “In truth, it is the foundation of authentic leadership. When you acknowledge your limits, you create a culture where others feel safe to innovate.”
To him, leadership is not about titles or authority.
“It is about persistence, hard work, and vision,” he said. “Success requires working toward challenging goals over long periods of time, often when motivation feels low and the light at the end of the tunnel is faint. Vision gives direction to that hard work.”
Building the Future of Health Technology
Today, Mitilenes is focused on Hatchleaf, a healthcare technology startup that uses artificial intelligence to improve patient access. Its flagship product, ProviderIQ, connects patients to the right specialist more efficiently by integrating data across health systems.
“I am passionate about solving problems that impact large numbers of patients,” he said. “If we can help people find care faster and reduce unnecessary friction, that makes the system better for everyone.”
The company has already secured partnerships with major hospitals and academic medical centers and continues to grow. “Building something new always comes with risk,” he said. “But when you have the right team and a clear mission, the risk becomes the reward.”
He remains deeply committed to continuous learning. Alongside running Hatchleaf, he is completing a Doctor of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins, where he is studying leadership and artificial intelligence. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds certifications in molecular biology and laboratory management.
“Technology is changing healthcare faster than ever,” he said. “The next generation of leaders needs to understand both the science and the systems. The future belongs to those who can connect the two.”
Nick Mitilenes: ‘Do The Right Thing When It Is Hard’
Ask Mitilenes what drives him, and the answer is simple. “I want to build systems that last,” he said. “Not just profitable ones, but ethical ones. I want my work to matter 10 years from now.”
He measures his success not by revenue but by impact. “You can win a quarter,” he said. “But building something that keeps winning — that makes patients better off and people proud of how they did it — that is real success.”
It is a career and life philosophy rooted in patience and integrity, the same qualities that marked his rise from a family lab to one of healthcare’s most respected operational minds. He believes that progress and principles can coexist.
“Do the right thing when it is hard,” he said simply. “That is how you lead over time.”
