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October 11 marks National Coming Out Day, an opportunity to celebrate all those who have come out as LGBTQ+ and recognize the courage they’ve demonstrated by choosing to be their authentic selves.

Celebrating National Coming Out Day at Alto

October 11 marks National Coming Out Day, an opportunity to celebrate all those who have come out as LGBTQ+ and recognize the courage they’ve demonstrated by choosing to be their authentic selves. In honor of this annual celebration, we sat down with two Alto team members — Ben Romero (he/they), Business Operations Manager for Health Plans and Travis White (he/him), Senior Software Engineer — who generously shared their experiences of coming out as bisexual/queer. Here are their stories, in their own words.

Ben: Like a lot of folks, I avoided coming out for most of my life. I grew up knowing that I wasn’t exactly straight and later recognized that I’m bisexual. I remember my entire experience around my sexuality being wrapped in shame. I would reluctantly conform to heteronormativity just to avoid the fear of being outed or questioned. It wasn't until college that I first felt like I could open myself up to the experience and validation that I deserved. By the time I graduated from college, I had a refreshed sense of my place in the world, but I was still hiding my sexuality from my family.

Five years after college, I was finally ready to be open with my family about being bisexual, and it was the first time I felt as if I had to “come out.” At the time I was engaged to my non-binary/queer partner. My family knew my partner as a woman, but my partner was also beginning to validate their nonbinary gender experience. All I could think about was how much of a disservice it would be to our identities as a queer couple if we started our marriage having to assume more invalidating heteronormative assumptions. I first told my closest family members — my younger brother and parents — who supported me unconditionally and showed me so much love. Not every family member was as accepting of my sexuality, which was really disappointing, but I had more than enough support from my chosen family to finally overcome the fear that I had held on to for so long. 

Travis: I realized I wasn’t completely straight at some point in high school. Growing up Catholic, I was always taught that men are attracted to women and that being gay was a sin. So when I found myself attracted to both girls and guys during high school, I wondered what was wrong with me. I brushed it off and ignored that aspect of my sexuality for a long time, which I would later come to regret since it definitely fed into ongoing anxiety and depression in college.

I first came out to my closest friends during my junior year of college. By that point, I had fully accepted that I wasn’t straight, but I had never acted on my bisexuality. I had only dated girls, so my friends saw me as completely straight. I couldn’t quite figure out how to tell them, and it ended up happening organically while hanging out on a Friday night. We were playing a game around the table that required everyone to share something no one else knew about them. Something came over me and I decided to throw caution to the wind with a, “by the way… I’m bi.”  

I came out to my parents several years later when I was working my first engineering job out of college, living in Silicon Valley and loving life. I knew that if they chose not to accept me, it was going to be their loss. After a night out (and an amazing prime rib dinner) when they were in town, I told them that there was something I wanted to tell them about myself - that I am bisexual. My dad’s first response was, “What does that mean?” I informed them that it means I am attracted to both men and women, though more recently, I’ve come to think of myself as being attracted to interesting people regardless of the gender they identify as. My parents were very supportive, but truthfully I had reached a point where I could be accepting of the worst-case scenario. 

Ben: I was most grateful for the sense of relief I experienced. Despite facing criticism and homophobia from some of my siblings after coming out, I couldn’t shake the sense of pride I felt from allowing myself to be unapologetically queer and visible. I’m finally allowing this part of me to flourish and grow. It’s liberating to be radically honest with yourself and others, regardless of what anyone else may think. I’ve now come to identify with the term queer in addition to bisexual. Part of the growth I’ve experienced involves unlearning so much of what I’ve been socialized to believe about the gender binary, and I’m just now starting to understand where I exist outside of it.  

Travis: When I came out to my friends during college, we stayed up talking until very late into the night. I left feeling a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders — and so full of love and support from some of the people I was closest to.

And later when I came out to my parents, they accepted me with open loving arms, for which I’m grateful, but I was also prepared to move forward with my life even if they did not accept me as my true authentic self.

What resources, support groups, or communities did you rely on when coming out? 

Ben: The isolation of being in the closet can sometimes lead to stories or expectations of yourself that aren’t necessarily helpful, or true. For me, as a bisexual, some of those expectations sounded like “I’m not queer enough,” “I don’t fit into the queer community,” or “people won’t believe I’m bi/queer.” I looked to my queer friends and even to LGBTQ+ advocates on social media and was relieved to find that they had many of the same fears about coming out as I did. I found that learning from other people’s experiences could help validate my own feelings, even if we had a different orientation or gender. As a queer Latinx, I also sought validation from people who shared similar intersections around my identity, which helped me navigate the concerns I had about coming out to my family.

Travis: My friends were very supportive so I was really able to lean on them. It was also helpful to just search online for other people’s coming out stories. Before I could tell my family, I knew I had to reach a point where I would be secure in my identity regardless of the outcome of that conversation. Part of the reason it’s so important to share coming out stories is because hearing other people’s experiences helps inspire you to do the same.

What advice would you give to others considering coming out? 

Ben: Above all, put your safety first. Try your best to not take on the burden of guilt for not being your authentic self — that is not a reflection of you, but a reflection of how our environment can fail to provide the validation we deserve. Take your time and build your comfort with folks who will validate your experience. There’s a whole community of people who will back you up and care for you if someone you come out to is hurtful or invalidating. 

Travis: Do it if, and when, you’re ready. You can never control how others will react, so just accept that other people’s responses have nothing to do with you. It took me years to reach that point with my family. It can be incredibly tough, and you can never know in advance how anyone will respond, but if they cannot accept you for your true authentic self, there are plenty others out there who will.

Do you have any suggestions for allies? 

Ben: I would stress the importance of familiarizing yourself with queer history and how our struggle for acceptence has evolved over the years. The LGBTQ+ community and allies have so much to be proud of today, like the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (a former U.S. policy that directed military applicants to not disclose their sexual orientation), the legalization of gay marriage, and more queer representation on our screens — just to name a few.

At the same time, while all of those are certainly celebratory milestones, I ask that allies also recognize that our pride comes from so much more than a handful of legislative victories over the last decade. Our pride comes from the queer folks who came before us and fought for our visibility by rallying voices to speak out against injustice. Allies can research events such as the Compton’s Cafeteria riot, the Stonewall uprising, or the works of the Combahee River Collective. Understanding this historical context is important for also understanding the intersectional nature of the LGBTQ+ struggle for acceptance and restorative justice. Even though we have much to celebrate, our struggle continues as we fight for those who are still excluded or marginalized. 

Travis: Listen. The number one thing you can do is to listen and accept what someone in the LGBTQ+ community is telling you as their truth. It may change in the future — and that’s okay! Sexuality and gender are not a binary, and both can be incredibly fluid.

For parents: how you discuss sexual orientations and gender identities at home can leave a lasting impact on your children. I remember asking my mother about her thoughts on gay marriage, and she shared a more traditional view of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. That stuck with me for a long time and is a key reason I waited so long to tell them who I truly am. Read your toddler a book about a gay couple that gets married, teach your teens about prominent members of the LGBTQ+ community (and why they’re important), and if your LGBTQ+ child asks you to drive them to gay prom, treat the scenario as completely normal — because it is.

Why is it important for you to work at a company that values diversity in all forms? 

Ben: For me it’s a requirement that a company I work for prioritizes diversity and inclusion. I appreciate that Alto provides visibility into the progress that we’ve made towards building a diverse team that reflects the diversity of the patients we build solutions for. We also hold space to identify the work that still needs to be done. It’s really validating to have your background recognized at company celebrations and events or in spaces like employee resource groups (ERGs)*. It’s also important that we do all we can in our everyday actions to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment — one where people feel comfortable enough to be their authentic selves and not like they have to mask their gender, race, neurodivergence, or any other part of their identity. 

Travis: The U.S. — and the world — is made up of so many different people. There’s diversity of thought and beliefs, educational experiences, socioeconomic status, gender, race, A homogenous company that doesn’t mirror that diversity  will never be able to serve the entire population, and will miss out on a lot of opportunities. Alto’s mission is to fulfill medicine's true purpose — to improve quality of life — for everyone who needs it. The key word to me is everyone, and to truly fulfill the promise of that mission, we need a company as diverse as our customers. I personally find it rewarding to work at a company that values diversity and has strong representation of many identities, because that’s how the best ideas come to fruition and ultimately how the most positive impact is achieved.

At Alto, we believe in a world where every perspective matters. Diversity fosters creativity and creates innovation, and we welcome candidates of all backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences. To learn more, read Why We Prioritize Diversity at Alto. 

For more information on how to make your workplace safe and equitable for LGBTQ+ team members, read 11 Simple Ways You (Yes, You!) Can Make Your Workplace More LGBTQ Inclusive. 

If you or someone you know is considering coming out, we encourage you to review these resources:

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Recommended Reading: Coming Out

*ERGs are meant to empower community groups within an organization by directly linking decision makers and implementing policies that support the group’s specific needs. The groups often center around a shared identity or experience and focus on building community, providing support, and contributing to its members’ personal and professional well-being. By creating an open forum for employees to come together, discuss challenges and opportunities, and foster a sense of belonging, ERGs help both individuals and organizations thrive.

The Next Evolution of Our Company Values

A lot has changed at Alto since Matt and I first set out to transform the pharmacy experience back in 2015. (For one thing, we no longer work out of a storage closet.) In the past two years alone, we’ve quadrupled our team to more than 1,000 Altoids and opened new locations in Denver, Las Vegas, Seattle, New York City, Houston, Dallas, San Jose and San Diego.

Our mission — improving the quality of life for everyone who needs medicine — will never change, but a team of 1,000 needs a different recipe for success than one of 100. And as our team continues to grow, along with our geographic footprint, we’ve revisited our core values so that we can move forward with intention and clarity during this next phase of Alto’s journey.

Here are the values that guide our work today.

This was at the top of our founding values, and it’s still here. In fact, our resolve to put patients first has only gotten stronger — not because it’s what is best for the business, but because it is our only reason for being in business. Each member of our team strives to build a world where healthcare companies truly prioritize the needs of their patients, and we’ll do everything in our power to make that a reality.

My personal favorite of all our new values, dancing in the storm is about embracing the bumps in the road — and there are many when you’re taking on challenges within healthcare — and recognizing that you can always choose joy. We strive to help our teammates do the same by infusing a little bit of levity and laughter into the workday. It only takes one person to start a dance party!

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Nor is it the absence of strong opinions, but the willingness to learn and change our minds. Sometimes our ego takes over — that’s only human. But we try to be mindful of it, and willing to let go of our ego and instead put our mission, customers, and teammates ahead of ourselves.

We view ourselves as creators of our circumstances, responsible for our actions and our own well-being. When we don’t like an outcome, we don’t project blame onto others or ourselves, but rather take radical responsibility for how we created the situation. More than any other value, this is an opportunity for deep internal reflection, and by practicing it consistently, we can maximize our own individual growth.

We say what is true for us in the moment, even when it is uncomfortable. We support our teammates to do the same by recognizing the validity of their experience and not taking it personally. Leading with candor isn’t always easy, but it feels much better to live authentically and honestly and to work with others who do as well. Candor doesn't have to be angry or hurtful - it can be kind and binding, compassionate and respectful.

It’s easy to become paralyzed by fear, overwhelmed by all of the possibilities in a complex situation. So unless a decision involves customer or employee safety, we don’t wait for perfect information. We trust our intuition and common sense and simply forge ahead, knowing that mistakes are in fact one of the best ways to learn.

There are no shortcuts or silver bullets in an industry as complex as healthcare. The way to achieve transformational change is through continuous improvement over a long period of time. When we’re overwhelmed by the magnitude of what we’re trying to accomplish, we remember that what each of us does adds up — one step at a time, one customer at a time — and that with small but steady progress we can accomplish great feats.

As a company grows, issues no longer affect a few customers, but a few thousand. It’s tempting to only look at trends and aggregates, but we know this is a trap. Greater distance from individual examples creates more opportunity for misunderstanding, bias, and incorrect assumptions. So we look beyond surface-level data and dive deep into the details. Only then can we fully understand an issue to its core.

Values themselves are just words, and the words themselves are not that important. What’s important is how we live them day in and day out, and the culture they support. In the months ahead, we’ll continue to integrate these values into the fabric of our company processes, our products, our customers’ experiences, and our work lives. And this work is not something just a few leaders or HR team members do - every Altoid has a hand in bringing these values to life and co-creating our culture.

Build Tomorrow’s Pharmacy with Us — Join Our Team

If you are passionate about creating a great company culture, join us in delivering our industry-leading pharmacy care to millions of people across the country. As a member of the team, you’ll play an integral role in improving our customers’ quality of life and redefining what’s possible in pharmacy.

View open roles in design, engineering, IT, sales, patient care, and more.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15 - October 15 every year, Alto is highlighting the important work of Alto Auténtico, our Latinx employee resource group (ERG).

Get to Know Alto Auténtico, our Latinx ERG

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15 - October 15 every year, Alto is highlighting the important work of Alto Auténtico, our Latinx employee resource group (ERG)*. Below, Robert Barahona, Provider Success Specialist and co-leader of Alto Auténtico, shares more about the group’s origins, current initiatives, and plans for the future.

Robert: “Auténtico” means authentic in Spanish, and authenticity is central to the ERG’s mission. The group was created to ensure that Alto’s Latinx team members have a presence and a voice within our company culture, and that they are supported in their professional development with meaningful opportunities to grow at Alto.  

Robert: Our focus is both internal and external. In addition to developing a Latinx community at Alto, we also shape Alto’s product and services so that we’re better serving our Latinx users (more about that later). Much of that work involves building awareness of Latinx history and cultural contributions, as well as bringing attention to negative stereotypes that we want to dismantle.

We use holidays and events like Day of the Dead (November 1st and 2nd) and Cesar Chavez’ birthday (March 31) to share educational resources with our team members. On Cinco de Mayo, we hosted a Zoom happy hour and a taco lunch for all our pharmacies.

For last year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, we invited Dr. Robert Rodriguez, the president of diversity consulting firm DRR Advisors and a thought leader in Latinx talent management, to speak at Alto. He shared about his own journey of repressing his background to assimilate in the workplace to fully embracing his heritage and empowering other Latinx employees to be their authentic selves.

How are we celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this year?

Robert: We’re focusing on celebrating Latinx intersectionality. It’s important to recognize the diversity within Latinx culture and the important perspectives of Latinx women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those of mixed heritage, including our Black and Asian members who also identify as Hispanic or Latinx. Every week during Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re educating the full Alto team about a specific group within the broader Latinx community, with resources for additional learning.

What can team members look forward to from Alto Auténtico in the future? 

Robert: We’re really excited to continue to help shape Alto’s services and resources for customers, making our offerings as inclusive as possible. We’re currently working with the operations, product, and marketing teams to establish a bilingual team to support Spanish-speaking individuals using our pharmacy delivery services across all of our communities. 

We’re also launching a mentorship program in which Alto’s junior Latinx team members will be paired with senior Latinx team members for coaching sessions. This is another important step in continuing to invest in our Latinx team members’ professional development.

How can allies recognize Hispanic Heritage Month?

Robert: Great question! I think learning is key. Simply taking the time to educate yourself about the Hispanic and/or Latinx experience — particularly about our diversity as a group — goes a long way toward building trust, which is key to true allyship.

Interested in learning more about the Alto Auténtico employee resource group? Reach out to altoautentico@alto.com and visit alto.com/careers to learn more about our open roles. 

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15 - October 15 every year, Alto is highlighting the important work of Alto Auténtico, our Latinx employee resource group (ERG)

Get an inside look at the patients team at Alto Pharmacy to learn what it's like to work on Alto's customer-facing apps, which projects are on the horizon, and who makes the best barbecue short ribs.

Get to Know the Team That Builds Alto's Customer-Facing Apps

Imagine an app that allows you to buy things and have them delivered to you the same day, for free. Now take that app and put it in a highly regulated space like pharmacy. You face the challenge not only of building an e-commerce platform from scratch, but also of navigating medication pricing, federal and state regulations, and patient safety—and that's just the way the Patients Team likes it.

"It's a really exciting and fun problem to solve," says Mike Riess, the team's Engineering Manager. Software Engineer Angelique Nehmzow agrees: "There's a really strong product and design aspect, like more traditional startups, but then everything gets a little bit more interesting because it's healthcare."

Below, we chat with the team to learn what it's like to work on Alto's customer-facing apps, which projects are on the horizon, and who makes the best barbecue short ribs.

What does the Patients Team do at Alto? 

Ask anyone on the team why they joined, and chances are, they'll tell you they wanted to be on the product team closest to Alto's customers: "We really try to own the customer experience," says Peter Zeng, the latest Software Engineer to join the team. "If a customer is coming to the web app, or they're coming to our mobile app, we want to make sure that they're able to onboard with us as easily and conveniently as possible."

The team is also responsible for the customer experience beyond onboarding, from the moment a customer schedules a medication for delivery to the time that it shows up on their doorstep. "We already offer great services like free, same-day delivery and cost savings. The Patients Team empowers customers to make the most of our offering," Nehmzow explains. "You can see what prescriptions you have, check on the status of your order, and schedule automatic refills. In a more traditional pharmacy, you don't get that kind of visibility. You have to call them up or even wait in line in person. At Alto, it's a different experience."

What was it like in the team's early days?

Today, there are eleven engineers on the team working to build that better end-to-end experience—but it wasn't always that way. When the team first formed in 2019, it consisted of just three members: Riess, Brian McRae, and Andy Lau, all of whom are still on the team.

"The first priority for us was just stabilizing the foundations," Riess says of the team's early days. Every other week, the three team members, along with Alto co-founders Matt Gamache-Asselin and Jamie Karraker, would meet to audit the app's core flows. "For the first three months we probably didn't make it through some flow at least 50% of the time," Riess recalls. "There would be a ton of bugs in the onboarding experience, things that weren't working with the flows or navigation or deep linking."

Among the team's first projects was a redesign of the checkout flow. "There was a lot of work to be done to streamline the checkout flow, which is pretty much the main function of the app," says McRae, who initially joined the team as a software engineer and later transitioned into product management. "We had to make it easier to add a payment, add your addresses, everything you need to do to schedule your prescription for delivery."

"The growth of the team, in terms of both size and stability of the platform, has allowed us to swing at more interesting bets for the company," Riess says. In particular, the Patients Team has turned their attention toward experiences personalized for specific medical conditions.

"Different customers have different needs. A customer who wishes to start a family will have a different experience than a customer who needs to order their routine heart medications that they've been taking for the last eight years,” McRae says. “The challenge for us is how we serve all these customers well through the app."

"I think that's where Alto can be such a differentiator," Riess adds. "A world-class pharmacy experience is about so much more than just dispensing medications. We want to build tools for customers that help them get the most out of their medications—everything from simple videos teaching them how to perform injections safely at home to the ability to synchronize deliveries for multiple prescriptions for managing complex health conditions."

With these new projects on the horizon, engineers have ample opportunity to focus on the areas that excite them most. "We're full-stack and mobile and web," Nehmzow says. "Part of the team focuses more on experimentation, iterating quickly, and using data to make decisions. Part of the team focuses more on platform work, tooling, and improving the developer experience. There are a lot of areas to explore and contribute to."

One spring night, the Patients Team gathered in a back yard in San Francisco’s Mission District for short ribs and an impressive spread of side dishes. "Kudos to Robbi, who's the grill master. I just provide the grill!" Nehmzow says, laughing. While the team barbecue was the first time some members had met in person, Zeng notes that the team has been supportive of one another even while working remotely during the pandemic.

"The first real project that I was assigned to was working with the communications system. Before writing my first piece of code, I spent two weeks exploring what already exists and understanding the different parts of the system," Zeng says. "I've been really impressed with how understanding my teammates have been. They make the space for you to learn all the different pieces of code we own."

That culture of support is by design, reflected in the six principles—complete with matching emojis—at the top of the #patients-team Slack channel: "Empower each other," "be an owner," "find the path," "learn by doing," "embrace complexity," and "foster trust." 

While these principles echo Alto's company-wide values, they are unique to the Patients Team. "For a long time, we were the only external-facing product team at Alto," Riess says. "These principles were intended to be this motivation around how we win. It's a combination of how we treat each other, how we reason about decision making, and how we approach solving a problem that's never existed before."

As the team looks toward the future, those principles have never been more relevant: "We have a goal and an area we want to focus on, but in terms of which projects we're going to do, it's not a top-down thing," Nehmzow says. "It's very much, 'We're going to figure out how to solve this problem together, even when it's difficult.' That's my favorite part about the team."

The Patients Team is hiring! Learn more about open positions here.

It’s official: Alto Pharmacy is a great place to work! We’re honored to join the community of Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies.

Alto Pharmacy Named Great Place to Work®

It’s official: Alto Pharmacy is a great place to work! We’re honored to join the community of Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies based on team member feedback and a rigorous assessment of our company’s culture and benefits. This important recognition is a testament to the dedication of the entire Alto team and the vision of our founders to create a healthcare company truly anchored on the needs and experiences of the customer.

80% of our team says that Alto is a great place of work, compared to just 59% of employees at  other companies that participated in this year’s assessment. Here are other key takeaways from our team’s’ responses:

93% of our team members say that you are made to feel welcome when you join Alto.

88% say that people care about each other here.

86% say that they are able to take time off from work when needed.

Every company has its own unique culture, but there are two things that all great workplaces share: trust in company leadership and a strong sense of pride in the work. For many Alto team members, being part of a mission-driven company is one of the best parts of working here. 

Our mission — to improve the quality of life for everyone who needs medicine — guides us in every business decision, every day. From fostering an inclusive culture that invests in talent from the same communities as our patients, to building a pharmacy model that meets individuals where they are in their health journey, everything we do at Alto is anchored on delivering meaningful change. 

When asked what makes Alto a great place to work, our team members emphasized our guiding company values — including our commitment to putting patients first and leading with empathy — and getting to spend each workday with colleagues who are also inspired and motivated by those values.

“Our bold, patient-centered mission creates a powerful level of empathy across the entire team,” shared Rob Anderson, Alto’s Head of Talent . “The people who work here are one of the best parts of coming into work, and one of the top reasons our workplace is so rewarding.”

And taking care of our team members is just as important as ensuring we leave no patient behind. In response to the past year’s unprecedented challenges, we introduced Alto Recharge Week, which includes expanded time off for all team members. This reset period allows team members to unplug and recharge, and it’s also a small show of  appreciation for how they supported our patients and healthcare providers throughout these challenging times.  

It’s an exciting moment to be part of Alto’s mission. Since our founding in 2015, we’ve been focused on delivering a totally new model of pharmacy care. Our community-based, courier-first pharmacy model simplifies the entire prescription process and is tailored to each patient’s unique needs, leading to better  outcomes, healthier lives, and happier customers. And with every year, Alto’s impact continues to grow:

More than 36 million individuals now live within Alto’s free same-day courier service zones. 

In the past twelve months, we opened new locations in New York City, Houston, Dallas, and San Jose and expanded our coverage areas in Seattle, Las Vegas, and Denver. 

We've expanded our specialized resources for patients living with diabetes and managing heart and lung conditions .

We’ve accomplished so much over the past six years, and we’re still just getting started.

“I don’t know a single person who hasn’t needed something from a pharmacy at some point, and there’s still so many people across the country who have yet to experience our unique community pharmacy experience,” Alto’s Recruiting Manager Lauren Binet said. “That potential for impact is incredibly motivating.”

As our geographic footprint has grown, so has our team. In the past two years alone, we’ve quadruped our team to more than 1,000 Altoids!

Join us in delivering our industry-leading pharmacy care to millions of people across the country. As a member of the team, you’ll play an integral role in improving our customers’ quality of life and redefining what’s possible in pharmacy.

About Great Place to Work Certification™

Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

All third party trademarks (including logos and icons) referenced by Alto Pharmacy remain the property of their respective owners. Unless specifically identified as such, Alto’s use of third party trademarks does not indicate any relationship, sponsorship or endorsement between Alto and the owners of these trademarks.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we highlight four women at Alto shaping the future of pharmacy. These leaders share their advice for women in the workplace, their unique super powers, and what they appreciate most about Alto's culture.

Celebrating Women at Alto Pharmacy

Liz Kelly, Sr. Director Sales, Fertility 

I'm responsible for hiring, coaching and supporting the needs of the national fertility sales team. I also work closely with fertility business and operations teams to deliver on our clinic and customer promises.

Before joining Alto, I was finishing up a sabbatical where I spent my time volunteering on the board of a non-profit called ServeHAITI. Prior to that, I was the West Coast Area Business Director at EMD Serono and worked with Matt and Jaime [Alto’s co-founders] to secure a contract to distribute fertility meds when they were still working out of AG Pharmacy!

What do you appreciate the most about Alto's culture? 

Hands down my favorite part of being on the Alto team is that the patient is truly at the center of every decision we make. I value that we make business decisions with our mission in mind.

What do you like doing outside of work?  

Of late, my favorite pastime is heading to the dog beach with my rescue, Bodhi, who has been the best medicine to ease some of the COVID-19 isolation I experienced over the past year. Before the pandemic, I made sure to travel to at least one new international spot a year. I love the experience of getting exposed to all things about another culture: cuisine, culture, belief systems, language.

I like to think that my super power is seeing the greatness in others, sometimes before they see it in themselves.

I aspire to live by the motto "be the change you wish to see in the world." I encourage women to speak up for what they believe is right, even if nobody else agrees. That includes planning for your own career path and making it a priority to develop your skill sets so that you are prepared to climb the ladder that serves your own greatness.

I graduated from pharmacy school in May of 1979 and started working at AG Pharmacy after passing my boards later that year. I bought AG in 1998 when the previous owner wanted to retire - he had been with AG since it first opened in the early 60's.

My family moved to San Francisco from Hong Kong when I was five years old. Our story is one similar to those of many immigrant families who came to America looking for a better life in search of the American dream: own a home, have a car, raise children safely and give them the opportunity of a good education and a chance to have a better life. My parents raised their children here, emphasizing family, hard work and education. They lived their American dream, and I have them to thank for all that I am today.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work? 

I love to travel. There are so many unique places to visit in this world. With the different cultures, the food, and the amazing sceneries/landscapes, there are endless things to see and experience! 

The thing I appreciate most about Alto's culture is that everyone works so hard together to bring about the best pharmacy experience for all our customers. You can feel the energy and the motivation of all the Altoids. I cannot emphasize how amazing it is to be a part of this team and to watch Alto grow and evolve into the pharmacy of the future and the pharmacy of our dreams!

What’s your favorite memory thus far at Alto? 

In the very early days, when Alto was still Scriptdash Pharmacy, a customer needed to get her trigger shot [as part of a fertility protocol] within the next few hours. It was close to rush hour, and we had no couriers available to deliver to the South Bay. Our CEO Matt came to the rescue on his motorcycle, and off he went to make the delivery. It was such a wonderful and warm feeling to watch and cheer him on together. That is truly what Alto love is all about!

I manage our amazing IT Support team, helping all Altoids get the technology support they need, when they need it. 

For the better part of the last decade I have been managing IT Support teams. From Facebook and Twitter to Lyft and Uber, I’ve seen it all (or at least most of it!).

Our incredible dedication to our mission. In my short time here, I truly see us putting patients first, and it’s moving to see. 

What do you like doing outside of work? 

I’m a big traveler, but since COVID-19 has put a damper on that, I enjoy flying around Colorado with my partner in our vintage Beechcraft Bonanza. I also love hopping on my motorcycle and just exploring! 

I’m in love with Central and Eastern Europe. Some of my favorite places are Prague, Vienna and Budapest. 

I’m originally from Iran but moved a lot growing up, including Oklahoma, Australia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Chicago. I have been in San Francisco for the last six years. I stumbled across software engineering in college and found a passion for building products and teams. I joined Alto as the third engineer and this is now the largest company I’ve ever worked at. 

I lead a group of 20 engineers across three teams. Two teams are focused on getting prescriptions ready to schedule quickly and accurately, and one is focused on enabling faster, higher quality, and more enjoyable product development across the broader product and technology organization. My work involves a lot of collaboration, creativity, transparency, and flexibility. 

I was an early software engineer at a small startup; before that I was a hybrid software engineer and product manager at a design and development studio. 

I like how passionate everyone is about what they do. 

I’m at my best managing a crisis or finding a path through conflicting strong opinions. 

I want to start with some advice for our allies: get more curious about the experience of the women you work with and learn about ways you can support and amplify the work of the women around you. Diversity, equality and inclusion is a team sport and, even if we win a game or two, it’s about the continuous pursuit of excellence. 

For my fellow women at Alto, I wish I knew earlier to focus more on improving my craft and impact so I can get a seat at the table, rather than trying to juggle advocacy and my own work. Once you’re at the table, you can really advocate for hiring, growing, and retaining women. 

To learn more about the work of our six employee resource groups (ERG’s) focused on building community - including Umoja (Black), Auténtico (LatinX/Hispanic), Women (WOAA), Proud (LGBTQIA+), Asian/Pacific Islander, and Working Parents - read our 2020 Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Report. 

Are you passionate about shaping the future of pharmacy? Join us as we deliver our industry-leading pharmacy care to millions of Americans. 

Your thyroid makes the hormones that regulate your metabolism. In this article we'll share tips for supporting your thyroid health as well as what to do when your thyroid is out of balance.

All About the Thyroid

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your throat. It’s part of the endocrine system—a series of glands that produce and regulate hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that “tell” certain cells and organs what to do, influencing nearly all of the body’s functions. 

Your thyroid makes the hormones that regulate your metabolism: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy,  facilitating vital functions such as blood circulation, breathing, and cell repair. Without the thyroid, the body could not break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates for fuel. 

The thyroid gland does not simply act on its own. It receives signals from the pituitary gland, the body’s “master gland,” which is located at the base of the brain and regulates vital body functions. The pea-sized pituitary gland sends its instructions through a hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH levels rise and fall in the blood, telling the thyroid the exact amount of each hormone to secrete. Hormone levels within the body are a delicate balancing act, and several disorders can arise if the thyroid overproduces (hyperthyroidism) or underproduces (hypothyroidism) T4 and T3. 

With hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland makes too many hormones, accelerating the body's metabolism, which can cause unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat. According to the Mayo Clinic, other symptoms may include increased appetite, nervousness or anxiety, sweating, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. Without treatment, hyperthyroidism can lead to serious complications, including heart conditions like congenital heart failure, eye problems, and osteoporosis. 

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid isn’t making enough hormones, and symptoms may not be noticeable at first. Common symptoms of hypothyroidism may include increased sensitivity to cold, fatigue, constipation, weight gain, and dry skin. If left unchecked, the condition can eventually lead to obesity, joint pain, infertility, and heart disease.

Both conditions can be treated, often through the use of synthetic hormones or anti-thyroid medications. If you’re concerned about thyroid health, your healthcare provider can administer a blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels and recommend the appropriate treatment. 

Eating a nutritious, well-rounded diet is essential for thyroid health. Many vitamins and minerals support the thyroid, and iodine is chief among them. This trace mineral is an essential building block of thyroid hormones, but our bodies don’t produce it. Therefore, we need to consume iodine in foods such as iodized salt, seafood, seaweeds, egg yolks, dairy products, and lima beans.

It’s important not to go overboard, however. Consuming iodine in excess can negatively affect hormone levels in some individuals. Iodine deficiency is rare in the United States, so if you’re eating a varied diet, you’re likely within the range of the recommended 150 micrograms per day. 

Selenium is another critical mineral for thyroid function that can be found in brazil nuts, fish, meat, poultry, and fortified cereals and grains. Just like with iodine, selenium deficiency in the U.S. is rare, and it can be detrimental to go too far over the recommended 200 micrograms per day. 

Both the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Health recommend eating a variety of healthy foods rather than focusing too heavily on specific foods or supplements for thyroid health. If you have any concerns about your intake of essential nutrients, talk with your doctor about taking a multivitamin with minerals.

A Word of Caution about Thyroid Supplements

Your endocrine system maintains a very precise balance of hormone levels. For that reason, it’s not a good idea to experiment with your hormone health on your own. According to Cleveland Clinic endocrinologist Christian Nasr, MD, taking over-the-counter iodine supplements could result in getting more than the recommended daily value, which may leave you worse off than before. “The effect of iodine supplements can vary by person, causing the thyroid to produce either too much or too little hormone,” he cautioned.

Consumer Reports also issued a warning about thyroid supplements, reporting that many have been found to contain thyroid hormones derived from animal glands—and there’s often no indication on the labels. When researchers randomly tested ten “thyroid support” supplements, they found that nine contained “clinically relevant” levels of thyroid hormones, in some cases at levels that rivaled prescription thyroid medications. Researchers concluded that these supplements posed a “potential danger to public health.” 

Keep in mind that dietary supplements are not reviewed for safety or effectiveness by the FDA, so it’s best to talk with your healthcare provider before beginning a new over-the-counter supplement. Taking “thyroid support” supplements could alter your hormone levels in unpredictable ways and have undesirable health consequences. If you’re at all concerned about your thyroid health, consult your doctor so you can have your hormone levels tested and begin a prescribed treatment plan. 

A healthy thyroid contributes to feeling energized and ready to live life to the fullest. If your doctor determines that your hormone levels are out of balance, taking medication can restore your vitality. Once you develop a treatment plan, we’d be happy to take over the details of managing your medications. We’ll drop them off at your doorstep for free, and your prescription information will always be at your fingertips through our desktop and mobile apps. Plus, our pharmacists will only be a phone call, text message, or in-app chat away if you have questions about side effects or which foods to avoid eating around dosage time. 

Want to learn more about a better pharmacy experience with Alto? Our care team and endocrinology specialists are available to answer your questions from 9 am – 12 midnight ET Monday – Friday, and 10 am – 9 pm ET on weekends; reach out by in-app secure messaging or phone.

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

When the pandemic hit, we were thankful to already be in the position to make a meaningful difference for Alto’s working parents. Our Working Parents & Allies Employee Resource Group (ERG) was formed at the beginning of 2020. 

Supporting Working Parents at Alto

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the shutdown of schools, offices, and daycare programs this year, working parents have been expected to accomplish Herculean feats of focus. Many parents spend their waking hours with one eye on their computer screens and the other on their children, all while coordinating remote learning, nap times, and video conferences. 

Those who continue to work outside the home must navigate the unpredictable availability of childcare services. Anything from new shutdown orders to a caretaker forced to quarantine can mean a lapse in care. A recent study found that 33% of working parents had no access to childcare at all, a percentage twice as large as in pre-pandemic times. 

At Alto, we serve thousands of working parents, including many who are juggling caring for their children and aging parents. Just as we support them by delivering a better pharmacy experience, we also want to support the hundreds of heroic parents working at Alto and caring for our customers every day. 

ERGs are meant to empower community groups within an organization by directly linking decision makers and implementing policies that support the group’s specific needs. The groups often center around a shared identity or experience and focus on building community, providing support, and contributing to its members’ personal and professional well-being. By creating an open forum for employees to come together, discuss challenges and opportunities, and foster a sense of belonging, ERGs help both individuals and organizations thrive. 

“Now more than ever it’s important to uplift and advocate for parents,” shares co-lead and mother Lidia Valdez. “The parenting landscape has shifted dramatically in 2020 but with the continued sense of community at Alto we can lean on one another for advice and support.” 

For more on how Alto fosters an inclusive culture and company, we invite you to read Diversity at Alto. 

The Mission of Alto’s Parent & Allies ERG

Alto’s Working Parents & Allies ERG came into being just before the pandemic began placing unprecedented demands on parents. It aims to provide an inclusive space for parents and allies to discuss how they’re feeling, speak openly about the challenges they’re facing, and request what they need from Alto. The ERG also helps parents remain informed and up-to-date on the policies and programs that are in place to support them. 

While the ERG’s first initiatives have centered upon providing pandemic-related support—from child care services to remote learning opportunities—these initiatives will continue to grow and evolve along with the needs of working parents at Alto. 

It was quickly apparent that Alto’s working parents—like parents everywhere—were overwhelmed with trying to manage the sudden shift to full-time, in-home childcare and schooling. The ERG responded by launching forums co-hosted by parents and the ERG leadership committee. These support groups were designed to create a safe space for parents and allies to share how they felt amidst a return to virtual learning in the Fall. Following the discussions, we launched a pilot program to offer immediate, tangible support. 

We began by inviting parents to opt into a program facilitating childcare services through UrbanSitter—a site that connects parents with trusted caretakers from their local communities. Interested parents received a stipend to cover membership fees and in-home or remote care costs. Whether parents needed support during a video conference or last-minute care after finding out their child’s daycare was closed, UrbanSitter could provide some relief.

We also rolled out a program with Outschool—a marketplace of live, online classes for students ages three to eighteen. Participating parents could access five hours of classes per week for free, allowing their children to explore interests ranging from math and music to filmmaking, coding, painting, and writing. With over 50,000 classes available, Outschool helps parents focus by keeping their kids engaged with fun, enriching activities. In the words of one Alto parent, “I really enjoyed Outschool for my kids. It’s such a good help; they are engaged and learning new things. Both my children and I love it!”

In addition, parents that needed hardware support for at-home distance learning were provided laptops at no cost. 

After a few months, we asked parents to provide feedback on the pilot program. We found that 71% of parents participated in the program, and 47% felt that the resources had made a positive impact on their lives or increased their ability to be productive and engaged at work. We’ll use this feedback to continue initiatives that have made a difference in the lives of Alto’s working parents while introducing new programs that can provide further support. 

The ERG leadership team also identified opportunities that would spark joy and support parents outside of the Alto community. “Working remotely can often feel isolating so we wanted to create instances for parents and their children to be recognized,” notes co-lead and parent Sandy Obeji. “In addition, we knew it would be important to extend this acknowledgement beyond parents at Alto.“

In October, we hosted a Halloween costume contest aimed at encouraging fun and creativity. Alto parents were invited to share photos of their kids in costumes, and prizes were awarded for the most unique, scariest, and funniest getups. Both adults and kids participated in choosing the winners, arguably providing more fun than a night of trick-or-treating. 

We also coordinated a Holiday Giveback Program to raise money for supplies and gifts for children and families in need during the holiday season. Alto employees were able to donate items to seven organizations—one for each Alto pharmacy location—virtually with the help of You Give Goods. In the end, we exceeded our fundraising goal and Alto matched the total donation to help make the holidays a little brighter for families across the country. 

Initiatives like these are just the beginning, and the Working Parents & Allies ERG has been collecting feedback that will guide our planning for 2021. In addition to extending access to several of the resources mentioned above, we are also exploring workshops for parents centered around current issues and events. 

There are plenty of reasons to believe that parents are superheroes, but that doesn’t mean we can expect them to perform superhuman tasks. Alto’s Working Parents & Allies ERG was created to help parents find much-needed balance and support during a tremendously difficult time. We look forward to seeing the group grow, aiding ongoing and future initiatives, and continuing to foster a culture where everyone feels included, valued, and supported. 

Interested in learning more about the Working Parents & Allies ERG? Reach out to parents@alto.com. 

We are building a pharmacy where every patient matters and is included. To do that, we need to foster a culture and company that is committed to challenging existing racism, injustice and prejudice, in order to create a culture and service that is inclusive. 

Diversity At Alto: Building an Inclusive Healthcare Company and Culture

At Alto, we are redefining the pharmacy experience which has been part of a very old, broken way that has fueled systemic racism. We are building a pharmacy where every patient matters and is included. To do that, we need to foster a culture and company that is committed to challenging existing racism, injustice and prejudice, in order to create a culture and service that is inclusive.  Our team consists of committed and passionate individuals who champion to effect positive change on issues related to race, injustice and prejudice.

This passion for equality is what we strived for when we first set out to build a team with a broad representation of diversity. Our goal was to create a community that reflects an inclusive culture regardless of age, education, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or other dimensions of diversity. Yet even with the best of intentions we recognize that there is more work to be done to dismantle the systems and structures that fuel racism and inequity.

2020 has been a year like none other for so many.  HR professionals around the globe have stepped center stage to support our organizations, teams and communities in ways many of us could not imagine.  I wanted to write this post to share my personal journey on this topic while supporting others in capturing this moment.  I am a white gay cis man.  Many of my identities provide much privilege.  I am committed to educating myself. I am building an environment where our teams can push past their fears to learn and grow.

Read more about Why We Prioritize Diversity at Alto.  

In 2019 we initiated our focused DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) work with the goal of ensuring employees felt safe, and included, and ensuring that candidates and employees have equal access to opportunity for advancement in the organization. We learned a few things during the early days of this work including balancing listening while creating the right structure to move to action.  Fast forward to early 2020, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, George Floyd, and Jacob Blake, we like many other organizations did not want another moment for action to pass by.

Read more about Alto’s Mission and Values. 

The week after George Floyd’s murder we hosted a series of listening sessions for Altoids.  We began them with a simple statement:  “We are holding this space for you.  Tell us how you are feeling.  Share your experiences.” The results were powerful moments of revelation, pain and heartbreak.  Black, Asian, Native and Latinx Altoids shared experiences of racism, sexism, and prejudice in their lives.  As a leadership team, we started to wake up to the enormity and urgency of the work we had ahead of us.

In reflecting on these tragic murders and Altoid voices, we realized we needed to expand the building blocks of our 2020/2021 DEI strategy. We recognized that we didn’t want to rely on the members of our underrepresented communities to lead us on this journey.  We do not expect underrepresented professionals to teach us, especially cis white men, about the history and experiences that led us to this moment. 

Blog

Celebrating National Coming Out Day at Alto

The Next Evolution of Our Company Values

Get to Know Alto Auténtico, our Latinx ERG

Get to Know the Team That Builds Alto's Customer-Facing Apps

Alto Pharmacy Named Great Place to Work®

Celebrating Women at Alto Pharmacy

All About the Thyroid

Supporting Working Parents at Alto

Diversity At Alto: Building an Inclusive Healthcare Company and Culture

Get to Know Alto’s VP of Engineering, Mike McClay

How (and Why) We’re Standardizing Our Commit Messages

Celebrating National Pharmacist Month at Alto

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