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This story originally appeared in the , published twice yearly by the 91���� Alumni Association.

The distance to Orono from Ewa Kleczyk’s native Poland is just under 4,000 miles, but her journey is perhaps more properly measured in experiences, accolades and giving back to her many communities.

Kleczyk, who first arrived in Maine in the late 1990s as an exchange student at Belfast Area High School, enrolled at the 91����, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 2001 and a master’s in resource economics and policy in 2003. She continued her education at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where she earned another master’s in 2005, followed by a Ph.D. She has since parlayed these degrees and her experiences into becoming a healthcare analytics executive and author.

Currently the founder of Kleczyk Con­sulting LLC and a strategic advisor in healthcare artificial intelligence (AI), analytics and platforms, she works to leverage real-world data and AI to improve patient outcomes, optimize research and advance digital transformation within the healthcare industry. Kleczyk is also a sought-after speaker and author of the 2025 book “Empowered Leadership: Breaking Barriers, Building Impact and Leaving Legacy.”

Among her many accolades are a 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, the Pharmaceutical Marketing Sciences Association Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2016 91���� Alumni Association’s Spirit of Maine Achievement Award. She was also included in The Healthcare Technology Report as among the top 50 women in the industry in 2024.

For Kleczyk, this extraordinary arc of achi­evement and service can perhaps claim Orono as the academic origin and spark for what was to come, but the foundation resides in far more distant lands.

Raised in Poland during the Cold War, Kleczyk’s upbringing was forged not only by the monumental political events of the era, but by parents who “placed a strong emphasis on education, resilience and self-reliance — values that were essential rather than aspirational at the time,” she said. 

“My mother worked in the healthcare in­du­s­try, which exposed me early to the realities of patient care and the importance of functioning health systems,” Kleczyk said. Her father, a quality engineer with his own firm, taught her “precision, accountability, and the discipline of systems thinking.”

“Studying math was non-negotiable in our household,” she said. 

Early on, she was shaped by a fascination with how systems operate — scientific, social and institutional ones. Over time, this evolved into a focus on healthcare and data-driven decision making, she said. 

“Rather than a single ‘ah-ha’ moment, it was a series of realizations that rigorous data, when applied responsibly, can … improve human lives,” she said. 

Making Connections at 91���� and Beyond

While in Orono, Kleczyk fell into the academic embrace of mentors, including Mario Teisl ’90G, Gary Hunt, Adrienne Kearney and others, who shaped how she approached academic problems while also considering real-world implications. 

“Their mentorship reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and ethical leadership — principles that continue to guide my work today,” she said.

On campus, she embraced student life, skating at Alfond Arena, meeting friends at the Bear’s Den, attending the Oronoka International Dance Party and participating in Culturefest. 

“It was an incredible opportunity to connect with so many students and celebrate their diverse talents,” she said. “And it gave me a whole new appreciation for student life and leadership at 91����.”

Kleczyk’s experience at 91���� extended beyond the campus and was enriched when she was introduced to Stacey Smith Guerin ’81 and her family. Guerin was a homeschooling mother looking to expand her children’s understanding of different cultures. She contacted the International Student Association at 91����, and they connected her with Kleczyk. The Guerins “became my family in Maine,” Kleczyk said. 

“They provided not only warmth and stability, but a true sense of home,” she said. “To this day, Stacey calls me her ‘Polish daughter,’ a reflection of the lasting personal bonds.”

“In the many years that I have been friends with Ewa, we have grown and expanded our horizons with both of us embracing our passion for leadership and community service,” said Guerin, a state senator from Penobscot County since 2018. “Her grasp of analytics and incredible work ethic have propelled her into national leadership in her field,” Guerin noted. “Her leadership and community service have been noted by others, culminating in her earning more awards than I can count.”

These principles have been key in Kleczyk’s success.

A Commitment to Community Service

But if analytics are her profession, com­munity service is perhaps her passion. Kleczyk is deeply committed to mentoring new generations of women in STEM fields. She also remains tied to her personal causes in Maine.

Kleczyk and her husband, James “JR” Strout, serve on the Community Cancer Council for the Northern Light Health Network, and co-founded the Kleczyk-Strout Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping others by supporting healthcare, education, housing and other issues. Additionally, she serves as the chair of the College Advisory Board for 91����’s College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. If that weren’t enough, she also has been a guest lecturer at the School of Economics. 

“These lectures allow me to share my experience in data-driven decision-making, AI in healthcare, and strategic leadership with students preparing for careers in business and technology,” she said.

Sheree Tilson, Strout’s aunt who has known Kleczyk for some 16 years — glows with pride about her friend’s dedication to the community, healthcare causes, and dogged work ethic.

“Ewa has a very strong work ethic,” Tillson said. “She is driven, committed, and loyal to the organization she works for.”

“Her career journey has not been easy,” she added. “Polish was her first language, so she had to learn English in addition to a very different life in the states.”

“Her education and career journey has required her to be resilient, committed to her goal, very driven to succeed, willing to be open to feedback, and able to overcome setbacks,” she said.

As much as any other experience, Kleczyk’s tenure in Orono helped to complete the path from young immigrant to student to worldwide healthcare research and analytics leader.

“My 91���� experience laid the foundation for how I lead today: with curiosity, accountability, and respect for interdisciplinary collaboration,” she said. “It was a place where independent thinking was encouraged …. Curiosity was welcomed, and ambition could coexist naturally with humility.”

Story by By John Ripley ’90

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu