Daniel Mollura: Bringing Life-Saving Radiology to Hospitals around the World

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers.

Hi friends, it’s Spiffy, back again on Planet Earth with an eye on entrepreneurs making the world a more equitable place! I have one more interview for you this week. Today I’m excited to cruise around with Daniel Mollura, founder, president, and CEO of RAD-AID International. Are you ready to be inspired?

Spiffy: Hi Dan, thanks a million for talking to me today. Tell me, what challenge is RAD-AID International addressing?

Dan: It’s great to be here, Spiffy! Have you ever had an X-ray for a broken bone or a cough, when a doctor took a picture of your arm, leg, or chest? Or gone to the dentist and had a picture taken inside your mouth to check for cavities? These are special medical pictures that help doctors see inside your body so they can help you heal and stay healthy. We call these pictures "radiology" because special "rays" (like X-rays) make the images. Many parts of the world don’t have enough doctors, health workers, or radiology machines to take these pictures or understand what they mean. That’s why our organization is called "RAD-AID"—because we help ("aid") hospitals around the world use radiology ("rad" for short) pictures to help sick or injured people.

Spiffy: Super! What motivates you to do it?

Dan: I am a doctor now, but when I was younger, I worked on Wall Street. In my Wall Street job, I worked with banks and companies doing business all over the world. I learned about many countries, economies, and how companies make products people buy. I changed my career to become a doctor because I wanted to help people who are sick. One day, I realized that billions of people around the world didn’t have X-rays or radiology machines (things I used every day). So, I decided to use both my Wall Street business experience and my medical knowledge to build RAD-AID and help people who needed radiology. Now, every day feels wonderful as I work with many cultures and countries to make the world healthier and more peaceful.

Spiffy: That’s inspiring! What would you say is the impact of your work?

Dan: When RAD-AID began in 2008, it was just a simple idea with a few projects and fewer than five people working together. As more people learned about RAD-AID, they started to join, donate, and volunteer. Now, RAD-AID helps over 40 countries and more than 115 hospitals, with over 18,000 volunteers. It’s a joy to see health workers around the world come together in RAD-AID to solve health problems for people who need us. So, if someone has a possible broken bone, a cough, or another illness, we make sure doctors, nurses, and other health workers have the radiology machines and skills needed to take care of that person.

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent milestone/initiative by you or your org. What impact does that make?

Dan: You’ve probably heard a lot about "Artificial Intelligence" or "AI" in the news, on the internet, and on social media. Basically, AI is computer software that mimics human learning and problem-solving. Right now, doctors are figuring out how AI can help sick people and keep the world healthy. AI is particularly good with pictures, like recognizing patterns, images, and shapes. So, radiology (which uses pictures like X-rays) is a great match for AI. RAD-AID is helping hospitals and medical professionals use AI to take care of people who are sick or injured, or even to prevent illness. Google.org is supporting RAD-AID’s effort to help hospitals in 20 countries use AI for healthcare.

Spiffy: Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience?

Dan: I would like to add that dreaming of creating something new is one of the greatest joys. As you go through school and learn new things every day, you’re getting the tools to one day create your own dream. I never imagined, when I was working on Wall Street, that I would have the chance to be a doctor and start RAD-AID. But the things I learned in school and from my jobs all came together later so I could build something new that might help make the world a better place. That’s always possible for everyone. So, each day is a step toward your dream, even when things feel slow or discouraging. Every skill and lesson you learn might be a piece of your own puzzle coming together to create your own special picture.

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Dan—it’s been an honor!

Dr. Daniel Mollura is the founder, president, and CEO of RAD-AID International, a nonprofit for increasing health and radiology medical care to resource-poor communities. Dr. Mollura received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed his diagnostic radiology residency and fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Based on his background as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs and prior founding of three other successful start-ups in the media, technology, and public sectors, he has led RAD-AID for over 16 years with over 18,000 members serving over 115 hospitals in 40 countries. In addition to his ten years at Johns Hopkins, he served for ten years at National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. (Nominated by Ricki Meyer at Google.org. First published on the Ladderworks website on January 22, 2025.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.