Andrea Kabcenell, RN, MPH, vice president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is on the research and demonstration team and leads the initiative to improve performance in IHI programs. Since 1995, she has directed Breakthrough Series Collaboratives and other improvement programs, including Pursuing Perfection, a national demonstration funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to show that near perfect, leading-edge performance is possible in health care. Prior to joining IHI, Kabcenell was a senior research associate in Cornell University's Department of Policy, Analysis, and Management focusing on chronic illness care, quality, and diffusion of innovation. She also served for four years as program officer at The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.