meet empierus

who we are

Financial improvements on both ends of the income statement come when curiosity and logic are supported with data. Our firm name is derived from the word ‘empirical’, which emphasizes Empierus’ fact-driven approach to achieving sustainable client results.

With decades of healthcare operational and supply chain experiences and an entrepreneurial passion for helping our clients navigate beyond the status quo, we look forward to teaming up on your next project.
Taking notes on an ipadTaking notes on an ipad

driven by our shared passion for results

bridging the gap between data and action

data
action
A strong command of the facts, backed up by good data, will always lead to a confident outcome. Our team excels at extracting data from a variety of sources and leveraging it in the context of supporting an important decision or negotiation. We sort out the good from the bad; incorporating client data, vendor data, stakeholder knowledge, and market insights into a complete picture that enables our clients to be successful in any initiative.

45+

combined years of industry experience

We are rooted in healthcare with a diverse background of subject matter expertise.

30+

healthcare systems supported

We are fortunate to serve many organizations of all sizes across the country.

$500m+

benefit dollars implemented

Our clients realize meaningful financial benefits that can be reinvested in patient care and the communities served.

meet empierus

our team of experts

Jeffrey Dineen
Jeffrey Dineen

managing partner

Jeff has nearly two decades of consulting and business experience in the healthcare, manufacturing and financial services industries. He has led many large-scale client implementation engagements delivering over $100M in recurring financial benefits and sustainable process improvements across various areas of non-labor expense. Jeff’s healthcare clients have included top tier academic medical centers, large integrated delivery networks and small community hospitals.
Andrew Gastwirth

managing partner

Andrew has nearly two decades of experience providing high-quality service to supply chain and procurement professionals and finance and operational executives. Formerly with Huron Consulting, Andrew worked in the Legal and Healthcare practice units. There he managed a broad range of engagements with strategic, operational, and cost reduction focus. At ICG Commerce (now Accenture), Andrew was the North American Category lead for two Fortune 500 accounts, and had supply chain responsibility for over $300M in annual professional service spend.
Andrew Gastwirth
Jonathan Vito

managing partner

Jonathan has extensive experience identifying and implementing cost reduction and performance improvement opportunities for his clients. In his nearly two decades of consulting, he has worked with clients in many industries including: Healthcare, Higher Education, Technology, and Financial Services. Since 2008 Jonathan has primarily advised healthcare providers and has led several multi-year engagements for some of the largest health systems in the country. Utilizing a “hands on” leadership style, Jonathan has delivered over $250 million of cost savings to clients.
Joanna Guziak

Senior manager

Prior to joining Empierus, Joanna worked in both large and small consulting firms. Her career has been focused on transformational projects aimed at performance improvement and strategic cost optimization for healthcare clients. Joanna earned her bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Business Administration from DePaul University and currently resides in Northwest Indiana. In her free time, Joanna enjoys spending time with her big Polish family or traveling the world with her husband.
Patrick sternberg

Senior Consultant

Patrick joined Empierus after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and minor in Economics from The Ohio State University.  His passion for consulting was ignited by his involvement in the TAMID organization at The Ohio State University, where he engaged with several startups to study the operational impact of their strategic decisions.  Patrick combines his professional experience along with his analytical and problem-solving capabilities to drive meaningful change for his clients.  Patrick grew up in New York and now resides in downtown Chicago. In his free time Patrick enjoys golfing, watching sports, and spending time with his friends and family.
Abby GaughAn

Senior Consultant

Abby joined Empierus after graduating from the University of Michigan. She received a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences from the School of Public Health. Through her previous experience working within the healthcare system, she gained valuable knowledge of healthcare operations.  She combines that experience with her analytical capabilities to support clients of all sizes ranging from small community hospitals to large academic medical centers.  Abby lives in Chicago and enjoys walking, biking, and running the lakefront as well as appreciating various restaurants throughout the city.
Lexi Smith

Consultant

Lexi joined Empierus after graduating from The University of Chicago, where she graduated with a Bachelor's in Biological Sciences and in Statistics. Her passion for the healthcare industry stemmed from her former role researching pancreatitis and her patient interactions within The University of Chicago Medicine. She draws upon her background in health sciences in conjunction with her analytical perspective to determine how she can best help clients. Lexi grew up in Florida and now calls Chicago home. She enjoys swimming, biking, watching football, and discovering new places to eat in the city.
Isaac Solloway

Consultant

After earning both a Master's degree in Finance and a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Indiana University, Isaac joined Empierus. With a deep-rooted passion for the healthcare sector, Isaac developed his proficiency through numerous internships and practicums in the life sciences, healthcare data storage improvement, and operational optimization. In professional services, Isaac seeks to build upon his educational background to bridge the gap between the intricacies of healthcare operations and the financial aspects crucial to success. Residing in Chicago, he enjoys solo travel around the globe, immersing himself in diverse and vibrant cultures.
Noah Mccown

Consultant

Noah moved to Chicago and joined Empierus as a Consultant in July 2024, after graduating from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. Prior to Empierus, Noah engaged in internships with the finance department of a local health system and the operations team of a P.E. firm with a healthcare-dominated portfolio. Through these experiences, he has gained a passion for tackling inefficiencies in healthcare. At Empierus, Noah supports our clients with a data-driven approach, fueled by his commitment to improve healthcare delivery. Outside of work, Noah loves to travel and explore the great outdoors.
Peter Tomei

Consultant

Peter joined Empierus after graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Through various consulting projects in the life sciences industry and time spent working at a hospital, he has demonstrated passion in the healthcare world. Along with this interest and his strong analytical foundation, he can effectively support his clients. Peter was raised in New York and now lives in downtown Chicago. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling to new places, spending time with friends, and anything outdoors.
Arrish Bhandal

'24 Business Intern

After completing his third year at The University of Chicago, where he is double majoring in Economics and Computer Science, Arrish joined Empierus as an intern in the summer of 2024. His interest in health care consulting stems from his previous internship, where he observed the product development cycle of various startups in the health tech sphere. He intends to leverage his technical background as well as his analytical problem-solving skills to derive actionable insights from client data.  Having grown up in Northern California, Arrish loves to hike, and is a member of the basketball program at UChicago.

meet empierus

our culture

Hospital building

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