Georgetown McDonough Alumnus Improves Mental Health Accessibility Through Headway Platform

Dan Cimaglia (B’20) believes in the transformative potential of business to create positive change. As an early employee of Headway, a platform dedicated to broadening access to mental healthcare, he strives to transform how patients connect with therapy and psychiatric services.  

Headway is a company that makes mental healthcare more accessible and affordable through technology and insurance partnerships. It connects therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists with patients by facilitating in-network arrangements with insurance companies. 

“We are making it easier to practice as a therapist within insurance networks,” said Cimaglia. “Most therapists have not historically taken insurance and patients have to pay out-of-pocket in cash, which is really expensive. By increasing the supply of providers that are in-network through our platform, we are able to increase access to care for patients.”

Before working at Headway, Cimaglia was on track for a career in the banking sector, specifically working in sales and trading. While this was a traditional professional path after business school, he quickly found the financial field didn’t align with his long-term aspirations. In 2020, opting for a more unconventional route, he shifted gears toward entrepreneurship and joined Headway. 

Cimaglia has worn different hats at Headway. He started as an entry-level sales representative where he was involved in recruiting therapists to join the platform and expand the company’s services beyond New York City. Cimaglia then focused on establishing contracts with health insurance companies and eventually moved into a chief of staff position, where he works on strategic projects at the executive level. 

Headway now has more than 600 employees and has become the largest behavioral health organization in the United States with 30,000 mental healthcare providers who specialize in catering to diverse demographics.  

Looking ahead, Cimaglia envisions a future where Headway continues to increase access to mental healthcare, impacting the lives of others across the country. 

“I am eager to achieve our goal of making sure every person in the country can get access to mental healthcare,” said Cimaglia. “There are thousands of more providers who could work with us. And there are also entire patient populations we don’t serve yet. There is still a huge opportunity to help others.”

Reflecting on his time at Georgetown, Cimaglia appreciates the flexibility in shaping his path. His journey to entrepreneurship started on the Hilltop with an entrepreneurship and venture capital class and an internship with a startup. Both of these educational experiences sparked a passion that would drive his career aspirations with a strong conviction that business can be a positive force for change. 

“There are a lot of ways to make an impact on the world through business,” said Cimaglia. “At Headway, I have learned that it is about recognizing the need. And by aligning the business model with that fundamental need, we drive commercial success while making a meaningful impact on society.”

Cimaglia is still connected with his Hoya roots and aims to inspire future entrepreneurs. This semester, he was a guest speaker in the Entrepreneurship and the Jesuit Tradition first-year seminar, taught by Jeff Reid, founding director of Georgetown Entrepreneurship.

“Working for a startup can be a wonderful choice for those who don’t find fulfillment in a more corporate career,” said Reid. “Dan’s story has a clear impact on students in my classes. The way he used Jesuit values like discernment and self-reflection to discover a career path that is a fit for him, though different than many, provides a great example for current students who are trying to chart their own unique life journey.” 

Through opportunities to engage with current students and come back to his alma mater, Cimaglia hopes to motivate others to embrace non-traditional paths and dare to dream big.   

“In business, there is always pressure to go into consulting or banking. Although this is an amazing path that is right for a lot of people, it wasn’t right for me. I just want other students to realize that it is worth taking a risk,” said Cimaglia.