# Iyah Romm

> Iyah Romm is a Cityblock Health co-founder and its former founding CEO. His career spans Massachusetts public policy, Commonwealth Care Alliance, Sidewalk Labs and board service at Rippl. He is also an investor and sailor whose family sailed across the Pacific aboard Moondoggie.

- **Role:** Board Member at Rippl; Co-founder and former founding CEO of Cityblock Health
- **Organizations:** Cityblock Health, Commonwealth Care Alliance, Sidewalk Labs, Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Rippl, Hazel Health, Ariadne Labs
- **Education:** B.S. in biology and policy, Brandeis University, Boston University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Cityblock in 2017., Helped build a $160 million statewide investment program in Massachusetts., Led Cityblock during its December 2020 $160 million round at a $1 billion company valuation.

## Career timeline

- **2007** — Listed among Brandeis University's Phi Beta Kappa inductees.
- **2013** — Massachusetts commission minutes identify Romm as Director of System Performance and Strategic Investment.
- **2015** — Presented CHART program progress as a Massachusetts policy director.
- **Before 2017** — Served as Chief Transformation Officer at Commonwealth Care Alliance, then entrepreneur-in-residence at Sidewalk Labs.
- **2017** — Co-founded Cityblock with Toyin Ajayi and Bay Gross; the company launched in October.
- **2020** — Signed a Cityblock Form D filing as CEO in July; Cityblock's December funding round valued it at $1 billion.
- **2022** — Ended his tenure as Cityblock's founding CEO in March; Toyin Ajayi became CEO.
- **2023** — Joined Rippl's board in May and spoke at Camp Rippl later that year.
- **2025** — Hazel announced him as lead independent board member in February; he became CEO in October.
- **2026** — Resigned as Hazel CEO; Alli Fair was announced as successor in June.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Cityblock in 2017.
- Helped build a $160 million statewide investment program in Massachusetts.
- Led Cityblock during its December 2020 $160 million round at a $1 billion company valuation.
- Listed as a 2007 Phi Beta Kappa inductee at Brandeis University.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Hazel announced Alli Fair as incoming CEO after Romm resigned; her appointment was effective June 29.
- **2025-10** — Became Hazel Health CEO.
- **2025-06** — A published sailing account described the family's Pacific voyage and a planned New Zealand refit of Moondoggie.
- **2025-02** — Hazel announced Romm as lead independent board member.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iyahromm

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/iyah-romm
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-11