Laura Apitz

BizTUCSONJuly 7, 2026

2 minutes read

President
Roche Tissue Diagnostics

By Tara Kirkpatrick

Laura Apitz embraced a philosophy early in her life to seek feedback and guidance from anyone willing to provide it.

“I constantly sought counsel from a few of my college professors that lead the osteopathic medical school I attended, my college basketball coach, and the chemistry lab director where I first did my internship, just to name a few,” said Apitz. “Their diverse perspectives were instrumental in driving my career forward.”

As president of Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Apitz continues to seek broad input from her team at the region’s bioscience anchor, which has transformed diagnostics with automated, tissue-based technology. Offering more than 250 cancer tests and medical instruments and serving 44 million patients last year, Roche is the top global supplier of cancer diagnostics systems and assays to the pathology market.

“When I think about leading our amazing Tucson team, the most exciting thing to me is the patient lives we touch each year through our life-changing diagnostic tests,” said Apitz, who took the reins in late 2025 from a retiring Jill German. “The 1,800 colleagues on our campus are the people who drive our innovations forward and ensure we continue to not just improve patients’ lives but personalize their care.

“That focus on improving outcomes throughout a patient’s journey, helps them potentially live healthier, longer lives and is what motivates me in my role every single day,” she said.

Before she was named president, Apitz amassed almost a decade at Roche Tissue Diagnostics, where she held several roles including senior international business leader and lifecycle leader in both oncology assays and pathology systems.

“What I admire most about Laura is her courageous, go-getter spirit, backed by an incredibly broad range of industry experience,” said Rebecca Ewald, VP and Lifecycle Leader for Oncology Assays “Having worked across so many facets of our core systems and assay business, she brings unmatched technical insight to our team. Yet, she remains a true team player at heart—leading with a collaborative spirit that inspires confidence in everyone around her.”

Her Gemba Walks, for example, are a key component of the collaboration-focused Lean Six Sigma process for companies. They are physical walks, open to all employees, around the Oro Valley campus to boost conversation, identify opportunities and drive efficiency.

“The results are transformative, getting us out of our siloes, meeting our colleagues where they work and most importantly thinking in new ways, which often lead to fresh ideas and solutions that drive our business forward,” Apitz said.