A Team on a Mission

We're committed to elevating the healthcare experience and results for providers and patients. Our hands-on team will be your guide to Wellvana, no matter what role you play in delivering life-changing care.

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The Whys Behind Wellvana

A paycheck isn’t a purpose. Here are some of the many reasons we found our way to Wellvana.

"Risk adjustment can be a foreign concept to providers who are new to value-based care. So it's my team's job to bring clarity and support as they prioritize clinical documentation accuracy."

Nelsabeth Gonzalez

Supervisor, Risk AdjustmentSupervisor, Risk Adjustment

"Data can be so impersonal, but it’s precisely what allows us to personalize healthcare and truly take a holistic approach to caring for patients."

Andrew Spice

Sr. Director, AnalyticsSr. Director, Analytics

“I delight in meeting patients where they are and empowering them to take ownership of their health. So much of our work is helping them communicate with their doctors — and vice versa. A little clarity goes a long way in keeping patients at home instead of the hospital.”

Vivian Hardison, RN

Care ManagerCare Manager

“We don’t give enough credit to the power of listening deeply to patients, offering encouragement, and showing we care. It can make all the difference. And in my role at Wellvana, that’s what I get to do every day.”

Christine Empeno, RN

Care ManagerCare Manager

Leaders with Purpose

“I believe deeply that those who play a critical role in the delivery of healthcare have a tremendous opportunity to do well by doing good. At Wellvana, this is even more true given our ability to positively impact health outcomes of the patients we are privileged to serve.”

Susan Diamond, Chief Executive Officer

“Wellvana has built a culture that equips partners to drive measurable improvements in cost, quality, and access, while keeping patients at the center of every decision.”

Jim Murray, President and Chief Financial Officer

Executive Leadership

Susan Diamond

Chief Executive Officer

A proven, results-driven innovator in healthcare and finance. Held executive roles at Humana, including Enterprise CFO and Segment President. Cut her teeth in VC backed early-stage technology startups. Busy is an understatement; she serves on the boards of PepsiCo, Gentiva, the Louisville Orchestra, and the Louisville Economic Development Alliance.

Jim Murray

President and Chief Financial Officer

A seasoned healthcare operator with more than four decades of experience. Previously served as Chief Executive Officer of VillageMD and held senior leadership roles at Centene, Magellan Health, and Humana, leading large-scale Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial operations. Pairs financial rigor with operational execution to deliver durable value-based performance at scale, with patients always at the center.

Aria Sameni

Chief Customer Officer

A people-first leader who prizes relationships and trust above all else. A lover of process and a stickler for efficiency. Heavy user of business metaphors that include a “chassis.” More than a decade with UnitedHealth Group, then CVS Health Accountable Care.

Jay Hazelrigs

Chief Actuary Officer

A numbers whisperer, spreadsheet sorcerer, and calculator conjurer. Decoding data into clear value-based care narratives with actionable insights. Previously leading actuarial and healthcare economics for Optum Labs while juggling roles of Chief Actuary and Underwriter at Level2, a UHG company.

Scott Lenz

EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Former partner Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP with deep experience in healthcare transactions and value-based care models. Fanatical problem solver. In constant search for coffee.

Josh Chapman

Chief Experience Officer

An empathetic marketer who believes in the power of honest branding and measurable results. Experienced in leading brand and marketing teams across multiple industries, including C-suite leadership at explosive-growth startups SmileDirectClub and Tommie Copper.

Katrina Howchin-Tucker

Chief People Officer

An experienced people person with a passion for cultural and operational transformation. A progressive global HR leader for 25 years, previously with Kraft Heinz, SmileDirectClub, Asurion, Deloitte Consulting, Honeywell, Citigroup.

Philips Johnson

Chief Technology Officer

A product and engineering leader who prioritizes the human touch in health tech. Deep experience creating and managing software solutions. Values multi-disciplinary teams to deploy cost-effective, high-value solutions. Previously Jasper Health, b.well Connected Health, Total Primary Care.

Kevin Gallagher

Chief Revenue Officer

A financial executive driving sustainable growth for medical technology and healthcare services for nearly 30 years. Previously MindMaze, Citigroup Global Healthcare, Thomas Weisel Partners, Medical Capital Advisors, Healthpoint Capital, UBS Investment Bank.

Rajul Gandhi, PharmD

SVP, Medical Cost and Clinical Strategy

A pharmacist leader driven by any opportunity to improve human life, bringing together science, technology, business and the humanities. Previously Walgreens and Carle Health. Draws on both clinical expertise and business background.

“Leading marketing in fields ranging from fashion, food, to hospitality, I always struggled with manufacturing the meaning behind the brand. As I progressed in my career, I vowed only to work with brands that were solving a real problem and helping people lead better lives.”

Josh Chapman, Chief Experience Officer

“What we do boils down to delivering the best care with the most cost-effective treatments and medications. To do this job well, we have to consider both sides of the care and cost equation.”

Rajul Gandhi, PharmD, SVP Medical Cost and Clinical Strategy

Founding Physicians

Jairo Melo, MD

Co-Founder, Wellvana

Practicing pulmonary and critical care physician committed to value-based care that prioritizes quality.
Co-founder and medical director of TexasIPS, the largest pulmonary and critical care group in Texas.
Critical care medical director, chair of graduate medical education, chief clinical integration, Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio.
Board of Trustees, American College of Chest Physicians.

Saleh Jaafar, MD

Co-Founder, Wellvana

Practicing internist who welcomes all patients with a motto of “no appointment necessary.”
Thrives when forming long-term patient relationships.
Owner of Medcare Associates, formed in 1997 with clinics in San Antonio and throughout South Texas.
Medical director for Medina Valley Healthcare, Bandera Nursing and Rehab, River City Hospice and Arthur Nagel Clinic.

Leaders in Action

Wellvana’s Leadership Action Board is more than just an advisory board. This partner-led group of clinical and operational value-based care experts is a driving force in shaping ideas and initiatives that fuel our continued ACO success.

Meet Our Lab Members

Board of Directors

Devin Carty

Co-Founder & Chairman, Wellvana

Venture capitalist and healthcare entrepreneur with oversight of 30+ portfolio companies. Also, co-founder of Trilliant Health, Clariture Health and Reimagine Care.

Charlie Martin

Co-Founder, Wellvana

Bio

More than 50 years of experience launching and operating large, complex healthcare systems including HCA, HealthTrust, OrNda, and Vanguard Health Systems.

Rock Morphis

Co-Founder, Heritage Group

Bio

Executive leader within Heritage portfolio companies for more than 30 years, including HHS and Surgical Health Corporation.

Haris Naseem, MD

Co-Founder, Prime Holdings

Bio

Cardiac electrophysiologist and co-founder of Sybrid Holdings, Premier Patient Health Care, Wiseman Innovations, Summus Health Care and DataQ.

Jon Phillips

Managing Director, Head of Venture Capital and Private Equity, First Trust Capital Partners

Venture capitalist with deep investment banking experience in healthcare and digital health leading direct investment portfolio. Co-founder of PatientBond and ImmediateMD, founder of Healthcare Growth Partners, vice president at William Blair and manager at Deloitte Consulting.

Phillip Roe

Senior Advisor, Martin Ventures

Extensive financial and accounting experience in health systems along with board leadership at Change Healthcare, TeamHealth and Ludi.

Karey Witty

Managing Director, Valtruis

More than 30 years of executive leadership across the healthcare system — Envision, Corizon, naviHealth, HealthSpring, Valitas and Centene.

James Margiotta

President, CVS Accountable Care

An accomplished growth leader with 34 years of experience capital in healthcare, performing executive leadership roles at CVS Accountable Care, MinuteClinic, CVS Pharmacy, Caremark, and Aetna.

“I have worked with providers for over a decade to help solve the question of how best to provide value-based care. I joined Wellvana because I believe we have the right answers and the right team to achieve meaningful change in the industry.”

Scott Lenz, EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

“I’ve been in the people business my entire career — from startups to Fortune 500. I am proud to say that Wellvana is a place where our people are at the heart of everything we do. And as executive leaders, our primary job is to support the team in always being able to put our patients and providers first.”

Katrina Howchin-Tucker, Chief People Officer

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