Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please submit the good news—or the bad—from your shop, and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
Impact Advisors
Impact Advisors, a leading healthcare management consulting firm, hired Avery Ashby to join its senior leadership team as data and artificial intelligence practice managing director. Ashby will focus on expanding service offerings, driving revenue growth and enhancing product solutions.
Ashby brings more than two decades of healthcare industry experience spanning payer and provider domains, with deep expertise in data-driven transformation and analytics strategy, including advanced analytics and statistical modeling of claims, authorizations, medical records, eligibility, revenue cycle and other data. Most recently, Avery served as a managing director with Accenture, leading a diverse team focused on data and AI strategy while driving multimillion-dollar transformational projects and building key client relationships.
"We are excited to have Avery on board and look forward to his innovative approach to solving client challenges," said Andy Smith, managing partner and co-founder of Impact Advisors, in a press release. “We expect him to significantly contribute to our continued success and client satisfaction within our growing Data & AI practice.”
Suki AI
Healthcare AI assistant company Suki announced the expansion of its leadership team with the appointments of general counsel, a VP of infrastructure and an SVP of marketing.
General counsel: Aden Fine brings over 25 years of experience navigating regulation and policy for healthcare and technology companies like Wheel and Datavant, where he served as general counsel, advisor and chief privacy officer.
VP of infrastructure: Jonathan Antonio steps into Suki to lead site reliability engineering, security, compliance and information technology. Having worked at companies including Twitter, Google, YouTube and PayPal as VP of infrastructure, Antonio will maintain Suki’s HIPAA compliance and SOC2 Type 1 and SOC2 Type 2 certification standards as it expands partnerships with new health systems and leading technology companies.
SVP of marketing: Demetra Airaudi joins Suki after two decades of marketing and communications experience with major technology companies, including holding senior positions at Block (formerly Square), Skype, Microsoft, LG Mobile Phones U.S. and most recently at Navan.
Independence Health Group
Independence Health Group Inc., the parent company of Independence Blue Cross LLC, announced that Gregory E. Deavens, president and CEO, plans to retire at the end of 2025.
Deavens became CEO in January 2021 and has led Independence with unwavering dedication and vision, playing a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth, success and innovation, according to the company. It was also announced that Deavens and the board of directors have appointed Richard L. Snyder, M.D., EVP, health services at Independence, to the position of chief operating officer, ensuring continued prioritization of commitments to members, customers and providers.
Providence restructures C-suite
Providence, a not-for-profit health system serving the western U.S., has announced a streamlined executive leadership structure to better support its hospitals, advance strategic priorities and realize the vision of Health for a Better World.
"To serve our communities today and into the future, we are organizing our system executive leadership team to ensure we are well-positioned to support our local ministries and advance our strategic priorities," said Providence President and CEO Erik Wexler.
The following changes will go into effect Feb. 1:
Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., chief operating officer: Elmouchi, who started in this role earlier this month, will oversee operations for the organization’s three divisions, home and community care, compliance and key clinical care functions.
Susan Huang, M.D., chief physician executive, Providence and chief executive, Providence Clinical Network: As the organization’s top physician executive, Huang will oversee the network of physician clinics, diagnostics, urgent care centers, clinical institutes and graduate medical education programs. She will also be responsible for research, genomics, analytics, value-based care, PACE and the Institute for Human Caring.
Greg Hoffman, chief financial officer: Hoffman will continue to manage all financial functions, corporate development, revenue cycle and Providence Health Plan. He will also oversee services companies and business affiliations, including R1, Ayin, Tegria, Compassus and Allumia Ventures.
Sara Vaezy, chief transformation officer: Vaezy will lead the Office of Transformation, focusing on the responsible adoption of AI, developing next-generation innovations and forging partnerships to scale sustainable technology solutions. Additionally, she’ll oversee digital care and marketing.
Prub “PK” Khurana, chief strategy and growth officer: Khurana will assume responsibility for overall growth and strategic planning, including the Providence Global Center in Hyderabad, India.
Ali Santore, chief communication and external affairs officer: Santore will lead internal and external communications, advocacy, board relations, philanthropy, environmental stewardship, health equity and the Well Being Trust.
Greg Till, chief people officer: Till will continue to lead human resources, focusing on cultivating a “best place to work” culture, developing the workforce of the future and enhancing the caregiver experience with technology.
Dougal Hewitt, chief mission officer: Hewitt will focus on mission and formation, the University of Providence, spiritual health, ethics and community benefit and serve as the liaison with the Providence St. Joseph Health Sponsors Council.
Anna Newsom, chief legal officer: Newsom will continue to lead the Department of Legal Affairs, labor counsel and risk management.
Ivette de Rubens, interim chief information officer: de Rubens will continue to oversee IS operations and infrastructure, cybersecurity and IS services as Providence actively recruits a permanent leader to fill the role.
> Cigna Healthcare announced that Amy Flaster, M.D., has joined the organization as chief medical officer.
> Virtual opioid use disorder treatment company Bicycle Health hired Manu Kuppalli as chief financial officer and Andy Thomas as chief operating officer.
> Corundum Neuroscience has announced the appointment of Itsik Francis, Ph.D., as head of business development. Francis’ appointment will support Corundum Neuroscience as it expands its portfolio of companies bringing to market solutions that improve human health, longevity and well-being.
> Doug Zehner was hired as chief financial officer at New Jersey's Holy Name Medical Center.
> SDS Rx, a leader in last-mile logistics for the healthcare industry, announced the appointment of David W. Emison as its first president.
> Jamie Freed joined Doc.com as its chief of strategic partnerships and board member.