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.
Sutter Health

Aparna Abburi, an ex-Cigna executive, has been named CEO of Sutter Health Plan and Senior Vice President Population Health and Health Plan Services at Sutter Health.
Abburi will spearhead efforts to deliver data-driven, patient-focused solutions that improve health outcomes and expand access to care for people and communities across California.
“As we tackle the intensifying challenges in healthcare, including the growing demands of an aging population, it’s critical that we have experienced, strategic and innovative leaders like Aparna who can drive and accelerate change,” Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health, said in a statement. “Her extensive experience and proven success in insurance growth, care coordination and product development will help us expand the Sutter Health Plan to serve more members, as well as innovate, adapt and align our value-based care models to provide patients more equitable and personalized care.
Abburi brings nearly 25 years of healthcare experience, including leadership roles at Cigna, Centene, and UnitedHealth Group, where she developed a proven track record of improving results and building strategic initiatives. Her career has been defined by a commitment to enhancing care coordination, driving growth, and delivering patient-centered products and services.
“It’s an honor to join Sutter Health at such a pivotal time,” said Abburi. “With the demands on our U.S. healthcare system intensifying, patients need care that is accessible, affordable, and tailored to their individual needs. I’m excited to work alongside Sutter’s exceptional team to develop integrated solutions that improve patient experience, health outcomes and create a sustainable path forward.”
Oshi Health

Rebecca Bennett has been tapped as vice president of strategic partnerships at virtual GI care company, Oshi Health.
With a proven track record leading the development of strategic provider partnership networks for hybrid digital care, Bennett will extend and deepen Oshi's collaborations with provider networks to give patients the best of virtual and the best of in-person care.
Bennett's healthcare career has been defined by a commitment to making care more accessible, especially for women and other underserved populations. Before joining Oshi Health, she led health system and provider partnerships at Noom, where she built alliances with provider organizations to promote healthier lifestyles. She played a similar role at Midi Health, where she helped build comprehensive partnerships that expanded women's health services with some of the largest health systems in the country. Prior, she held multiple leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, including leading the payer strategy for the company's first commercial cell therapy, CARVYKTI.
"I'm thrilled to join Oshi Health and contribute to a mission that is both professionally and personally meaningful to me," Bennett said in a statement. "Digestive health is finally getting the attention it deserves, yet so many patients, particularly women, continue to suffer in silence. Oshi's innovative, multidisciplinary approach is making a real difference in patients' lives by providing integrated, personalized care that addresses the root causes of GI issues. I'm excited to work closely with GI clinics, health systems, and other organizations around the country to improve both the patient and provider experience."
Intermountain Health

Intermountain Health has named Ryan Smith as its next chief digital and information officer (CDIO), following an extensive national search. He will begin his new role in early 2025. Intermountain’s search for a CDIO included a thorough recruiting process that involved internal and external partners who vetted candidates throughout the United States.
Smith is a seasoned leader with deep roots in healthcare technology and an impressive portfolio of experience with Intermountain. He served in several senior leadership roles across the enterprise for nearly 20 years. He then held executive roles with Health Catalyst and served as senior vice president of technology and chief information officer at Banner Health. Following those positions, Smith returned to Intermountain as chief information officer (CIO) from 2020 to 2022 before joining Graphite Health as its chief operating officer. Ryan now serves as Graphite’s interim president and chief executive officer, advancing the nonprofit organization’s endeavor to make healthcare data more universal, accessible, and scalable.
“This opportunity is deeply meaningful to me,” Smith said in a statement. “I'm excited for the opportunity to make healthcare an easier, safer experience for patients, members, and caregivers alike.”
>Alexis Briggie has been tapped as the Director of Psychology at Silver Hill Hospital, a leading psychiatric hospital in Connecticut.
>Berkeley Research Group announced that Katheryne Richardson has joined the firm’s healthcare practice in Washington, D.C as a managing director. She will focus on the 340B Drug Pricing Program and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
>Blue Shield of California tapped Ellen Sexton as Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer.
>Kate Koplan has been hired as executive vice president and clinical quality officer of SCP Health.
>ShiftMed, a leading healthcare workforce technology company, announced the addition of industry veterans J.J. Ewing as Chief Nursing Executive and Ashley Foster as Executive Vice President of Acute Partnerships.
>Cotiviti, a leader in data-driven healthcare solutions, announced seasoned technology leader Suvajit Gupta as its new Chief Technology Officer.
>Polsinelli added Rachel Adams to its Health Care Practice in the firm's Chicago office.
>Arturo LoAIza-Bonilla was appointed as Systemwide Chief of Hematology and Oncology at St. Luke’s University Health Network.