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.
Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California is restructuring its corporate operations, including a change at the top that brings in its first-ever female CEO.
The insurer's board of directors named Lois Quam as its new CEO, the first woman to take the helm in its 86-year history. Quam joined the company in 2024 as president and was previously CEO of Pathfinder, a global nonprofit that supports health for women and girls.
Quam also served in the State Department as part of the Obama administration's global health initiative, according to the announcement.
HIMSS Electronic Health Record (EHR) Association

The HIMSS Electronic Health Record (EHR) Association announced that Leigh Burchell, vice president of policy and government affairs at Altera Digital Health, was elected chair of its executive committee during elections for leadership terms that began Jan. 1. Burchell previously served as chair of the trade association from 2015 to 2016.
Stephanie Jamison, senior director of regulatory and government affairs with Greenway Health and immediate past chair, has transitioned to vice chair of the trade association.
American Health Information Management Association

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) announced the appointment of Maria Caban Alizondo, Ph.D., as president/chair of the 2025 AHIMA board of directors. Her one-year term began Jan. 1.
Caban Alizondo is well known for advancing health IT governance, data integrity and operational technology integration. Her expertise centers on improving patient experiences through innovative approaches to health information practices.
Caban Alizondo previously held the roles of director of the health information management system at the UCLA Health System and director of EHR integrity at Stanford Hospital & Clinics.
Qure.ai
Health tech company Qure.ai appointed Jim Mercadante as its new chief commercial officer to oversee and expand global sales and business development strategy. With an AI deployment footprint in more than 90 countries, Qure.ai has seen exponential growth in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe over the last eight years, with demand for its healthcare AI and digital health tools now growing in North and South America, the company said.

Mercadante brings a wealth of commercial leadership, sales, business growth and strategic marketing experience with leadership positions at Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, GE, Terumo and, most recently, Rapid AI. His leadership will be instrumental as Qure.ai builds on the impetus created by its recent series D funding, which will drive growth across the US and other geographies, support ongoing innovation in AI and digital health solutions, and explore complementary acquisitions.
> The Peterson Center on Healthcare added new advisory board members: Avik Roy, president and CEO of the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation; Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health at JPMorganChase; and Sheila P. Burke, senior public policy adviser and chair of the Government Relations and Public Policy Group at the law firm of Baker Donelson.
> Sutter Health tapped Katrina Ascencio-Holmes as chief nurse officer.
> Northwell Health appointed David J. Chung, M.D., Ph.D., as director of clinical research at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute.
> Nova Southeastern University appointed Harry Moon as president. Moon led the integration of the university’s clinical practices to create NSU Health.
> Intelliguard tapped Giovanni Sapio as chief financial officer, Elise Claudepierre as chief client officer and Rob Sobie as chief product officer.
> Symplr appointed Steve Filler as chief operating officer, Matt Grill as chief delivery officer and Susan Grant as chief clinical officer.
> Bill Peters has been tapped as the CEO for medtech company On Target Laboratories.
> Rula Health appointed Mark Khavkin as chief financial officer and Prashanthi Raman as chief external affairs officer.
> Polsinelli added Richard Rose to its Nashville office as a healthcare litigator and shareholder.
> Rady Children’s Hospital hired Raphael Jaewon Yoo, M.D., as a pediatric vascular and interventional radiologist.
> Verifiable, an automated credentialing and network monitoring platform, tapped Brook West as president.
> Ruth Lathi, M.D., has been appointed as the new division chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Stanford Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
> Michelle Lichte has been appointed chief client success officer and Brandon Chamberland has been promoted to chief strategy and partnerships officer at Hallmark.
> City Therapeutics announced the appointment of Andrew Orth as CEO. City launched last October with John Maraganore, Ph.D., as executive chair.
> Athenahealth added two new hires to its executive team. Chris Kondrat will be chief customer officer and Michael Palantoni will be chief strategy and corporate development officer.