Who We Are

We partner with healthcare payers and providers to unlock the full potential of diagnostic science—delivering precision, efficiency, and measurable value.

Through a powerful combination of scientific expertise, cutting-edge technology, and deep healthcare insight, we simplify complex diagnostics, accelerate the adoption of proven innovations, and empower our partners to improve outcomes while lowering costs.

Our Mission

Our mission is to be the driving force that unlocks the full potential of diagnostic science, empowering healthcare payers and providers with proven solutions that enable personalized care and enhance patient outcomes.

Our Vision

Our vision is to harness the power of diagnostic science to enable healthier lives for all.

Our Values

Science Driven

We anchor every decision in sound science, ensuring reliable, evidence-based insights that improve patient outcomes and empower clients to deliver exceptional care.

Transparent

We embrace openness – sharing information freely and communicating clearly. We hold ourselves accountable through honest feedback, acknowledging both successes and areas for improvement.

Authentic

We are genuine, sincere, and human in our interactions. We build trust through empathy, reliability, and a commitment to being true to our word.

Tenacious

Together, we relentlessly pursue excellence – tackling challenges with determination and innovation. We embrace a ‘never give up’ attitude, inspiring each other to go the extra mile in our mission to improve patient outcomes.

Find out more

Our Leadership

Executive Team
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Bill Kerr, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Julie Devine

Chief Commercial Officer

Kristie Ressler, D.O.

Chief Medical Officer

Chris Carlson

Chief Operating Officer

John Adams

Chief Financial Officer

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Lynn Mettler

Chief Technology Officer

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Steve Morgan

General Counsel

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Jason Bush, Ph.D.

EVP, Product

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Mike Snyder

EVP, Provider Networks

Derek Anderson

EVP, Account Management

Michele Norton

SVP, Product Marketing

Wendy Mudra

VP, Human Resources

Clinical Advisory Board

Our independent Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) is comprised of experts with well-renowned expertise in their fields of hematology, laboratory science, molecular genetics, and pathology. They bring practical insights, front-line laboratory experience, and real-world use cases to their review and approval of our 140 lab policies which support the goal of delivering value-driven care.

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Geoffrey S. Baird M.D., Ph.D.

Chair

Tim Hamill Headshot
Timothy R. Hamill, M.D.
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Jane S. Gibson, Ph.D.
Brian Rubin Headshot
Brian P. Rubin, MD, Ph.D.
Brian Headshot
Brian R. Smith, M.D.
Melissa B. Miller, Ph.D.
Board of Directors
Ezra Perlman headshot
Ezra Perlman
Lauren Macklis Headshot
Lauren Macklis
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Bill Kerr, M.D.
Stephany Headshot
Stephany Verstraete
Duncan Headshot
Duncan James
JESSICA headshot
Jessica A. Zeaske
Andy Folsom headshot
Andy Folsom
Holly Headshot
Holly Benson

Our Recognition

We’re proud of what we do. We’re awarded for how we do it.

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innovation
work-life flexibility
purpose and values
leadership
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HTR Top 100 2022
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Careers

Ready to help pioneer a new era in value-driven care by unlocking the potential of lab values to proactively drive appropriate care and enhance clinical outcomes?

We’re looking for people who are:

  • Passionate about improving quality, access, and affordability of healthcare for millions of people
  • Excited to join a team that succeeds by delivering extraordinary care to our customers
  • Committed to upholding science as a guiding principle
  • Looking for an inclusive and respectful environment that values individual contributions
Join the Avalon Team
View open positions

Our Governance

Compliance and Integrity

Avalon implemented a comprehensive compliance program that is integrated throughout the organization. Avalon’s Chief Compliance Officer is supported by Avalon’s Board of Directors, Compliance and Quality Committee, Chief Legal Officer, Privacy Officer, and Chief Information Security Officer.

Avalon is committed to a culture of compliance and supports its employees, vendors, contractors, clients, providers, and customers in reporting suspected violations of compliance, fraud, waste, and abuse, or complaints about Avalon’s Privacy and Security policies without fear of retaliation.

Privacy and Security

Avalon is a technology-enabled laboratory benefit manager that utilizes state-of-the-art technology to protect the privacy and security of its data. Any concerns or complaints regarding Avalon’s privacy or security policies may be directed to Avalon’s Privacy or Security Officer by calling toll free 1-855-751-5048, or visiting www.avalonhcs.ethicspoint.com

Requests for access, amendments, or restrictions to PHI, or an accounting of disclosures must be made in writing to:

Privacy Officer

3405 W Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 200 Tampa, FL 33607

Reporting Healthcare Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

Healthcare fraud affects all of us in many ways. The National Heathcare Anti-Fraud Association estimates conservatively that healthcare fraud costs the nation about $68 billion annually—about 3 percent of the nation’s $2.26 trillion in healthcare spending. If you have a concern, you may make a report, anonymously if preferred, by calling toll free 1-855-751-5048, or visiting www.avalonhcs.ethicspoint.com

Bill Kerr, M.D.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Good clinical decision-making requires ordering the right test at the right time from the right provider. With the science of laboratory testing exploding, Dr. Kerr is pleased to be a part of the Avalon team’s ability to scale laboratory science into the healthcare ecosystem.

Before cofounding Avalon, Dr. Kerr was the Chief Medical and Growth Officer at CareCentrix, a company focused on health in the home. Prior to CareCentrix, Dr. Kerr was the Chief Medical Officer at WellCare Health Plans and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. Dr. Kerr was previously Vice President of Professional Networks at Independence Blue Cross and regional medical director for a number of plans in Texas.

Dr. Kerr holds a BA from the University of Arkansas, an MBA from the University of Houston, an MD from the University of Arkansas. He was also a research associate in the Nuffield department of pathology at the University of Oxford.

Julie Devine

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Julie Devine is the Chief Commercial Officer at Avalon, bringing over 20 years of commercial leadership experience spanning customer delivery, sales, marketing, strategic partnerships, and customer success. With a career rooted in HR and employee health and wealth benefits brokerage and consulting, Julie offers a unique blend of operational expertise and client-centric vision.

Before joining Avalon, Julie held executive leadership roles at Alight Solutions, Maxwell Health, and Highroads. Most recently, she served as Chief Growth Officer at Cariloop, where she was instrumental in achieving record client retention, driving bookings growth, launching new products, and contributing to the company’s successful Series C capital raise. Julie also serves as a trusted advisor to startups like Pendella and Wellist, lending her expertise to help purpose-driven benefit technology companies scale and succeed.

Julie is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to build high-performing teams aligned around a shared strategy and vision for growth. Her passion for customer success and operational excellence makes her a driving force behind Avalon’s commercial innovation and expansion.

Julie is also a founding member of Chief, a private network dedicated to empowering women in executive leadership. Julie received her Bachelor of Arts degree from James Madison University.

Kristie M. Ressler, D.O.

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

Dr. Ressler is the Chief Medical Officer at Avalon Healthcare Solutions. She has over 10 years of clinical experience in general and colorectal surgery and more than a decade in content and product development as well as client management. Throughout her career, her passion has been blending clinical insight with business strategy to create innovative solutions that enhance healthcare delivery and client success.

Prior to joining Avalon, Dr. Ressler served as a Senior Medical Director at Executive Health Resources (an Optum owned company) where she led a team of 10 physician advisors and managed 50+ hospital clients, providing comprehensive medical reviews and case management strategies. From there, she joined Cotiviti, initially as a Research Medical Director, responsible for developing and maintaining the payment policy library. Later she moved into the role of Client Medical Director, leading onsite policy and educational presentations, steering committee meetings and quarterly business reviews, while also expanding into new client implementations. For the last 4 years prior to joining Avalon, she served as a Senior Medical Director at Cotiviti, where she built and led a team of clinicians focused solely on the creation of new content and product development.

Dr. Ressler received her BA in Biology from Lycoming College, a Medical Technology degree from Divine Providence Hospital in Williamsport, PA and her Medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her General Surgery Residency at York Hospital in Pennsylvania and a Colon and Rectal Fellowship at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, OH.

Chris Carlson

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Chris has 20+ years of healthcare operations experience focusing on operational excellence while serving in leadership roles spanning clinical, product, innovation, digital, benefit, and service organizations. Prior to joining Avalon, Chris served as the Senior Vice President of Provider Digital Transformation at UnitedHealthcare. In that role, he led and operated the design, development, and execution of all healthcare provider digital, data, and service capabilities for UnitedHealthcare.

Before leading the Provider Digital team, Chris completed rotations in the UnitedHealth Group Consumer Innovation organization, Commercial Markets Product leadership, Benefit Operations, and Clinical Operations teams. During this time, Chris was fortunate to have an opportunity to focus on developing and delivering comprehensive solutions for families with children with a Special Healthcare Need, advancing solutions for patients with rare diseases, and members struggling with complex medical conditions. Earlier in his healthcare journey, Chris served in various operational leadership roles spanning the benefit operations of the world’s largest health insurer.

Chris has a B.S. in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He currently serves on the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—ALSAC Advisory Council in Minneapolis.

John Adams

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

As Chief Financial Officer of Avalon Healthcare Solutions, John Adams is responsible for the company’s day to day financial and accounting functions. He plays a strategic role in the company’s overall management, including shaping payor contracts, customer pricing strategies, broader business model decisions, and future M&A opportunities.

Prior to joining Avalon in December of 2018, John served as CFO of California-based Medicare Advantage plan Alignment Healthcare, as well as of clinical laboratory services company Accumen. His other leadership roles have included EVP & COO at marketing services company Acxiom; EVP of Business Solutions at healthcare software company Eclipsys; and CFO of AT&T Business Services. John’s experience ranges from global, multi-billion-dollar businesses to start-up and young high-growth companies backed by private equity investors. Early in his career, John worked with EDS in various financial and operational roles for 15 years.

John has a BA in economics from the University of Exeter (UK). He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Lynn Mettler

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Lynn Metter is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Avalon Healthcare Solutions and is responsible for the company’s technology strategy roadmap, partnering with Avalon’s product teams to deliver features and releases required for product development.

Lynn is a passionate software delivery executive with more than 25 years of experience building and leading agile teams that design and support complex software solutions. Since 2002, he has focused exclusively on technology that improves healthcare efficiency and delivery. Prior to joining Avalon, Lynn was CTO at DataLink Software, where he led the organization through significant platform improvements on the company’s value-based care solution for large payers and Management Services Organizations (MSOs). Lynn previously served as the Chief Delivery Officer of Ingenious Med and spent 16 years at Change Healthcare (formerly McKesson Corporation).

Lynn holds a BS in Computer Science from Columbus State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Steve Morgan

GENERAL COUNSEL

Steve Morgan is General Counsel at Avalon Healthcare Solutions. An attorney with extensive healthcare regulatory, transactional, and management experience, Steve is responsible for all legal, compliance, and government affairs matters pertaining to the company.

Prior to joining Avalon in 2015, Steve spent a decade with the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts. Serving as Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Steve managed a team of attorneys and compliance officers supporting numerous Express Scripts businesses, including its PBM, government programs, Accredo Specialty Pharmacy, United BioSource Corporation, Freedom Fertility Pharmacy, and CuraScript SD Specialty Distribution. During Steve’s tenure at Express Scripts, the company grew from $16 billion to more than $100 billion in annual revenue. This growth was fueled in part by numerous acquisitions for which Steve provided legal support, including Express Scripts’ $29 billion acquisition of Medco Health Solutions.

Steve previously worked for two Washington, D.C. law firms, where his legal practice focused on managed care organizations, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Steve received his BA with magna cum laude honors and a professional MBA from the University of Missouri. He received his JD with magna cum laude honors and MHA with distinction from St. Louis University.

Jason Bush, Ph.D.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT

Dr. Jason Bush is Executive Vice President, Product at Avalon Healthcare Solutions, where he is responsible for product strategy, design, and management.

Jason has more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions in venture capital-backed healthcare and life sciences companies. He joined Avalon in 2015 as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and business owner for Avalon’s proprietary, best-in-class, flagship software, which automates the application of laboratory policies to health insurance claims. He was promoted to Chief Data Officer leading data analytics, advanced analytics, underwriting, business model analysis, and reporting services. Prior to that, Jason served as Vice President of Operations at AIT Laboratories (now HealthTrackRX), a commercial toxicology and forensic science laboratory, where he was integral in the company’s restructuring. As former Director of Clinical Operations for Precision Therapeutics (now Helomics, a Predictive Oncology Company), Jason led the laboratory through two years of 300 percent growth.

Jason received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering – Bioengineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mike Snyder

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROVIDER NETWORKS

As Executive Vice President of Provider Networks for Avalon Healthcare Solutions, Mike Snyder manages laboratory networks that support high-quality, cost-effective laboratory services while promoting appropriate testing for patients.

Mike has more than 30 years of experience in the development of clinical laboratory strategies. Prior to joining Avalon, he was the Principal for Clinical Lab Business Solutions, a consulting firm that engages with laboratories to deliver collaborative solutions to health plans and employer groups. Mike has also served as Vice President of Laboratory Networks for UnitedHealthcare (UHC). In that capacity, he directed the company’s national strategy for laboratory services and participated in the development of its national provider network.

Previously, Mike served as Director of Business Development for Mount Sinai Hospital’s Center for Clinical Laboratories, where he saw outreach revenues triple following the implementation of a business plan that focused efforts on billing solutions and demonstrated the value of the medical center’s laboratory to attending faculty. Finally, Mike served as an executive with LabCorp (1980-2000), one of the largest commercial laboratories in the US.

He received his undergraduate degree at East Carolina University before commencing post-graduate studies at the University of North Carolina.

Derek Anderson

EVP, ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Derek Anderson is Avalon’s Executive Vice President of Account Management. Derek is responsible for customer satisfaction through product and service delivery to Avalon’s clients.

Derek comes to Avalon Healthcare Solutions with over 18 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Previous to joining the Avalon team, Derek worked at Cotiviti where he served as Vice President, Senior Client Engagement Lead, managing Cotiviti’s solutions for some of the largest health plans in the nation. Derek has worked with a spectrum of healthcare payers each with a variety of provider, member, and product profiles. Prior to his tenure in Client Engagement, Derek was a Director of Audit Operations within Cotiviti’s operations department. Throughout Derek’s years of healthcare experience working with both payers and providers, he has amassed an understanding of the healthcare industry across the payment continuum.

Derek graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Business Management and Entrepreneurship.

Michele Norton

SVP, PRODUCT MARKETING

Michele Norton has over 25 years’ experience in healthcare across many facets of the industry including payer, provider, ACO’s and life sciences organizations. She brings considerable experience and expertise in healthcare technology product, go to market strategy and marketing as well as optimization of clinical and analytics solutions and tech enabled services. Michele’s role includes defining the value and positioning, developing go to market strategies, and collaborating to create a strategic commercialization plan at scale for the Avalon portfolio of solutions. She is responsible for the full spectrum of marketing strategy and operations.

Prior to joining Avalon, Michele was the Chief Product and Strategy Officer at MobileSmith Health which focused on mobile care technology for patients across PeriOp services and previous Chief Marketing and Product Officer at HealthMyne which focused on novel AI-enabled radiomic solutions for RWD and Life Sciences markets. In addition, she has held various senior executive positions at SCIO Health Analytics an EXL company, Zynx Health part of the Hearst Health family and McKesson Corporation. Her clinical and nursing informatics background provides her with a unique perspective on the impact data and technology can have on care quality and outcomes. She is passionate about helping clients translate insights into action, improve processes, drive engagement, measure outcomes and disseminate results.

Michele received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with high honors from the University of Florida and her Master of Science in Nursing with a healthcare informatics specialty from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She has lectured and published nationally and internationally and is a member of several industry organizations.

Wendy Mudra

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Wendy Mudra is Vice President of Human Resources at Avalon Healthcare Solutions. In addition to being responsible for all tactical HR requirements at the company, she also plays a strategic role in staffing, organizational development, and creating a vibrant organizational culture.

Prior to joining Avalon in 2015 as its first Human Resources employee, Wendy had 20 years of experience in the HR field, primarily with small to midsize companies. She was the Director of Human Resources at start-up specialty property and casualty insurance company Mount Beacon Insurance Company. She also held management positions at HCI and IFCO Systems. Early in her career, Wendy obtained generalist experience at Airem Capital and Uniroyal Optoelectronics.

Wendy holds a BA in Political Science from Wittenberg University. She is also PHR-certified through the Society for Human Resources Management.

Geoffrey S. Baird, M.D., Ph.D.

CHAIR

Dr. Baird is the Chair of the Avalon Clinical Advisory Board. He is board-certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as Clinical Chemistry. Dr. Baird serves as Professor and Chair of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. He is also the Director of Clinical Chemistry at Harborview Medical Center and Director of the UW Clinical Chemistry Fellowship Program.

Dr. Baird has served on numerous local and national committees, including the CMS/PAMA Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test Panel and ASCP’s Choosing Wisely Campaign Committee, where he has been instrumental in developing the ASCP’s Choosing Wisely recommendations. He is the recipient of the AACC’s Grannis Award for Excellence in Research and Scientific Publication and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry’s Young Investigator award.

Dr. Baird is a member of the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, and the German Society of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. His clinical interests include rational laboratory test utilization, chemistry and toxicology, molecular diagnostics and proteomics.

Dr. Baird is a graduate of Stanford University, with a BS in Chemistry. He received his MD and PhD at the University of California, San Diego. He completed his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle and a subspecialty fellowship training in molecular pathology and immunohistochemistry at PhenoPath Laboratories.

Timothy R. Hamill, M.D.

Dr. Timothy Hamill is the Prior Director of Clinical Laboratories at UCSF Medical Center’s China Basin and Parnassus campuses. In addition, he is Professor Emeritus and Ex-Vice Chair of the UCSF Department of Laboratory Medicine.

Dr. Hamill has held numerous memberships in UCSF Medical Center committees in his tenure, including the position of chair of the UCSF Medical Center Point of Care Testing Committee. He is also past chair of the California Department of Health Services Clinical Laboratory Technology Advisory Committee (CLTAC). He is currently President and member of the Board for the California Society of Pathologists, and a fellow of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and College of American Pathologists.

In his career, Dr. Hamill has taken a lead in promoting laboratory science as a career and clinical laboratory scientist training as the Co-Chair of the Hospital Laboratory Workforce Initiative of the California Hospital Association. In addition, he has also been involved in developing better point-of-care testing practices through the College of American Pathologists as the Vice-Chair of the Point of Care Testing Resource Committee.

Dr. Hamill completed his medical degree from UC Davis’ School of Medicine. He was the chief resident in the departments of Laboratory Medicine at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital. In addition, he completed a fellowship in Hematopathology at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinez, CA. He is board-certified in clinical pathology and also hematopathology.

Jane S. Gibson, Ph.D.

Dr. Gibson is Professor of Pathology and Chair, Department of Clinical Sciences and the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.  She teaches in the M.D. program, and practices at Nemours Children’s Health Orlando and Delaware.

Dr. Gibson is board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG), is a Founding Fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG), and serves as a member of the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics Board of Directors, and the Association for Molecular Pathology Board of Directors. She served as a member of the  Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellowship Milestones taskforce for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and is a current member of the Test Development Committee for the American Board of Pathology. Dr. Gibson received her training at the University of Florida College of Medicine, and her practice includes molecular pathology and molecular genetics.  She has served as the Director of Molecular Genetics for Orlando Health-M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, and later as the  Director of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenetics for AmeriPath, Inc. (A Division of  Quest Diagnostics).  

Dr. Gibson is a graduate of the prestigious Hedwig van Amerigen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship program. She is active in a number of national-level professional societies including the American College of Medical Genetics, the Association for Professors of Human and Medical Genetics, the Association for Molecular Pathology, and the Association of Pathology Chairs. She serves on editorial boards for the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, and the Med Ed Portal Faculty Affairs Collection (AAMC). She has authored a number of book chapters, articles, and published abstracts in the fields of molecular pathology and genetics, and has been the principle investigator for numerous clinical trials.

 

Brian P. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Rubin is Professor and Vice Chair of Pathology, Director, Soft Tissue Pathology, Director, Bone & Soft Tissue Pathology Fellowship Program, Staff, Department of Cancer Biology and Practicing Pathologist with sub-specialty expertise in bone and soft tissue tumors, Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Rubin is Staff, Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute and Cleveland Clinic.

Clinical Interests: Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Diagnosis and Classification, Cancer Genetics, Digital Pathology, Molecular Pathology

 

Brian R. Smith, M.D.

Dr. Smith is Chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and Professor of Laboratory Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Yale University. He is also the Chief of Laboratory Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Dr. Smith received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, his medical degree from the Harvard Medical School, and his residency/fellowship training at The Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Dana Farber Cancer Center. He is board certified in Pathology / Hematopathology and in Internal Medicine / Hematology-Oncology. He practices in all of his subspecialty areas. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Smith has an investigative interest in the inflammation-coagulation interface, especially in relation to biomaterials, as well as in cellular immunotherapeutics, with over 175 publications. His educational activities include direction of an NIH-funded research training program in Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine. He also lectures in the areas of biomedical ethics, “therapeutic pathology”, and in the education of the physician-scientist. Nationally, he has been member and chair for various NIH and American Heart Association research study sections, chair of the Association of Pathology Chairs Research Committee, and a member of the CDC Clinical Laboratory Integration into Healthcare Collaborative. He is the recipient of a number of Awards including Stohlman Scholar of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, National Blood Foundation Scholar, the Evans Award from the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists, and has served as a visiting professor at a number of universities.

Melissa B. Miller, Ph.D.

Dr. Miller is the James D. Folds Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. She is board-certified in medical microbiology and is the Director of the UNC Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratories. In addition, she is the program director of the fellowship in medical and public health microbiology at UNC.

Dr. Miller holds a BS in Medical Technology from Jacksonville University and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Princeton University. She completed a clinical fellowship in medical and public health microbiology at UNC. Dr. Miller is an active member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (PASCV), and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Her extensive national service includes chairing the ASM Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Committee and serving on the Association for Molecular Pathology and PASCV Clinical Practice Committees, the IDSA Diagnostic Committee, and the FDA Microbiology Devices Panel.

Dr. Miller has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM) and IDSA. As an AAM fellow, she chaired a colloquium on point-of-care diagnostics, served on the AAM Subcommittee on Elections, and currently serves as an AAM Governor. She has received several prestigious awards, including the ASM Award for Service, the NC Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service, and the ASM Award for Research and Leadership in Clinical Microbiology.

Beyond her clinical work as a medical microbiologist, Dr. Miller is engaged in clinical and translational research. Her research focuses on the development of accurate, cost-effective molecular tests for infectious disease, as well as evaluating patient and healthcare outcomes resulting from the adoption of new molecular technologies.

Ezra Perlman

Ezra Perlman is a Partner at Francisco Partners and focuses primarily on investments in the software and services sectors, with a specific emphasis on healthcare technology.

Prior to joining Francisco Partners in 2003, Ezra was a venture capitalist with Battery Ventures, where he was involved in identifying, executing and managing private equity investments in software companies.

Ezra serves on the board of directors of Aesynt, API Healthcare, Healthland, Quantros, T-System and Therapeutic Research. He formerly served on the board of directors of Aconex, AdvancedMD, Attachmate, Attenti, Avangate, LYNX Medical Systems, RedPrairie, and SMART Modular.

Lauren Macklis

Lauren Macklis is Vice President Network Business Development and Retail Solutions at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC). HCSC is the largest customer owned-health insurer in the United States, operating Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Lauren oversees Value Based Care Payment Operations, Provider Partnerships, Provider Payment Innovation and Analytics, as well as Retail Solutions (Individual U65).

Prior to her current role, Lauren was Vice President Divisional Strategy and Analytics, where Lauren developed line of business strategy and investment portfolio for Government and Consumer Solutions, and led the Government Programs Business Execution teams, as well as the Individual Markets data and analytics team.

Before joining HCSC in 2011, Lauren led strategic planning and business development teams at Rush University Medical Center, a large academic medical center and health sciences university. While at Rush, Lauren implemented several initiatives for the medical center including multi-hospital telemedicine network, off-site clinics, and practice affiliations.

Lauren received a Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health – Health Planning and Administration from the University of Illinois.

Stephany Verstraete

Stephany Verstraete serves as the Chief Marketing & Engagement Officer at Teladoc Health Inc., responsible for all marketing, communications and consumer visit revenue for the global leader in whole person virtual care.

A seasoned, high-growth leader who has held executive marketing roles spanning a breadth of industries in both public and private companies, Stephany has a proven record of building businesses and leading during periods of outstanding growth.

With a 20+ year record of successfully building brands and growing high-performing teams, she has held leadership roles at Match.com, Expedia, Hostess and PepsiCo. She was also a member of the founding team at a travel-based start-up.

Proficient in Spanish & French, Stephany holds an International Master of Business Administration from York University and an Honors Bachelor of Economics from Queen’s University in Canada.

Duncan James

Duncan James is an Operating Partner with Francisco Partners and focuses on the healthcare IT market.

Prior to Operating Partner role with Francisco Partners, Duncan was the CEO of two private-equity backed healthcare IT companies, MModal and QuadraMed. He also served as Group President at McKesson Corporation for 9 years responsible for the hospital and health systems market solutions and was a member of the McKesson Corporate Operating Committee. Duncan brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare IT spanning domestic and international operations, strategic planning, sales and marketing, services, and product management.

Duncan serves on the Board of additional Francisco Partner companies including e-Solutions, Nextech, and QGenda. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

 

Jessica A. Zeaske

As a Partner at Echo Health Ventures in Boston, Jessica A. Zeaske, PhD, MHS, MBA, identifies and invests in emerging and growth stage companies for Echo. She is a seasoned venture capitalist and board leader having worked at independent, corporate, and university funds, and has written dozens of investment themes over the years. She previously served as Director of Healthcare Investments at GE Ventures where she invested in precision health companies. Jessica came to GE Ventures from Lemhi Ventures, a fund investing in healthcare services with a focus on market disruption. Prior to joining Lemhi, Jessica worked on forming and spinning out MedTech and Life Science companies based on University intellectual property at U of Minnesota and Oregon Health & Science University. Jessica began her career writing software for a start-up healthcare delivery company. She then moved to a merchant bank, Greenspring Advisors, where they launched and invested in data-driven healthcare start-up companies.

Jessica received an undergraduate degree with honors from Stanford University, graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with a Master of Health Science and PhD, and completed her MBA with a focus on Healthcare Administration at Regis University. Jessica currently serves on the Boards of Avalon Healthcare Services, Genome Medical and Wildflower Health and is a Board Observer at Abacus Insights. Her previous Board of Director experience includes Apervita, Arcadia.io, PlanSource, OneHealth, PokitDok, Orasi Medical, Medication Management Solutions, plus significant work at Bind On-Demand Health Insurance. Jessica also serves on the Board of DentaQuest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement, is a Trustee for Boston Medical Center’s Exceptional Care Without Exception Trust, is an Advisory Board member for Boston Children’s Hospital, and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Andy Folsom

Andy Folsom joined BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BCBSSC) in Columbia, SC in 2009. He currently serves as President of Companion Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of BCBSSC. Prior to Companion Life, Andy served as Vice President of M&A, Strategic Investments and Tax for BCBSSC. Andy also worked in the Law Department as AVP and Deputy General Counsel when first joining BCBSSC. Before joining BCBSSC, Andy worked as a corporate transactional attorney at Alston & Bird in Atlanta, GA. Andy holds a BA from Washington and Lee University and a JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

In addition to his role at Companion Life, Andy currently serves as a Board member at the Salute from the Shore, Transitions Homeless Center and Central Carolina Community Foundations.

Holly Benson

Holly Benson recently retired as the EVP, President and CEO of Health Care Enterprises which is a division of Centene Corporation and currently serves as a Board member and advisor for several companies. In her role at Centene, she led a portfolio of entrepreneurial acquisitions, including the country’s largest in-home primary care provider (USMM), an 18-clinic primary care group (Community Medical Group), a multi-state third party administrator (HealthSmart), a provider of services to individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (LifeShare), an industry-leading case management software company (Casenet) and a cutting-edge health care analytics company (Interpreta). She was responsible for helping grow those companies, expanding their product offerings to internal and external customers and integrating core functions into Centene.

Holly joined Centene in March 2011 as Centene’s Senior Vice President of Health Policy. In that role, she was responsible for the development of policy positions for the company and worked with health plan and specialty company presidents to develop Centene’s policy agenda. She also worked with the business development team to craft policy solutions in new markets.

Before joining Centene, Holly served as Secretary for the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, the state agency responsible for Florida’s Medicaid program. She also served as Secretary for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and she served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives. During her time in the House, Ms. Benson served as Chair of the Health Care Council, of the Select Committee on Article V, and of the Committee on State Administration. Ms. Benson also spent 10 years practicing municipal bond law with Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.

Ms. Benson graduated with honors from Dartmouth College and earned her law degree from the University of Florida College of Law. She serves on the Board of Ascension Florida and served on the Boards of the St. Louis Sports Commission, the Missouri History Museum, and LaunchCode. She also served on the Selection Committee for Arch Grants and was the founder of St. Louis Opera Theatre’s Intermezzo Society.

 

David H. Klein

David is a special advisor to the CEO of the University of Rochester (U of R) Medical Center, a professor of public health sciences in the U of R School of Medicine and Dentistry and an executive professor of health care management in the U of R William E. Simon Graduate School of Business (Simon School).

David was CEO of The Lifetime Healthcare Companies (TLHC) in Rochester, NY which includes Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Univera Healthcare, Lifetime Health Medical Group, Lifetime Care, EBS-RMSCO Benefit Solutions and MedAmerica.

David serves as chair and director of the New York eHealth Collaborative overseeing the state’s Health Information Technology initiatives.

Victoria M. Pratt, Ph.D.

Dr. Pratt is a Medical and Clinical Molecular Geneticist board-certified by the American College of Medical Genetics. She is the Director of the Pharmacogenomics Laboratory at Indiana University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Indiana University, she was Chief Director, Molecular Genetics, for Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute.

In addition to her work, Dr. Pratt is currently serving on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests Advisory Panel. Dr. Pratt continues to serve on the CDC’s GeT-RM program for reference materials for Molecular Genetics. She is currently serving on the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Medicine’s Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health and Committee on Policy Issues in the Clinical Development and Use of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Therapies. She also served on the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society for the Oversight of Genetic Testing and the Advisory Committee on Hereditary Disorders in Newborns and Children. She also participated in the preparation of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for Best Practices in Molecular Genetic Testing for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Pratt is Past Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee and is currently a member of the Professional Relations committee, and is the chair of the Program committee for the Association of Molecular Pathology. She is a former advisor of EurogenTest for genetic test validation. Dr. Pratt serves on the American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) Molecular Pathology Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Advisory committee.

Dr. Pratt has authored over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. She is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Molecular Pathology.

Dr. Pratt graduated with a Ph.D. in Medical and Molecular Genetics from Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN in 1994. Her fellowship training was in Ph.D. Medical and Clinical Molecular Genetics at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit MI.

Barry Davis

CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER

In his role as Chief Growth Officer at Avalon Healthcare Solutions, Barry Davis is responsible for growing the company’s revenues and services through a national business development strategy.

Barry possesses 30 years of healthcare experience working with and servicing health plans. Prior to joining Avalon in 2017, he was Sr. Vice President of the Health Plan Segment at OptumRx, the Pharmacy Benefit Management division of UnitedHealth Group. In that capacity, Barry led a cross-functional team managing a multi-billion dollar business.

Barry is a former member of the executive team for Chicago’s CatamaranRx. He also spent nearly 20 years in various sales, service, and operations roles at Medco Health Solutions (now part of Express Scripts).

Barry holds a BSBA from Bucknell University.

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