Media Contact
CONTACT:Amy Hager
(804) 237-1450
a.hager@vachamber.com
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – The Virginia Chamber Foundation is pleased to announce its new Health Care Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will work to implement the health care recommendations from Blueprint Virginia 2025 and to help advance the Commonwealth’s health care system for Virginia businesses and workers. The group’s members consist of leading Virginia health care and business executives.
“The Virginia Chamber is excited for the Health Care Executive Committee’s launch. We’re engaging business leaders from around the Commonwealth to put action to our Blueprint Virginia 2025 health care recommendations,” said Barry DuVal, President and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
The committee will focus on population health and wellness, improving access to care, strengthening quality while controlling cost, fostering innovation throughout the health care system, and bolstering the health care talent supply.
Top-of-mind for many employers is the rising cost of health care – according to a 2018 study conducted by Mercer, the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance grew by 5.2% last year, outpacing the national growth average of 3.6%.
The committee will be co-chaired by Mark Lawrence, Vice President of Governmental and External Affairs at Carilion Clinic and Karen Velkey, Corporate Vice President, Compensation and Benefits at Huntington Ingalls Industries. “We are committed to better understanding the health care challenges businesses face in the Commonwealth,” said Mark and Karen in a joint statement. “We are proud to work with this group of thought leaders to improve health care in Virginia.”
The members of the new executive committee include:
|
Company |
Representative |
Title |
|
AllyAlign Health |
Will Saunders |
President & CEO |
|
Anthem BCBS |
Jeff Rickett |
Market President |
|
Augusta Health |
Mark LaRosa |
Vice President Business Development & CSO |
|
Bon Secours |
Rhodes Ritenour |
Vice President, External and Regulatory Affairs |
|
Carilion Clinic |
Mark Lawrence |
Vice President, Governmental and External Affairs |
|
Cerner |
Jeanenne Jared |
Director, Client Accountable Executive |
|
Cigna |
Lee Hannah |
Vice President, Sales and Customer Relations |
|
Humana |
Neil Steffens |
Regional President, Senior Products |
|
Huntington Ingalls Industries |
Karen Velkey |
Corporate Vice President, Compensation & Benefits |
|
Inova |
Jennifer Siciliano |
Chief External Affairs and Communications Officer |
|
LabCorp |
Leslie Shelton |
Regional Manager, Business Development |
|
Leading Age Virginia |
Melissa Andrews |
President & CEO |
|
Mercer |
Mason Shea |
Principal |
|
Merck |
Jonathon Ijaz |
Corporate Account Executive |
|
Novant Health UVA Health System |
Devipreya Kumar |
Director, Women’s and Children’s Service Line |
|
Novartis |
Kirby Consier |
Associate Director, State Government Affairs |
|
Ortho Virginia |
Karen Simonton |
Chief Financial Officer |
|
Pfizer |
Carol Kelly, Robert Brinker |
Alliance Development Manager, Key Account Manager |
|
PhRMA |
Nicole Woods |
Senior Director, State Advocacy |
|
Professional Risk Associates |
Steve Fargis |
Executive Vice President |
|
Sentara |
Anna James |
Senior Vice President |
|
Virginia Premier |
Richard Gordon |
Vice President, Federal Programs |
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About the Virginia Chamber Foundation:
The Chamber Foundation tracks Virginia’s economic competitiveness, conducts research and analysis, and hosts programs – connected to the priorities of Blueprint Virginia 2025. In December 2017, the Chamber released an update to its long-term strategic economic development plan, Blueprint Virginia 2025, which engaged over 6,000 business and community leaders to lay out a plan to getting Virginia back to the top of national business climate rankings. Learn more at www.vachamber.com
