Priority Health has promoted three new executives to positions in finance, government markets, and actuarial and advanced analytics. Nick Gates has been promoted to senior vice president of finance, while Joyce Chan Russell has been promoted to senior vice president of government markets, Karena Weikel has been promoted to senior vice president of advanced analytics and chief actuary, and Mike Jasperson has been promoted to senior vice president of provider network and health plan operations.
- Leadership: Praveen Thadani, president of Priority Health, led a comprehensive, nationwide search to find the right internal and external candidates to fill the roles within the growing senior leadership team. “We are pleased to have exceptionally talented leaders for these important positions,” said Praveen Thadani, president of Priority Health. “Our senior leadership team is focused on transforming the industry to take care and coverage better for everyone. I am energized as we head into 2022, and I am incredibly grateful for our more than 2,250 team members.”
- VP of Finance: Nick Gates, senior vice president of finance, has held various positions at Priority Health since 2004. In his new role, Gates is responsible for all of Priority Health’s finance strategy and long-range planning, investments, finance operations, accounting, and auditor relationships.
- VP of Government Markets: Joyce Chan Russell, senior vice president of government markets, has focused on the health of vulnerable populations since 2004, both on the payer side of the business as well as in care delivery. She oversees the individual, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid markets for Priority Health. Her responsibilities include driving growth, managing profit and loss, partnering with industry and government stakeholders, and delivering on quality and operational goals, all in alignment with Priority Health’s overarching effort to transform health care.
- VP of Advanced Analytics: Karena Weikel, senior vice president of advanced analytics and chief actuary, has more than 20 years of health care experience with 15 of those years in leadership. Her areas of focus have been in transforming provider arrangements from fee-for-service towards value-based care, trend management, underwriting, risk adjustment, actuarial and advanced analytics.
- VP of provider network: Mike Jasperson has taken on the newly created position of senior vice president, provider network, and health plan operations. He has served as the senior vice president of provider networking since March 2020 and held previous roles with Priority Health since 2016. In the combined role, Mike’s responsibilities include provider network development, provider operations, and performance, value-based arrangements, customer service, claims, enrollment, and other key operational areas focused on ensuring exceptional experiences for our members, providers, and others.
