Chutes & Ladders-Delta Dental of CA Promotes First Female CEO

Welcome to this week’s Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirements across the industry. Please send in the good—or bad—news from your store and we’ll feature it here at the end of each week.

Delta Dental of California

Delta Dental of Californiaa branch of the association Delta Dental Plans, has promoted Sarah Chavarria as her first female CEO,effective January 1, 2024. She will replace CEO Mike Castro, who will retire at the end of the year.

The company also announced its the new management team to support Chavarria which includes: Alicia Weber, Mike Hankinson, Jennifer MacGilvray, Earl Parker, Dominic Titcombe, MohammadReza Navid, Brian Sherman, Kurt Schroeder, Jennifer Cheles and Marianne Ortiz.

Chavarria has served as president since 2022 and has led the operations, technology, people, growth, marketing and communications divisions for the past six years. She was previously director of people for NANTHEALTH, chief people officer at Optum 360 and vice president of HR and organizational effectiveness at Dignity Health.

Walgreens

of Walgreens Boots Alliance confirmed suspicions that he would replace CEO Roz Brewer with the former CEO of Express Scripts Tim Wentworth this week. He will take office on October 23.

Wentworth’s work will be cut short for him as the company is going through a tough few months. Yesterday, the pharma giant outlined a $1 billion savings plan that would see it close 60 clinics. Pharmacy workers walked out this week, expressing concerns about working conditions and payroll transparency. That’s amid several Walgreens executive departures and lackluster earnings reports.

He previously served as CEO of Evernorth from September 2020 to December 2021, was president of health services at Cigna from December 2019 to December 2021, and was president and CEO of Express Scripts for nearly six years beginning in May 2016.

Humana

Predict Healthcare CEOs Jim Rechtin is joining Humana HOW president AND COO on January 8, and will then take over as CEO, in the second half of the year, the company announced this week. Current CEO Bruce Broussard, who has been in the position since 2013, will hand over the reins and stay on as a strategic advisor until 2025.

Rechtin previously served as president of OptumCare for six months and held various roles at DaVita Medical Group from 2014 to 2019.

Envision Healthcare filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, trying to write off $5.6 billion in debt. That filing was approved by a US bankruptcy court on the same day it was announced that Rechtin was leaving for Humana, Radiology Business reported.

> Health Insurance Transformation Corporationa new company unveiled by VC firm General Catalyst at HLTH 2023 focused on helping health systems transition to value-based care, announced Dr. Mark Harrison both of the company CEO,.

> Health Oschnera health system in Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South, has hired Corwin Harper HOW CEO, e Oschner LSU Health.

> South Coast Healtha nonprofit health system in southeastern Massachusetts, has designated Stephen Jennyy how senior vice president AND CFO/treasurer.

> Tampa General Hospital has restructured it senior management team to expand responsibilities throughout the health system. The changes include: Scott Arnold, executive vice president and chief digital and innovation officer; Stacey Brandt, executive vice president and chief administrative officer; Peter Chang, MD, senior vice president, chief transformation officer; Jennifer Crabtree, vice president of corporate communications and chief of staff; Peggy Duggan, MD, executive vice president, chief medical officer and chief medical officer; Abraham Schwarzberg, MD, executive vice president, chief of oncology and president of the Tampa General Provider Network; Eduardo Sotomayor, MD, vice president, executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute; and Steve Short, executive vice president and market president of TGH North.

> Aurora Health Carea health system in Wisconsin under the umbrella of Advocate Health, has hired Gabrielle Finley-Hazle HOW presidenteffective November 27.

> Westover Hills Methodist Hospitalunder the umbrella of HCA Healthcare and part of Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio, has appointed April Tolson HOW chief of nursing.

> Orlando Healtha not-for-profit health care system serving the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico, has appointed Omar Gonzalez HOW vice-chairman of its Puerto Rico/Caribbean region.

> Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee has tapped Walter Kerschl, MDas the youngest of the center chief medical officer.

> ChristianaCarea network of private, not-for-profit hospitals throughout Delaware and counties in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, has chosen Gregory Ehardt HOW senior vice president AND chief compliance officer.

> of Society of HIV Medicineconsisting of more than 5,000 doctors, scientists and other health care professionals, has tapped Allison Agwu, MDlike new chairman of the board of directors. Anna Person, MD will serve as Vice President HIVMA.

> Bon Secours Mercy Healtha Catholic health system, has employed Brenda Woodcock HOW president e Southside Medical Center AND Southern Virginia Medical Centeraccording to a LinkedIn post.

> of Infectious Diseases Society of Americamade up of more than 12,000 doctors, scientists and public health experts, has announced Steven Schmitt, MDas it is new presidenteffective October 16. six new board members will serve with Schmitt including: Maximo Brito, Robin Dretler, Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, MD, Kami Kim, MD, Ronald Nahass, MD, Heather Yun, MD,

> First health consultationa cyber healthcare IT company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, has appointed Rick LeMay HOW executive vice president of enterprise security and technology.

> Rune Labsa brain data company developing precision neuroscience therapies, has named COO Swati Reichmuthboth of the company CFO. She will hold dual roles.

> Columbia University Irving Medical Center has named co-founders of Mighty Health Bernard Chang HOW associate dean of the faculty of health and research career development AND associate director IN Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research.

> Hyperfinea medical device company that created the first FDA-cleared portable MRI brain imaging system has promoted neuroradiologists Edmond Knopp, MDAND Chip Truwit, MDTHE vice president of medical affairs AND vice president for scientific affairsrespectively.