Ruth Webb Leslie, Senior Leader of Quality Performance and Operations at MVP Health Care® (MVP), leads the health insurer’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) efforts, as well as regulatory and accreditation activities for quality improvement. She also leads the team charged with improving MVP’s quality performance, with respect to state and federal quality measurement. Ruth started her career in health care as a physical therapist, before moving into a successful career with the New York State Department of Health, ultimately serving as their Director of Hospitals and Diagnostics & Treatment Centers. In her 17 years at the Department of Health, she worked to promote patient safety and regulatory compliance in New York’s hospital and clinics. An accomplished health care industry executive, Ruth is known for her ability to initiate and direct complex health care projects, and her deep knowledge of the evolving health care environment and current reform efforts.

Ruth holds a Master’s in Patient Safety Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a B.S. in Physical Therapy from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

A sought-after thought leader in the healthcare, Medicare and Medicaid industries, Bianca is an expert on how providers can better engage members and drive behavior using incentives. She specializes in helping health plans, wellness companies, third party administrators, and government programs understand their members to create data-driven engagement strategies that improve CMS STAR and HEDIS ratings.

Bianca has more than 20 years of experience in business development and sales—including more than a decade in the healthcare industry.

r. Ally Thomas is the Director of Medicare STARs at UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer based in Pittsburgh, PA. She specializes in using data, measurement, and reporting to drive improvement.

Although new to the healthcare industry, Dr. Thomas brings a unique skill set from her experience as a measurement scientist and researcher in education and psychology. Most recently, in her role at the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh, she worked with a team of researchers and the Tennessee Department of Education to develop a measurement system to drive math instructional improvement across the state of Tennessee. Dr. Thomas continues her academic work at the University of Pittsburgh as an instructor in the Ed.D. program where she teaches students how to use data analytics to drive improvement in their organization.

Cara leads program development, management and administration of Medica’s quality and safety programs including NCQA accreditation, HEDIS data collection and clinical improvement, Medicare Stars, Quality of Care investigations, delegated credentialing and implementing new product lines across Medica’s Health Services division. In addition, she is directly involved in the Risk Adjustment program for both Medicare and ACA markets. Cara represents Medica on the Minnesota Community Measurement Board of Directors.

Cara has been involved with Minnesota Community Measurement since its inception. She was a member of the first Minnesota Community Measurement Reporting Advisory Committee (MARC) as well as the Asthma, Total Knee Replacement, and Low Back Pain Measurement Development Groups. She is a current member of the MARC and also the Measure Review Subcommittee. Since 2017, she has sat on the Minnesota Community Measurement Board of Directors. Cara is a past member of the NCQA Health Plan Advisory Board and the Minnesota Department of Human Services Immunization and Pregnancy Sub-group.

Cara is a past member of the University of Minnesota Adult Patient Advisory Board. Prior to the health insurance industry, Cara was employed as a Cardiovascular Intensive Care unit nurse.

Jannienne Jones Verse is Vice President Brand Management with Geisinger. Focused on the build of innovative and metrics-based brand initiatives, Jones Verse’s work crosses the disciplines of marketing, advertising, media planning and buying, design, digital engagement, research and business operations. She walks the path of servant leadership, blending her passion for elevating teams to new levels of success with years of experience in brand architecture, technology and strategy.

Jones Verse began her career in corporate communications, evolving into strategic marketing with retail technology leader AT&T.; She aligned operations across three states, increasing AT&T;’s footprint in those markets by 64% during her tenure. Jones Verse then propelled international software giant Reynolds & Reynolds to next level B2B integrated marketing, with sales campaigns exceeding quarterly goals by the millions. In the healthcare arena, she leveraged talents in consumer journey mapping and community engagement strategies for Premier Health and Vidant Health.

Jones Verse holds many professional distinctions, among them being named one of the nation’s most talented marketing professionals and 2017 honoree as a Most Powerful & Influential Woman of Pennsylvania. Recognition for outstanding excellence in medical advertising and noted as an Emerging Executive Leader for exceptional business acumen are additional accomplishments. Jones Verse currently serves as Co-Chair for Geisinger’s Employee Resource Group BOLD (Black Outreach and Leadership Development). Additionally, she is a dedicated member of the board with the National Diversity Council and holds board membership with the YMCA in her home community. When asked of her greatest accomplishments, Jones Verse states family, and the ability to positively impact others. She views it an esteemed honor to serve as a youth mentor, develop youth leadership programs, and to share her insights and experiences via lectureship with university students, professionals and others. Designing and facilitating personal brand workshops, as well as blogging on the topic, are also areas of concentration and joy.

The Buckeye State native lived her formative years abroad. She earned academic awards and a Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communications at Wright State University. Jones Verse also achieved a Master’s in Business Administration, Marketing Concentration, Summa Cum Laude, at the University of Phoenix. She lives in Central PA, and enjoys time with her family, creative projects and travel.

Viraj leads a team of designers at Jefferson's Digital Innovation and Consumer Experience (DICE) group. He and his team are responsible for improving experience for all of Jefferson's consumers by designing new and transformative solutions. As the Vice President of Digital Design & Consumer Experience Viraj& his team always look to fulfill the unmet needs of Jefferson's consumers.

Viraj is a passionate designer who likes to design for common-user needs. He has always believed that to create holistic solutions, he needs to understand the user's world from their perspective. With a bachelor's degree in architecture and a master's degree in human-centered design, Viraj's skills include research, strategy and user/consumer-focused solutions. Creating transformational patient experiences is one of his strong holds. At Jefferson, Viraj leads a team of multimedia designers, instructional designers, clinical fellows and experience designers to deliver seamless digital solutions for Jefferson's consumers. With over 20+ years of experience Viraj is able to bring ideas from different industries to transform care and learning by DESIGN.

Amy Nicholls Swanson is Vice President of Marketing, Advocacy and Member Experience. Amy leads our 15-member Sales and Marketing team, Member Advisory Council and Connected Advisors, and oversees all of our foster and adoptive children initiatives, member engagement and advocacy strategies. She works with the entire team to help us establish and foster our media and public policy advocacy agenda; partner with key leaders, organizations and grassroots initiatives that advance our understanding of the populations that we have been granted the opportunity to serve; and she helps us grow and sustain our business to meet the needs of Ohio citizens.

She serves as an Innovative Champion, UnitedHealthcare Culture Ambassador, coach in the Emerging Leadership Program, and is a member of the ELITE Team and UnitedHealthcare PAC Chairman’s Circle. Since joining us in the Fall of 2012, she as completed: Senior Executive Leadership Training; National Sales Field Marketing Training; Adaptive Leadership, and Value Based Leadership. Recently, Amy led the efforts to secure new business in serving the Ohio Bridges Program and received the “Striving for Excellence Award” from the Faith Thomas Foundation in Columbus, Ohio.

Amy has a background in government and community relations and joined us after serving for 10 years as CEO of Voices for Ohio's Children, the leading advocacy organization for advancing policy, programs and services to meet the needs of all children and their families across our state. She is an expert in government affairs, strategic communications and planning, grassroots organization development, advocacy initiatives and volunteer management. She has served on a multitude of elected and appointed Board activities, at the state and federal levels, and has experience working with local and community based organizations throughout Ohio.

Amy holds a bachelor of arts in Political Science from the University of Akron with a certificate of Applied Politics from the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, and a master's in public administration, also from the University of Akron. She is a Board Member of March of Dimes, volunteers for Wadsworth Lacrosse Club and enjoys spending time with her two children, Holden and Carlin.