Donna Checkett oversees business development for HMA. She collaborates with colleagues nationwide to continuously identify, pursue and secure new projects, maximize client satisfaction and retention, and ensure success for both clients and HMA. Her team coordinates firm-wide prospecting, pipeline management and proposal development. She oversees strategic partnerships, sponsorships, conferences, webinars and other client facing promotion, and she consults on marketing and messaging. She tracks emerging industry trends and client needs to inform development of new services and product lines.

Prior to HMA, Donna was vice president of Medicaid growth for Aetna, a diversified healthcare benefits company serving more than 46 million consumers nationwide. She strategically coordinated the expansion of the company’s Medicaid footprint in eight states over the past three years, including California, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. She directed enterprise level state regulatory and government affairs, and introduced a new advocacy strategy to advance Medicaid market and corporate growth. She shaped Medicaid product offerings and service delivery innovation, creating value-added differentiators within the highly competitive market segment. Donna also developed the original business case for Missouri Care, a Medicaid managed care plan created by the University of Missouri. As the CEO, she led the plan start-up, securing the Certificate of Authority approvals, hiring staff, and contracting the provider network.

During her eight-year tenure as Missouri Medicaid director, Donna shaped early healthcare reform policy, and led the design and implementation of the state’s first Medicaid managed care program. She championed large-scale revenue maximization solutions that remain in place today.

A national thought leader, Donna was appointed as an inaugural commissioner for the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, advising Congress about Medicaid programming and financing issues. She is past chair of the National Association of Medicaid Directors and has served on various committees for the Medicaid Health Plans of America, America’s Health Insurance Plans and other industry organizations.

She earned a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a second master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas-Austin.

An avid traveler, Donna and her husband, Chris, seek out great food, great coffee, great wine, great art and great independent bookstores everywhere they visit.

Robin Preston is dedicated to improving access to healthcare for low-income populations. She has been working in the policy and operations spaces of healthcare for more than 30 years. During her career, she worked in the private sector and in managed care organizations, including comprehensive health and behavioral health. She worked as a public servant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Before joining HMA, Ms. Preston served as associate partner for the Policy and Program Management practice within the IBM Watson Health’s Federal Consulting practice. She served as a subject matter expert on contracts covering value-based payment; Medicaid; managed care, including encounter data; home and community-based services; and substance use disorder treatment and access.  

Ms. Preston spent more than eight years in increasingly senior roles with CMS where she was instrumental in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act at the federal level. She led implementation in 21 states that used managed care as a delivery system and led teams that oversaw Medicaid expansion in several states as well. 

Her work with CMS included coordinating federal Medicaid response to crises, including natural disasters, Zika healthcare emergency, and the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. She managed regional offices and stakeholder relations and served as liaison to several associations and boards. 

Prior to her career with CMS, Ms. Preston worked for a Medicaid managed care plan and had the opportunity to implement the DC Healthcare Alliance program for uninsured adults in the District of Columbia. She coordinated the opening of The Bridge Homeless Shelter in Dallas, Texas, with onsite behavioral health services, implemented pay for performance provider incentives for better patient outcomes, and helped plan enrollees navigate the healthcare system.  

Ms. Preston earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland. 

Vince Ventimiglia leads the Leavitt Partners D.C. office, including the firm’s alliances and federal advocacy work.

Michael O. Leavitt is the founder of Leavitt Partners where he helps clients navigate the future as they transition to new and better models of care. In previous roles, Mike served in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush (as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of Health and Human Services) and as a three-time elected governor of Utah.

Mike grew up in Cedar City, Utah, where his upbringing was rooted in the values of the American West, with its emphasis on hard work and common sense. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business while working in the insurance industry. In 1984, he became chief executive of The Leavitt Group, a family business that is now the nation’s second-largest, privately-held insurance brokerage.

In 1993, Mike was elected governor of Utah. He served three terms (1993-2003). In 2003, he joined the Cabinet of President George W. Bush, serving in two positions: first as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (2003-2005) and then as secretary of Health and Human Services (2005-2009). At HHS, he administered a $750 billion budget — nearly 25 percent of the entire federal budget — and 67,000 employees.

He led the implementation of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program. The task required the design, systematization, and implementation of a plan to provide 43 million seniors with a new prescription drug benefit. By the end of the first year, enrollments exceeded projections, prices were lower than projected, and seniors expressed high levels of satisfaction.

Mike’s strategic ability can be seen in his redesign of the nation’s system of quality and safety standards for imported goods. In the spring of 2006, President Bush assigned him to lead a government-wide response. Within months, he commended a major strategic shift in U.S. policy on import regulation and trade.

A pattern of innovation runs throughout Mike’s career. When he was elected governor, Utah’s major freeway system was dangerously inadequate. Taking what some thought was a significant political and financial risk, Mike instigated a design-build system, creating cost and quality incentives between the state and its contractors. The project was finished in half the originally projected time and well under budget.

Mike is, at heart, an entrepreneur. As governor, he organized a group of his colleagues to form Western Governors University. At WGU, degrees are earned based on competency rather than credit hours. WGU now has more than 60,000 students who reside in each of the 50 states and several foreign countries. Enrollment is growing at 35 percent a year. In November 2008, TIME magazine named WGU “the best relatively cheap university you’ve never heard of.”

Collaborator is a word that comes up repeatedly when one examines Mike’s background. His skill led his colleague governors to elect him as chairman of the National Governors Association, the Republican Governors Association and Western Governors’ Association. His book—Finding Allies, Building Alliances—was released in September 2013 by Jossey-Bass Publishers and chronicles his expertise and passion for collaboration.

Mike is a seasoned diplomat, leading U.S. delegations to more than 50 countries. He has conducted negotiations on matters related to health, the environment, and trade. At the conclusion of his service, the Chinese government awarded him the China Public Health Award – the first time this award has ever been given to a foreign government official.

Chuck Milligan is a respected healthcare leader who has made significant contributions in both the public and private sectors.

He has served as the Medicaid director in two states, New Mexico and Maryland. In Maryland, he was responsible for implementation of the Medicaid components of the Affordable Care Act including the Medicaid expansion, and for initial work in the creation of Maryland’s health insurance exchange.  While leading the New Mexico Medicaid program in the late 1990s, Chuck spearheaded its conversion from fee-for-service to managed care, and he launched New Mexico’s Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) program.

As a consultant, Chuck has provided services to more than 20 states, testifying before the state legislatures in eight states and Congressional committees, as well as working with states on Medicaid redesign, coverage initiatives, rebalancing efforts, dual eligible strategies, waivers, and other issues.

Most recently, he served as chief executive officer (CEO) for UnitedHealthcare’s Community Plan in New Mexico, with accountability for the Medicaid and DSNP lines of business in the state. He also served as interim CEO for UnitedHealthcare’s Community Plan in Maryland, and as national vice president for UnitedHealthcare’s Dual Special Needs Plans.

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) appointed Chuck a commissioner to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) in January 2015 and appointed him vice chairman in May 2019.

Chuck earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Berkley, and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.

A seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare delivery organizations, Douglas (Doug) L. Elwell is a skilled collaborator with extensive operational and financial expertise.

Doug previously served as Illinois Medicaid director in the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. In this position he played a key role leading the Medical Division’s work on an ambitious agenda within a new administration. Under his leadership, the division continued to look at opportunities to improve services, particularly ways to keep people in less restrictive environments. Programs like PACE, HCBS services, and health homes started a review process for enhancement.

Prior to serving the state of Illinois, Doug was deputy chief executive officer (CEO) for finance and strategy for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System. He was responsible for strategic planning, all aspects of finance and accounting, information technology, human resources, project management, and the system’s managed care plan. During this time he assisted in growing the Medicaid managed care entity and creating and/or enhancing relationships with outpatient mental health providers and FQHCs.

Doug previously supported HMA clients as a managing principal and principal in the firm’s Indianapolis office. He devoted his efforts to a multi-year, wide-ranging engagement with the State of Indiana, as well as serving in interim roles as chief financial officer (CFO) and working with large, public providers, especially in the areas of operations, finance, and Medicaid special financing.

Prior to joining HMA in 2003, he led hospital systems in an array of roles including CEO, chief operating officer, and CFO. He served as the president and executive director of Health and Hospital Corporation in Indianapolis, a municipal corporation consisting of a public hospital, public health department, community mental health center, and specialty and primary care physician offices.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Science degree in administration from the University of Notre Dame. He has been licensed as both a certified public accountant and nursing home administrator.

Tim Spillane is an experienced strategic advisor who has seamlessly managed merger and acquisition transactions for companies and private equity firms for more than 30 years. His work has been focused on healthcare services businesses with particular emphasis on government funded, managed care payers and providers.

Since joining HMA, he has developed the firm’s professional mergers and acquisitions program which has led to identification of nearly 100 target companies for monitoring as well as sourcing, negotiating and completing strategic transactions, and growing HMA revenue, employee base, and share price approximately two- to three-fold.

As vice president of corporate development, Tim leads HMA’s continued growth across the publicly funded healthcare and human services consulting landscape including strengthening the breadth and depth of the firm’s capabilities. He also advises a select group of HMA clients on their strategic transaction needs including corporate development, capital raising, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other initiatives.

Prior to joining HMA, he served as head of corporate development for Amerigroup, handling more than 15 transactions and culminating with the sale of Amerigroup to Anthem in 2012. Since then, Tim has provided similar services, as a strategic advisor, to numerous companies and private equity firms.

A former chief financial officer, he has led the finance department for a managed services organization and independent practice association serving more than 1 million members in California. He is also well versed in integration, due diligence, fund raising and leading teams to successful outcomes.

Tim earned a bachelor’s degree from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California Los Angeles.

He enjoys outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, boating and golf. He and his wife, Anne, have three children and reside in Virginia Beach.

 

 

 

Jay Rosen founded HMA in 1985 and today, as HMA president and co-chairman, continues to directly engage in shaping the strategic vision for the firm, leading its growth, serving clients and inspiring innovation across the spectrum of publicly funded health care programs.

Jay is a nationally recognized expert in health policy, health economics and health finance. He directs a variety of major projects for public and private sector clients.

Prior to launching HMA, Jay served as the director of planning and policy development for the Michigan Office of Health and Medical Affairs. In that capacity, Jay supervised a broad program of health policy research and analysis.

Jay earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in philosophy from Michigan State University and taught undergraduate classes in ethics, logic and the history of philosophy.

He serves on the board of directors for several healthcare companies and organizations.