Elite Advisors

Sudipto Banerjee, SPHR, PMP offers executive insights on Human Resource Operations and Transformation based on 30+ years experience implementing and modernizing HCM systems. Most recently, as SVP for HR Operations at Tufts Medicine, Sudipto was responsible for the HR transformation program that included a Workday implementation, creation of a new HR Service Delivery model and futuristic Career Architecture with results to show decision makers a demonstrable return on investment. He brings expert knowledge in AI based predictive models and apps, for better decision making, candidate engagement and employee experience, widely applied in the Transformation program.

A trusted advisor to CHROs, Sudipto has held consultative roles at varied advisory and software firms including Mercer, Oracle, and IBM. He is also the former Global Director of HR Services for the Campbell Soup Company. There he championed the implementation of an enterprise-wide Workday system with Time Management and Advanced Scheduling solutions. 

Sudipto holds a Bachelor’s degree from Indian Maritime University and a Master’s degree from Indian Institute of Technology. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).  LinkedIN →

Douglas Hires offers powerful executive insights based on 35+ years in IT, Revenue Cycle, and Business Process Outsourcing working with providers, payers, government, and life sciences. Most recently, Douglas was Chief Operating Officer (Provider) for OptumInsight, offering revenue cycle outsourcing and optimization, including coding, billing, and collections for care providers.

Prior to the formation of OptumInsight, Douglas was Chief Operating Officer (Hospital Services) of Optum360 LLC under Optum, providing revenue cycle management services for health systems. During his tenure, he oversaw end-to-end RCM operations for multiple clients, including Dignity Health, where he helped the 36-hospitalsystem significantly reduce AR Days, Bad Debt, Initial and Final Denials while increasing cash collections to record levels.

Before joining Optum, Douglas held healthcare sales and senior leadership positions with Santa Rosa Consulting, 3M Health Information Systems, and First Consulting Group. In each role, he worked directly with healthcare provider organizations managing service delivery and offering strategic insights. LinkedIN →

Patty Lavely offers strategic executive insights based on 25+ years of senior IT leadership experience as both a full-time and interim CIO for 5 different healthcare organizations.

Most recently, Patty served as VP and CIO for the Health Care District of Palm Beach County (FL). During her tenure, she oversaw an Epic Community Connect implementation, and led the IT response to the District’s COVID-19 public health needs. Prior to that Patty was the CIO at Gwinnett Medical Center (GA), a 553 bed, multi-facility, not-for-profit healthcare network. Among her many accomplishments, Patty led the redesign of GMC’s technical infrastructure, resulting in 99.9% system availability, and she established a comprehensive cybersecurity program.

Knowledgeable in health information exchanges, Patty served as Chair of both the Georgia Health Information Technology and Transparency Advisory Board and the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council’s IT Consortium.

She is a (2x) finalist for Georgia CIO of the Year,  and was recognized by Becker’s Healthcare in 2019 as a CIO to Know and Women in IT to Know. Patty is a Fellow with the ACHE and a CHIME Certified Healthcare Chief Information Officer. LinkedIN →

Ken Levitan offers strategic executive insights based on 30+ years of senior healthcare and IT leadership for major health systems and professional services firms. Most recently, Ken held multiple leadership positions at Jefferson Health, including Chief Operating Officer, and EVP for Network Optimization and Strategic Partnerships. He joined Jefferson as result of merger between Jefferson Health and the Einstein Healthcare Network, where Ken served as President and CEO responsible for Einstein’s 4 hospitals, 10 outpatient clinics, 1 SNF, and more than 700 primary care physicians and specialists.

Prior to that, Ken was an Executive Director at Ernst & Young leading the Healthcare Provider Information Technology practice. At EY, Ken led teams that delivered varied projects such as EMR implementations, strategic IS plans, IT department transformations, cybersecurity assessments, and analytics planning and implementation projects.

Before joining EY, Ken was CIO at Einstein for 10 years where he oversaw the deployment of multiple enterprise software and hardware solutions to advance patient care and improve operations for the health system during a period of rapid expansion and growth, including the construction of a $350 million-dollar greenfield hospital. LinkedIN →

Shelley Simkins draws on her extensive nursing and workforce management optimization expertise to assist clients with operational and financial process improvements. For the past decade, Shelley has provided invaluable strategic insight for large healthcare organizations looking to implement and/or optimize their workforce management (WFM) solutions. Prior to joining Healthcare IT Leaders, Shelley was the Senior Manager, Workforce Management Strategy & Consulting at Workforce Insight, part of Accenture, where she was responsible for building strategic WFM solutions across Healthcare, Retail, and Manufacturing verticals. Before that, Shelley was the Senior Manager, Labor Optimization at Huron Consulting Group, where she helped clients establish financial and process improvements for nursing and clinical ancillary departments through Kronos (now UKG) scheduling & reporting.

She is an experienced nurse, spending over 15 years at acute care hospitals, including Banner Health, UNC Medical Center, St. Cloud Hospital, and Union Regional Medical Center. Shelley holds an MBA and Master’s in Nursing Administration from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. She is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.  LinkedIN →

John Snyder offers 40+ years of industry expertise in health care executive leadership with both health systems and health plans. Most recently, John was President and CEO of Sanford Health Plan (SHP), with members in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Under his leadership, SHP improved member satisfaction while launching its Medicare Advantage product, earning SHP a spot on the U.S. News and World Report list of top Medicare Advantage insurers.

Prior to SHP, John held dual roles as president and CEO of Health Alliance Medical Plans and Executive Vice President/System Chief Operating Officer with Carle Health System. He worked for Carle Health for more than three decades in a variety of leadership positions across operations and health plan administration. At Carle, John was instrumental in transforming what was a community hospital with a few hundred beds to a multi-billion-dollar health system with a level 1 trauma center and more than 300,00 members in its health plan.

John holds an MBA from Eastern Illinois University, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St Louis. LinkedIN →

Marci Denn, DNP, MS, RN-BC offers 25+ years of experience in informatics and nursing operations. Marci has provided strategic insights and support for healthcare organizations, specializing in Oracle Health and Epic systems. She has also provided strategic planning for population health and value-based care initiatives.

Prior to joining Healthcare IT Leaders, Marci was the Vice President of Clinical Informatics at Vidant Health. She led a team of over 30 informatics professionals, implemented virtual care solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided strategic support for virtual care expansion and nursing efficiency programs.

Previously, Marci was a Strategic Consultant at Elevating Informatics, where she helped multiple clients prepare for major Cerner implementations. She also served as a Consultant for All Children’s Hospital and as the Director of Population Health at Baptist Physician Partners where she developed the analytic and informatics infrastructure for a new Clinically Integrated Network.

Marci holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Winona State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Winona State University. She is ANCC certified in Nursing Informatics. LinkedIN →

Stephanie S. Abbott draws on 15+ years of healthcare leadership and specializes in patient experience, with comprehensive expertise in change management, caregiver-physician engagement, program and project management, metrics and analytics, and culture facilitation.

Most recently, Stephanie served as the Chief Experience Officer for Adventist Health. During her tenure, the team collaboratively developed and executed a corporate strategic plan that enhanced consumer experience, resulting in over $100 million in revenue. She also led a Google Star rating increase of +.7 stars as well as a 58% review increase, with an improvement range of +.1 – 1.6 stars per site.

Prior to that, Stephanie spent four years as the Regional Director and Corporate Asst. Director at Intermountain Health and three years at HCA Healthcare as the Division Vice President of Patient Experience. Most notably, she drove patient satisfaction up +8.6% over two years across Division performance.

Stephanie holds an MBA from South University and a BS from the University of South Florida, is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. LinkedIN →