The health care industry is one of the most evolving, impactful and discussed sectors in government contracting and the nation. Throughout 2023 and into 2024, these companies have continued working with the government to strategically, efficiently and safely track the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and other viruses, spread health awareness and keep citizens and their workforce informed.
WashingtonExec’s Top Health Care Execs to Watch in 2024 highlights the executives achieving significant milestones and goals with the support of strong leadership, teams and processes. They possess the expertise to navigate the complexities of the health industry, including challenges related to regulation and policy. Amid daily health care concerns, constant unknowns, controversies and technological innovations, these leaders are driving progress and disrupting the health care space, serving as catalysts for transformational change.
Geoff Howard
Vice President for Health, ManTech
Geoff Howard recently achieved a successful transition and agile transformation for nearly $500 million in contract wins. These changes increased transparency, helping ManTech’s customers make informed decisions to keep projects on time and on budget.
“The clients Geoff and his team support span the Departments of Veterans Affairs, the Defense Health Agency, Defense Healthcare Management Systems, and Health and Human Services – together serving millions of civilians and members of the U.S. Military,” said Stephen Deitz, president of ManTech’s Federal Civilian Sector. “Our work in Agile DevOps, Analytics and AI, Cognitive Cyber and Mission IT ensures these clients can deliver prompt, accurate and effective healthcare and benefits administration.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Howard’s team is heavily focused on applying innovation to optimize current and future programs for veterans and active duty military. The team is laser-focused on producing value for end users with all its projects.
“Building up and caring for people is the greatest predictor of success,” Howard said. “A great team, properly supported, can do far more good than a group of individuals.”
Fun fact: Howard lives in the distant suburbs of Washington, D.C., and spends many weekends covered in rust and oil, repairing broken engines and equipment. “It would be easier to pay someone to do the work, but not nearly as much fun,” he said.
Jennifer Welham
Senior Vice President of Health, People and Human Services, ICF
This year, Jennifer Welham’s team of over 2,700 health, people and human services professionals reached several incredible milestones. They focused on delivering the greatest impact on global well-being by solving their clients’ most difficult and complex challenges. The team achieves this by providing research, data modernization, training, technical assistance, people analytics, workforce services, and more to help federal agencies improve health, social programs, preparedness, and security.
One impactful project was the team’s contribution to developing EPA’s first nationwide drinking water criteria for PFAS, released in April. These synthetic chemicals, found in common products like pans, rain jackets, and food wrappers, don’t break down and accumulate in water, soil, plants, animals and our bodies.
Welham’s team partnered with EPA, using advanced data analysis and modeling to assess PFAS and estimate health improvements if these chemicals were reduced in public drinking water. This research supported EPA’s new regulation setting enforceable limits on PFAS, reducing exposure for about 100 million people.
“I’ve dedicated my career to helping clients make data-driven, informed decisions that improve people’s health and social well-being,” Welham said. “Now is such a pivotal time because we have the opportunity to harness data in new and exciting ways with AI and other advanced technology tools and the obligation to do so responsibly.”
Why Watch
We are living in a critical time, facing immense global challenges. These include chronic conditions and infectious diseases, the impacts of climate change on the most vulnerable, and substance misuse and behavioral health issues affecting individuals, families and communities. Welham’s team addresses these challenges through partnership and innovation.
ICF believes in thinking differently and working collaboratively to find solutions faster and more effectively. The organization focuses on bringing together high-performing teams with strong leaders to tackle significant health and social challenges.
Critically, ICF pairs subject matter experts with cutting-edge technology and advanced analytics to add scale and efficiency to solutions and drive impact. This approach defines how ICF operates. It will continue to provide innovative solutions and insights on the critical impact of social determinants of health on individual and community well-being.
Fun fact: Welham is a huge baseball fan! She and her husband are on a quest to see the Washington Nationals play at every major league stadium.
Rachel Murphy
Director of Federal Healthcare, Iron Bow Technologies
Rachel Murphy’s biggest achievement this year was spearheading the modernization of the company’s healthcare business unit, resulting in a more streamlined and collaborative culture. The company now has a robust focus on delivering advanced technology by integrating its two core business offerings: technology solutions and program services.
Why Watch
Her team is heavily focused on partnering with federal customers to develop and implement comprehensive digital health strategies. They aim to leverage cutting-edge technologies to enhance patient experiences and reduce provider burdens, driving measurable results.
“Leadership built on mutual respect, trust, and valuing people is the foundation of success in any business,” Murphy said.
Fun fact: Murphy, a boy mom, fills her life with high energy, sports and humor. To maintain work/life balance, she dedicates her mornings to early workouts with close friends, which motivates her and sets a positive tone for the day.
Andrea Fletcher
Chief Digital Strategy Officer & Director of the Digital Service, CMS
Andrea Fletcher’s biggest recent achievement was establishing the first Open Source Program Office at a U.S. federal agency.
“Joining the federal government 100% changed my life for the better,” she said. “It’s incredible to go to work every day making a difference in the lives of your fellow Americans and solving difficult problems in the health care system.”
Why Watch
In 2024, her team is heavily focused on expanding the OSPO and recruiting in top talent for the Digital Service team at CMS.
Fun fact: Fletcher has a springer spaniel named Darby. He’s often sleeping under her desk when she’s working from home.
Sergei Li
Vice President of Public Health Programs, Defense Mission & Health Solutions Sector, Peraton
Sergei Li led the public health team at Peraton over the past three years delivering strong year-over-year growth helping customers through the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftereffects.
“As part of the Clean Slate initiative, the team recently helped lead a successful revamp of CDC’s digital communications and CDC.gov website, which greatly improved the agency’s ability to better deliver public health messages to the public,” he said.
Tarik Reyes, president of Peraton’s Defense Mission & Health Solutions sector, said the true test of a leader is not how you perform during times of prosperity, but how you perform under pressure.
“Sergei and his team have helped provide the stability and infrastructure support that enabled our customers to withstand a flood of global health challenges while continuing to perform with business excellence,” Reyes said. “I am extremely proud of Sergei and his entire team.”
Why Watch
Li’s team’s combination of infrastructure, application development, data analytics and data science capabilities and extensive footprint has positioned Peraton for continued expansion at FDA, CDC, NIH and other public health markets, including global health.
“What differentiates us is our team’s passion for the mission of public health,” Li said. “Over the remainder of 2024 and into the coming years, the team and I will remain heavily focused on continued growth, incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning into our solutions, and expanding our footprint. We are also continually focused on helping our customers prepare for the next public health challenge, whether here or abroad. Health security is national security.”
Milad Bahrami
Senior Vice President & Business Area Leader of Health Solutions, Leidos
Milad Bahrami’s leadership helps Leidos achieve significant milestones in health, notably with programs like the Defense Healthcare Management System Modernization. This program provides the largest healthcare delivery through a single, integrated, secure electronic health record system, serving nearly 10 million beneficiaries across 4,000 facilities worldwide, and supporting over 200,000 medical providers and 150,000 military health personnel.
Additionally, Bahrami’s team supports the Military and Family Life Counseling program, aiding over 1.8 million warfighters and their families annually through 1,200 licensed counselors across 100 primary installations in the U.S. and overseas.
“Leidos Health Solutions innovation, coupled with Bahrami’s leadership and guidance, empowers our ability to serve our customers both today and in the ever-evolving landscape of tomorrow. Bahrami’s keen ability to bring the right combination of talent, secure technology, process, and business models truly sets him and his team apart in delivering integrated and differentiated offerings in the federal health community,” said Liz Porter, Leidos Health and Civil Sector president.
Why Watch
Bahrami and his team excel at delivering scalable, secure innovations to some of the world’s toughest problems. By using cutting-edge research, advanced data analytics, and strategic technology integration, they enhance care coordination, improve management efficiency, and drive better health outcomes.
Bahrami is deeply committed to community service, serving on the board of directors for The Children’s Inn at NIH and the AFCEA Bethesda Chapter. As a premier sponsor of The Children’s Inn, he actively supports its mission to provide a “place like home” for families involved in over 460 clinical trials at NIH. At AFCEA Bethesda, Bahrami fosters dialogue between the federal government and industry to tackle critical IT challenges and enhance inter-agency communication.
Bahrami’s exceptional leadership, forward-thinking strategies and commitment to improving health are transforming the federal healthcare landscape. His visionary approach to enhancing quality, access and continuity of care is paving the way for a healthier, more resilient future by providing military personnel, civilians, and veterans with the advanced care they deserve.
Shannon Kelley
Chief Growth Officer, Magellan Federal
Shannon Kelley’s biggest recent achievement has been to rebuild the company’s multi-year strategic plan, expand its capabilities and service offerings, and help Magellan begin to embrace innovative, technology-enabled products and services to meet individual, family and organizational needs while maintaining its commitment to quality delivery and customer service.
“Shannon is an exceptional executive who leads by example, rolls up her sleeves, and mentors individuals and assembles the best and brightest members of teams,” said Anna Sever, president of Magellan Federal.
Why Watch
In 2024, Kelley and her team are heavily focused on building up the systems, people and tools needed to scale the company to deliver human-first, technology-enabled solutions to empower federal employees and Military personnel to live healthier, more productive lives.
Fun fact: Kelley is a thrill seeker. Some recent exploits include a ziplining tour and hiking Mt. Batur in Bali, Indonesia. She and her husband have vowed to surf in every country with a coast and rideable waves.
Chrissy Cocrane
Senior Vice President of Management and Transformation Solutions, LMI
This year, Chrissy Cocrane successfully secured LMI’s major CMS recompetes while shifting LMI’s focus from traditional consulting services to high-profile business and digital transformation support for public health customers, resulting in over 10% year-over-year growth.
She has driven innovation and digitally enabled capabilities in the federal health landscape, especially in business modernization, organizational transformation, workforce evolution, and strategic analytics and insights.
Her leadership led to remarkable transformations in business focus, resulting in substantial outcomes. Her business unit achieved a notable 15% annual growth and doubled revenue from transformation initiatives. Under her guidance, the unit enhanced digital capabilities by over 60%, significantly improving service efficiency and effectiveness for LMI’s health customers.
These achievements underscore Cocrane’s exceptional skill in driving business success and highlight the concrete advantages her strategies have delivered to health customers, particularly in human capital and program management.
“LMI has been collaborating with federal healthcare customers for more than 25 years by infusing traditional consulting services with data and technology to provide the government a digitally enabled service,” Cocrane said. “This allows leaders to focus on people while providing better technological solutions. It has been an honor to lead LMI’s strategic evolution in the healthcare space and to ultimately help improve patient outcomes and support world-class healthcare for our country.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Cocrane and her team are focused on helping to shape a healthier, more resilient nation by changing the way government agencies provide, protect, and prepare for the next frontier of healthcare. Through LMI’s performance optimization approach and adaptive digital operations, her team will implement tailored, systematic and data-driven approaches that enhance efficiency, effectiveness and adaptability within government organizations, maximizing productivity and agility.
Fun fact: In 2020, Cocrane picked up golf because she enjoys meeting outside rather than in an office. She doesn’t like to keep score, appreciates a good scramble and would love to play more often, so reach out to her.
Eliot Harris
Health Portfolio Lead, Accenture Federal Services
Eliot Harris’ biggest recent organizational achievement was being appointed to lead Accenture Federal Services’ new Health Portfolio. This portfolio combines the capabilities and expertise of Accenture Federal Services and Cognosante to improve people’s lives. His biggest personal achievement is mentoring and growing his team, which he finds immensely rewarding and will continue to prioritize in his new role.
Why Watch
Creating a fulfilling organizational home within the Health Portfolio requires a people-first approach that authentically communicates the real value that everyone brings to the combined organization. When the company effectively combines people and passion, it can help its clients do great things, Harris said.
“Communication and transparency are key,” Harris said. “People will always have concerns about what change brings, and that is critical to remember. It’s also important to remember, when faced with competing priorities, my own needs are always secondary to what the organization needs.
Fun fact: Above all, Harris values mentorship and continuous growth. Mentors have shaped him into a better leader and person throughout his career. As his responsibilities grow, he relies on those lessons and helps his team thrive.
Susan Longley
Senior Vice President of U.S. Domestic Portfolio , Abt Global
Abt Global dramatically expanded its health portfolio, particularly in large-scale implementation for home health, hospice and quality reporting, health equity, and forecasting and analytics, said Susan Longley. The organization enhanced its digital solutions to complement its strong research and implementation capabilities. With the recent acquisition of TSPi, Abt is accelerating client success by offering comprehensive digital and IT capabilities that the civil sector needs to modernize systems, improve performance and enable faster, more accurate decision-making.
Why Watch
Abt continues to expand its digital solutions and offer enhanced management consulting, helping clients navigate transitions, policy changes, and find real-world problem-solvers for programs and services impacting millions, according to Longley. The company takes a one health approach, seeking efficiencies across sectors and perspectives by examining all factors influencing healthcare, beyond just doctor visits.
This perspective involves working with clients to explore health intersections across public health, human services, housing, climate and environment, and sharing best practices across domains. Abt’s clients recognize the need for connectivity among different agencies serving the same communities and stakeholders.
“There is a lot of exciting work happening in Abt’s domestic portfolio, and we have introduced new talent to meet client needs and expand horizons, from digital analytics and generative AI to maternal health, Medicaid quality reporting, compliance and health IT,” Longley said. “As the policy landscape evolves, we are doubling down on our mission to problem solve, remain agile, and deliver impact for our clients, no matter the challenge.”
Anne Bailey
Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives Lab (“Strat Lab”), Digital Health Office, Veterans Health Administration
Anne Bailey’s biggest recent achievement was the VA Immersive Summit, held on June 11-12 in Washington, DC. This in-person event at Union Station brought together government, industry and academic thought leaders for knowledge sharing, networking and the opportunity to experience immersive technology. The highlight of the event was the veteran testimonies about how this technology has changed their lives.
“Drs. Govindan and Kirsh’s support of this work and the VA Immersive team is invaluable,” Bailey said. “Each of these executives is committed to veteran-centered care, meaning they are willing to take the right kinds of risks to do the right things for patients.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Bailey’s team is heavily focused on making immersive technology an increasingly normal modality for health care delivery, a focus driven by veterans and VA staff themselves.
“As the largest integrated healthcare system in the country, the VA is saying immersive technology is important and making a difference,” Bailey said. “The rest of the world is beginning to see the same potential, and VA is well positioned to be the first to make it more normal.”
Fun fact: Bailey is an endurance athlete and has competed in Ironman events and run a half marathon in all 50 states. In July, she summited Kilimanjaro.
Steven Sousa
Senior Vice President of Health and Social Services, CGI
Steven Sousa’s team’s work on modernizing the Healthcare Provider Management System at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, streamlining Medicare access for over 65 million beneficiaries, is one of his biggest achievements in the past year.
The collaboration with CMS ensures compliance and optimized enrollment for over 800 private health and drug plans in the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D programs. Leveraging federal regulatory compliance and healthcare policy expertise, the team worked with CMS to implement critical new features from the Inflation Reduction Act, expanding access to affordable treatments, reducing drug expenses, and stabilizing prescription drug premiums.
CGI also enhanced CMS operations by migrating their systems to the AWS cloud. These modernization efforts, along with the data analytics and intelligent automation capabilities, demonstrate CGI’s expertise and commitment to compliance, operational effectiveness, and efficiency as healthcare programs evolve and expand.
“As a technologist driven by a deep-rooted passion for the intersection of technology and healthcare, it’s my honor to lead a team that is committed to supporting our clients through innovative solutions that help them modernize and future-proof their services while ultimately working to improve the lives of their customers,” Sousa said.
Why Watch
Sousa’s team is focusing on partnerships with key industry players like Google and AWS this fiscal year. These alliances have led to collaborations in integration and modernization services in federal spaces. By pooling resources and expertise, they drive innovation and efficiency. CGI has also enhanced its capabilities by training AWS professionals, growing its talent pool and embracing a culture of continuous learning and growth.
CGI is expanding its Healthcare Innovation Center, launched in late 2023, as a hub for creativity and collaboration to introduce next-generation technology tools and AI into federal healthcare and social services. The company’s innovation focuses on revolutionizing data management and AI integration, making it easier for providers to do their jobs and for patients to receive the care they need. This work will introduce user-friendly tools that streamline healthcare management, ensuring accessibility and efficiency for everyone.
Fun fact: A Connecticut native with Azorean roots, Sousa’s first language is Portuguese… and he hails from a family of chocolatiers!
Roman Salasznyk
Senior Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton
As a leader in Booz Allen’s Civil Health and Life Science businesses, Roman Salasznyk is dedicated to working with federal health agencies to provide cutting-edge technologies and strategies designed to accelerate research and improve health outcomes.
This past year, Salasznyk worked with integrated, multidisciplinary teams to transform and modernize their clients’ mission-critical operations across the healthcare enterprise. Leveraging their heritage of innovation and Booz Allen’s VoLT strategy, they empowered federal clients to strengthen surveillance and response capabilities for emerging public health threats, expedite scientific discoveries and product approvals for unmet medical needs, and deliver high-quality, affordable health insurance through the Marketplace.
“Booz Allen is leading clients into a new era of scientific and technological advancement with a focus to improve public health outcomes, fostering data-enabled missions, and accelerating performance and innovation to solve their most complex challenges,” Salasznyk said.
“The healthcare community is reaching a tipping point where the velocity of advancing healthcare solutions brought on by emerging technology has the potential to revolutionize biomedical research, public health surveillance, regulatory decision-making, and supply chain resilience,” he added. “By being forward-thinking, we recognize the need to catalyze on the potential of transformative tech to reduce disparities in healthcare, increase equitable access to patient care, and improve the health and well-being of the American public.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Salasznyk and his team will continue to deliver best-in-class capabilities to harness the power of artificial intelligence to develop and evaluate new treatments across the life science ecosystem; implement the latest advances in scientific computing, cyber and cloud solutions to meet the needs of emerging strategic priorities; and modernize critical systems and infrastructure to optimize business operations and data sharing.
“Roman has a unique passion for advancing healthcare through innovation and making a tangible difference in our nation’s health landscape,” Rich Crowe, Booz Allen’s Civil Sector president. “His strategic vision integrates cutting-edge technology like data and AI to enable mission-critical operations, improve healthcare delivery, and achieve transformative outcomes. His leadership truly reflects Booz Allen’s values and commitment to driving innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare.”
Monica Rosser
Executive Managing Director of Federal Health, Maximus
For decades, Maximus has been an established industry leader for enhancing the services delivered by federal health agencies. In 2024, the company improved its offerings even further under the leadership of Monica Rosser, who joined in December as the executive managing director for federal health.
A seasoned executive and respected thought leader, Rosser has focused on driving the company’s strategic vision, growth and customer expansion across the federal health landscape.
“We are living through a transformational moment for healthcare, as the rapid evolution of technology allows federal agencies to modernize and deliver services to those who need it in new and exciting ways,” she said.
One of Rosser’s big priorities has been progress for creating an exceptional beneficiary experience throughout federal health for military members, veterans, beneficiaries and caregivers. The ability to maximize the potential of technology allowed Maximus to create better ways for the public to apply for and receive critical benefits.
“I’ve been really focused on all things caregiver, because it’s such a vital role for healthcare across our nation caring for our vulnerable populations, and they deserve our support,” Rosser said. “It’s a multifaceted, multi-dimensional approach that will profoundly impact caregivers and make the benefits part of their lives much easier.”
Why Watch
Federal health agencies set goals to improve the customer experience and deliver services in a more timely, efficient manner. With proper considerations for these improvements, health agencies can better serve citizens and increase their trust in the government.
“At Maximus, we’re working to modernize the care delivery model and create a technology-enabled, human-centered approach for a comprehensive ‘whole health’ view of data, systems, and services to improve health outcomes for everyone,” Rosser said.
Maximus has been at the forefront of CX improvements for federal agencies for years, and recently launched a new CX-focused solution, Maximus TXM. The new solution is FedRAMP-secure and seamlessly integrates people, experience, data insights, and secure technologies into one digitally powered platform.
“We want to help transform the health ecosystem and enable digital-first healthcare,” Rosser said. “We can use technology to empower an agency’s workforce while providing equitable and personalized services at scale.”
Kristin Lemus
Vice President of Health IT and Cyber, ECS
Kristin Lemus oversees the execution, delivery and growth of ECS’ Defense Health division. Her team plays a crucial role in assisting the Program Executive Office Defense Healthcare Management Systems and Defense Health Agency in implementing and executing innovative and mission-critical large-scale enterprise IT solutions.
Lemus’ team is at the forefront of DHA’s transformation, leading key initiatives on high-visibility and critical missions such as the Health Information Archive and operations aboard the USNS Mercy. Their work ensures the defense health system remains robust, efficient and cutting-edge, catering to the unique needs of military healthcare.
“At ECS, we pride ourselves on delivering powerful solutions for a complex world,” said Keith Quigley, ECS senior vice president of health and civilian. “We take a collaborative approach to solving our clients’ most pressing challenges, helping create an ecosystem that provides meaningful outcomes for our active duty servicemembers and veterans. Kristin’s leadership is a driving force behind making that impact.”
Why Watch
In 2024, Lemus and her team are dedicated to further advancing the transformation of defense health. They aim to leverage ECS’ deep expertise in data and AI, customer experience, enterprise transformation and cybersecurity to drive mission success. The goal is to bring innovative solutions and unparalleled support to ensure that defense health continues to deliver exceptional care and service to our warfighters and the medical professionals who serve them.
“Being part of the Defense Health industry for the past 16 years has been incredibly meaningful to me,” Lemus said. “It is an immensely important mission, ensuring that our warfighters and the medical professionals who serve them receive the best possible services. This mission keeps me energized and dedicated. I have been fortunate to collaborate with some of the best and brightest Government customers and industry colleagues who are highly committed to identifying and implementing innovative solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing the enterprise.”
Fun fact: Lemus’ passion for the military and leadership comes from her family’s strong influence. Her father served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years and later thrived as a manufacturing executive, inspiring her pursuit of excellence. Her Icelandic mother embodies strength and resilience, motivating Lemus daily. The dedication of her parents and other military family members drives her commitment to her work and ECS’ mission.
