LEADERSHIP
Ken Dowell
Executive Vice President,
Chairman of the Pharmacy Analytics Board
Since 1986, Ken has continuously been a pioneer in the healthcare industry, helping organizations maximize their overall pharmacy objectives. Ken has established his position as an industry-leading consultant, offering his unique expertise and insights to health plans, unions and self-insured employers of all sizes around the country. Ken made strong contributions to several of today’s leading PBMs around the country, focusing his primary efforts on business development and strategic direction.
Melissa Kuznik, PharmD
Vice President
Melissa has more than 18 years of healthcare experience
spanning managed care, pharmacy benefit management and strategic consulting. Through careful reporting examination and data analytics as well as applying her extensive knowledge of the industry, Melissa works in partnership with her clients, providing strategic solutions focused on managing drug spend and pharmacy benefits.
SCOTT NILSEN, CEBS
Senior Vice President,
Client Advocate
Jonalan Smith, PharmD, FASCP
Senior Vice President,
Director
SARAH MARTIN, MAAA, CEBS
Senior Vice President,
Assistant Director
Sarah is a Senior Vice President with 19 years of
experience in employee benefits. She is responsible
for pharmacy benefit financial client deliverables
and strategy. Her primary areas of expertise include
PBM procurement and contracting, cost forecasting,
data analysis, specialty drug predictive modeling and
emerging pharmacy benefit strategies.
LEAD CONSULTANTS
Greg Bigwood
Senior Vice President,
Team Lead
Greg possesses nearly 25 years of diverse healthcare experience with over 20 years in pharmacy benefits. Having spent several years in PBM finance and underwriting, his deep understanding of PBM financials and operations ensures that his clients receive and maintain significant financial savings backed by unparalleled levels of service.
BRANDI KELLY, PHARMD
Vice President,
Team Lead
Throughout her 20-year career in the pharmacy industry, Brandi has leveraged her extensive knowledge of pharmacy benefit management, including formulary administration, operations, clinical solutions, cost-saving strategies and specialty services, to transform organizations, develop value-add programs and improve clinical performance. She brings a depth of experience in helping clients better understand their prescription benefits, while also collaboratively working to identify savings opportunities and ensure plans are managed most effectively.
JOE PETERSEN, MBA
Vice President,
Team Lead
Joe has over a decade of experience in pharmacy benefits consulting. He has extensive experience assisting plan sponsors in selecting, managing and auditing PBM partners. Joe has overseen vendor selection, pricing evaluation, benefit design, specialty pharmacy strategy and various other client engagements supporting clients across a variety of industries.
JOE SCHMIDT, MBA
Vice President,
Team Lead
SHAVSHA DAVIS, MS, MPH
Vice President,
Team Lead
Shavsha is a Vice President and Team Lead at Excelsior Solutions with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She leads a pharmacy team that analyzes plan performance, provides financial projections and interprets marketplace trends for employer clients. Shavsha specializes in designing clinical strategies, negotiating financial improvements, and validating and reconciling pharmacy contract terms.
Kim Comisar, MBA
Vice President
Lead Pharmacy Consultant
As Vice President, Kim is a strategic consultant for pharmacy benefits, managing client and vendor relationships and developing personalized pharmacy programs. As the primary point of contact for client service and plan management, her sought after leadership is reflected in the thoughtful, unique solutions she delivers for her clients.
Heather Huskamp
Vice President,
Team Lead
As Vice President, Heather is responsible for pharmacy benefit financial client deliverables and overall strategy. Her primary areas of expertise include PBM procurement and contracting, data analysis, overall strategy, vendor management, marketing and financial analysis, cost forecasting, plan design, emerging pharmacy trends and implementations.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
JULAYNA MEYER, RPh, MBA
Senior Vice President
As a pharmacist, Julayna brings real-world expertise to clients on managing their pharmacy benefit. She has over 20 years of experience in pharmacy benefit management helping clients develop pharmacy strategies for improving health outcomes and lowering costs. At Excelsior Solutions, Julayna oversees the national pharmacy analytics team that works with clients to evaluate pharmacy performance, contracts and opportunities.
ROBERT KORDELLA, RPh
Chief Clinical Officer
Robert has more than 40 years of diverse experience in the pharmacy industry. Bob previously practiced in retail pharmacy in a large academic medical center setting, and, for more than 16 years, has been an effective and well-respected leader in the PBM industry.
RATNA PATEL, MBA
Vice President,
Pharmacy Analytics
Ratna brings more than 15 years of employee benefits experience and a reputation as a trusted leader. In her current role, she is a member of the team focused on developing strategies for employers and health plans to efficiently manage their pharmacy benefit while improving the health of their population.
CHRISTINE HALE, MD, MBA
Senior Vice President,
Clinical Consulting
Christine serves as our medical director and lead strategist for our Clinical Consulting team. Christine is known as
an innovator, collaborator and change agent, and is
particularly passionate about utilizing data and creative
solutions to reduce waste and improve cost effectiveness
in healthcare.
SHEALYNN BUCK, MD
Chief Medical Officer
As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Buck serves as a health and
welfare strategic consultant for U.S. employer clients, including healthcare employers, and specializes in clinical data analysis to inform actionable cost and risk mitigation solutions. Dr. Buck is the clinical leader of Lockton’s Coronavirus Advisory Practice and guides a multidisciplinary team of 22 clinical experts providing timely and practical clinical advice to more than 13,000 U.S. employers and Lockton Associates.
