Team & Board

Jolie Ritzo is the CEO of Civitas Networks for Health. With over 15 years of experience, Jolie has led communications and marketing, government relations and advocacy, event strategy, and strategic planning for the organization. Jolie previously served as the VP of Strategy and Network Engagement for Civitas, Senior Director of Network Engagement for Civitas, and was the Director of Partnerships and Programs at the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI). Jolie also serves as President of the Crossroads Board of Directors, a nonprofit organization serving patients and families in Maine with addiction and behavioral health treatment.

Jessica Little is the Chief Operating and Programs Officer at Civitas Networks for Health. Jessica previously served as the VP of Programs and Operations for Civitas and Director of Grants and Programs at the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI) where she led business development and oversight of multi-region initiatives.

Dr. David Kendrick is the Founder of MyHealth Access Network in Oklahoma, Chair of Medical Informatics at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, and Assistant Provost for Strategic Planning at the OU Health Sciences Center. David brings deep expertise in health information exchange, data analytics, quality improvement, and learning health systems. He will provide strategic guidance for key initiatives, including Patient Centered Data Home®, and the Health Data Utility Steering Council, as well as advising on new business development opportunities to strengthen Civitas' mission-aligned programs.

Demri Henderson is Civitas’ Grants and Program Manager. Demri has spent four years in health IT consulting, leading federal health care policy reform integration projects in health and social care. In various roles within the Gravity Project, Demri has led the technical and implementation workstreams in project management activities. Demri holds a B.S. in Kinesiology and Human Development from Washington State University and an MHA from Grand Canyon University. She also holds a CAPM certification from the Project Management Institute, is a Baldridge Institute-certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Healthcare, and is pursuing her PMP certification.

Karen Ostrowski, MBA, is a health policy strategist with more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of privacy, data sharing, and interoperability. In her role with Civitas, she helps members make sense of emerging federal and state policy and provides practical guidance they can use to strengthen cross-sector data exchange. Karen has worked closely with state agencies, community organizations, and health technology partners on initiatives that improve how information moves across systems and communities. Her insights have shaped statewide data-sharing efforts and continue to be featured in national policy conversations. She holds an MBA and previously served as Director of Regulatory Affairs at Unite Us and Chief Operating Officer at Intrepid Ascent.

Kate Kroell is the Senior Manager of Member Relations for Civitas Networks for Health. With a background in public health and food access, she has over seven years of experience in nonprofit development and supports fundraising and membership activities. She completed a Master of Public Health program at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon graduation, Kate worked for a little while in the healthcare world, but when she had the opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA, she jumped at the chance. Her service year was spent at the Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture, which is an urban farm and educational nonprofit.

Kelsey Matheson-Daly is the Director of Communications and Marketing for Civitas Networks for Health. She is responsible for content strategy and amplification across Civitas-owned channels, as well as visual production, brand consistency, and voice ownership. Kelsey has over 12 years of health care communications experience, supporting numerous organizations spanning HIEs to primary care, health policy, pharma, and biotech.

Lenora Ross serves as the Program Manager of Events at Civitas Networks for Health. In her role, she excels in the intricate art of planning, coordination, and comprehensive reporting for a wide array of network, member, and partner events. With a keen eye for detail and over two decades of experience in administration and management, Lenora is a seasoned professional in her field.

Lizette Rivera-Arnold serves as the Associate Director of Member Operations and Programs for Civitas Networks for Health. Lizette is a seasoned project manager with over 15 years of experience leading national healthcare initiatives across the non-profit and federal sectors. Her expertise spans population health, data-driven research, and multi-sector partnerships. At Civitas Networks for Health, she supports strategic program development and member engagement. Previously, she managed key initiatives at the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI), including the Collaboratives in Action webinar series and the Emerging Leadership Council. Lizette is passionate about driving operational excellence and fostering impactful collaborations in healthcare.

Madelynn Valu is a Program Director at Civitas Networks for Health where she plays a vital part in leading program planning and management of strategic initiatives and grant funded programs. Prior to joining the Civitas team, Madelynn held several roles in health IT, public policy, and program/partnership management. Previously, Madelynn worked as a policy consultant for health IT clients at a DC-based lobbying firm, Sirona Strategies, as well as a manager on the informatics team at HIMSS where she focused on efforts to advance health care interoperability and health information exchange. Madelynn started her career in health care as a registered dietitian before receiving her MPH from the University of Illinois in Chicago, IL and moving into the health IT space.

Michaela Cohoon is Civitas Networks for Health’s Executive Assistant, Board and Government Affairs Liaison. She brings to this role her extensive background in operations and logistics, as well as a keen awareness of event management and business development. Michaela has previously held roles in project and program management, board management, and business development for Health IT. She is very excited to be able to support the Civitas team and Board of Directors.

Gabrielle Rude is the President and CEO of the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ), leading efforts to improve health care quality and value through collaboration and data-driven strategies. With over 20 years of experience in population health and quality improvement, Gabrielle has held leadership roles in practice transformation, quality analytics, and education. She holds a PhD in Population Health Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and serves on the boards of the Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network (WISHIN) and the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHI

Kyle Russell is the Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Health Information (VHI). Since stepping into the CEO role, Kyle has focused on growing VHI’s external presence and strengthening partnerships to better serve the Commonwealth. Known for leading by example, he fosters a collaborative work environment and focuses on how VHI can address Virginia’s health data needs over the next decade. Under his leadership, VHI has consistently expanded its revenue, staff team and multiple key Virginia electronic health data collection and sharing policies. Above all he strives to make VHI a resource that the Commonwealth is truly proud of and an employer that is as invested in the success of its staff as they are in the organization.

Daniel Porreca has been President and CEO at HEALTHeLINK, since 2007, growing it into one of the leading clinical exchange networks in the United States. With more than 30 years of experience in the health care and technology industry, he has a wealth of knowledge and a strategic understanding of health care technology and its application in the clinical setting.

Marc H. Bennett is Chief Executive Officer of Comagine Health, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the hard problems in health and health care in communities across the country. Marc is responsible for all contracts and activities, including health care quality consulting, data and analytics, health information technology support, research, and care management services for clients across the U.S.

Craig Behm is the President and CEO of CRISP, the State-Designated Health Information Exchange (HIE) for Maryland, and CRISP Shared Services (CSS), a nonprofit support organization that provides technology infrastructure and other core services to HIEs across the nation.

Ben Tyrrell, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer for Big Sky Care Connect (BSCC), Montana’s designated State Health Information Exchange (HIE). Since his appointment in 2021, Ben has been leading the strategic development and implementation of the HIE and the development of new partnerships and product lines. Before his time at Big Sky Care Connect, Ben spent 25 years in healthcare administration and strategic leadership roles across the health care spectrum. He has worked in Acute Care, Post Acute Care, Practice Management, and Consulting.

Carmen Hughes is a seasoned health IT leader and Executive Director of the HIT Division at the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine. With over 25 years of experience, she has spearheaded strategic initiatives, including leading Georgia’s Regional Extension Center to support health care providers in adopting and meaningfully using EHR technology. Carmen specializes in health equity, client relationship management, and operational excellence, with a proven track record in improving patient experiences and fostering collaboration.

Jaime Bland is a strategic advisor at Cynchealth, an organization that uses the power of data to empower care teams to work together for better health outcomes, lower costs, and healthier communities. She oversees the efforts in the Midwest region of the United States, specifically Iowa and Nebraska.

Kristin Paulson is the Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Improving Value in Health Care, the designated administrator of the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). Her work encompasses everything from establishing a reliable, high-quality dataset, to engaging our local providers and communities in evidence-driven improvements to the health and healthcare of Coloradans, to working with researchers, government, and other partners to identify new ways to use the data from the CO APCD to inform health care delivery and payment reform.

Melissa Kotrys is the Chief Executive Officer of Contexture, the umbrella organization of CORHIO and Health Current. Through her vision and leadership as CEO of Health Current, the Arizona health information exchange is recognized as a model for aligning the health care community with the possibilities of connected electronic health information to advance individual and community health and well-being.

Sarah Irsik-Good leverages nearly two decades of experience in the health care delivery system, furthering KFMC’s mission and bringing extensive experience in regulatory compliance, performance improvement, and operational leadership to her role. Sarah has worked in almost every healthcare delivery setting, including acute care (both PPS and CAH), long-term care, behavioral health, and ambulatory care. Prior to her appointment as CEO, Sarah served as Director of Quality Improvement and then as Vice President at KFMC, providing technical direction and operational leadership for Medicare quality improvement work across Kansas.

Van, PelEX Program Manager at LPHI, is the Chair of the 2026 Emerging Leaders Council for Civitas. He is a multifaceted health information network manager and product development professional with proven skills in client relationship building and communication. He has held management positions at one health information network and two small product development firms, where he bridged customer needs to technical specifications. Van obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration at Loyola University to further develop his passions for business strategy, systems thinking, and operations design.

Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH is the Chief Executive Officer of Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and serves as an external director on the Board of Civitas Networks for Health®. A nationally recognized public health leader, Joseph brings extensive experience in state and local public health leadership, emergency response, and health policy. Prior to joining ASTHO in 2024, Joseph served as Louisiana’s State Health Officer, where he led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple natural disasters, overseeing a department of more than 7,000 employees. He previously served as Director of Health for the City of New Orleans and has held clinical leadership roles focused on community-based care. Joseph is a board-certified emergency physician and holds an MD and MPH from Tulane University.

Theresa Dreyer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Care Transformation Task Force. Prior to joining the Task Force, Theresa led the Value-Based Care (VBC) portfolio at the Association of American Medical Colleges. She draws on previous experience with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, where she led the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, and has also worked in health care consulting. Based on her range of public and private sector expertise, Theresa has developed deep knowledge of how VBC works from a policy perspective, as well as how it plays out on the ground for payers, providers, and patients. Theresa holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan.