Executive Management

Veronica Carpenter has overall responsibility and accountability for the activities of several CalOptima Health departments, including Government Affairs, Communications, Community Relations, Strategic Development and the Clerk of the Board. Carpenter leads her teams by developing a shared sense of purpose and commitment to CalOptima Health’s member-focused mission and vision. She works closely with the executive leadership team, CalOptima Health Board of Directors, elected officials, regulatory agencies, associations, contractors and key stakeholders. Carpenter joined CalOptima Health in 2021, bringing more than 15 years of leadership at Orange County public offices and agencies. Dedicated to supporting health care for vulnerable populations, she worked for the Orange County Health Care Agency as the assistant to the agency director overseeing strategic communications and special projects. Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from UCLA and a master’s degree in public administration from USC.

Steve Eckberg, SPHR, MBA, is responsible for the administration of the Human Resources (HR) department functions, policies and procedures, benefits and retirement programs for CalOptima Health. The HR department, under the leadership of Eckberg, assists in creating a culture that connects employees to the mission and the members served each day. Most of Eckberg’s career has been in various HR leadership roles in health care with an emphasis on not-for-profit, mission-driven organizations. He spent more than 17 years with the St. Joseph/Providence Health System as Vice President of Human Resources and most recently with Sonrava Health as Interim Vice President of Human Resources. He is passionate about the value of people and helping to align individual gifts and talents to job roles for a highly engaged and inspired workforce. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and business administration from Augustana College and an MBA from Rockford University.

Nancy Huang oversees all aspects of CalOptima Health’s finances. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the financial, budgeting, purchasing and accounting departments as well as strategic efforts related to CalOptima Health’s long-term financial stability. Huang brings nearly 20 years of financial management experience. Prior to her appointment to the CFO role, she served at CalOptima Health as the controller for five years and as a financial analyst for six years. She also has experience working for a provider organization in the mental health field. Huang holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA from California State University, Fullerton. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Yunkyung Kim, MPH, is responsible for oversight and day-to-day operations of several CalOptima Health departments, including Customer Service, Information Technology and Information Security, Network Operations, Grievance and Appeals, Claims Administration, Quality Improvement, Senior Programs (Medicare and PACE), and Medi-Cal/CalAIM. She is charged with ensuring that those departments operate effectively, implement Board-approved business strategies, and comply with all state and federal requirements. Further, Kim champions key agency initiatives through her interactions with local stakeholders, including member advocates and community-based organizations. Kim has a wealth of leadership experience from prior positions at other Medi-Cal health plans, including Blue Shield of California Promise Health and Molina Healthcare, as well as a previous director role in public affairs at CalOptima Health. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular cell biology and a master’s degree in public health, both from UC Berkeley.

Kathleen Linder is responsible for oversight and day-to-day operations of CalOptima Health’s Information Technology functions, including application development, infrastructure management, data management and enterprise architecture. Linder champions key digital transformation and innovation initiatives. She has a wealth of leadership experience from prior executive IT positions at Elevance Health, Kaiser Permanente and United Health. She is a 40+ year resident of Orange County and earned her bachelor’s degree in business/IT from California State University, Fullerton and her master’s degree in engineering from USC.

Richard Pitts, D.O., Ph.D., oversees CalOptima Health’s delivery system, including the development and implementation of strategies, programs, policies and procedures. He is responsible for leading key CalOptima Health departments, including Clinical Operations, Utilization Management, Case Management, Long-Term Support Services and Pharmacy Management. Dr. Pitts is a physician and health care executive with a distinguished career spanning clinical practice and occupational health as well as medical group and hospital leadership for organizations such as Prospect Medical Systems, St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Dr. Pitts holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Chapman University, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Des Moines University and a Ph.D. in Management & Decision Sciences from Walden University.

Michaell Silva Rose, DrPH, LCSW, has input on and oversight of CalOptima Health’s key equity initiatives, benefits, policies and procedures, seeking to better identify and address health inequities and social determinants of health for members. Dr. Rose is a bilingual (Spanish) and culturally competent leader with public health and mental health expertise. She has more than 25 years of leadership experience in advocacy, strategic direction, program development, and promotion of equity and improved health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Most recently, Dr. Rose served as Director of Community Health at Hoag Health System where she worked in various community health leadership roles since 1998. Dr. Rose earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a Master of Social Work from California State University, Long Beach, and a Doctor of Public Health from Loma Linda University School of Public Health.

John Tanner is responsible for all of CalOptima Health’s compliance programs, policies and practices. He also ensures that the agency complies with federal, state and local regulatory requirements and accreditation standards. He brings more than 30 years of health care experience in Southern California, including more than 15 years managing Medicaid compliance at SCAN Health Plan and Molina Healthcare in multiple states. He has overseen various health products, such as Medi-Cal, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and marketplace. Tanner holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Ohio State University and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach. 

Zeinab Dabbah, M.D., J.D., MPH, works with the Chief Medical Officer to oversee CalOptima Health’s health care delivery system, including developing and implementing strategies, programs, policies and procedures. She also helps establish standards for providers wishing to join CalOptima Health’s programs. Dr. Dabbah is a Certified Health Insurance Executive with more than 25 years of experience as a primary care doctor, medical group leader, managed care specialist and health care executive for various health plans in Southern California. She earned her medical degree from Cairo University School of Medicine and a Juris Doctor degree from Chapman University. Dr. Dabbah also holds a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University.

Kelly Bruno-Nelson, DSW, is responsible for oversight of CalOptima Health’s development of the statewide California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. She brings more than 25 years of experience serving vulnerable populations in Southern California through innovative work in health care and nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining CalOptima Health, Dr. Bruno-Nelson was President and Chief Executive Officer of National Health Foundation (NHF), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization working to improve the health of underserved communities. Prior to NHF, she was Vice President of ONEgeneration in Van Nuys, California, a nationally recognized organization that provided an intergenerational program of adult day health care and childcare that brought together frail elderly and young children. Her earlier career also included leadership roles at a nursing home and in hospital-based social work. Dr. Bruno-Nelson holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Azusa Pacific University, a master’s degree in social work from California State University, Long Beach, and a doctorate in social work from USC.

Kelly Giardina is responsible for Medical Management, including Case Management, Long-Term Care and Utilization Management, along with new clinical program implementation related to initiatives in all areas. She brings more than 20 years of leadership in health care management, clinical programs and complex health solutions. Giardina’s experience also includes overseeing care management/population health management initiatives and leading Medicaid and Medicare program readiness reviews and audits for multiple managed care organizations. She previously served in senior executive roles at CareSource, Blue Shield of California and Molina Healthcare. In addition to being a Certified Case Manager, Giardina holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from California State University, Fullerton and a master’s degree in gerontology with a concentration in administration from the University of La Verne.

Michael Gomez is responsible for the development, expansion and support of CalOptima Health’s provider delivery system. He ensures the overall integrity and stability of the system to serve members across all programs. Gomez brings more than 30 years of experience in business and operations consulting for health care providers, including hospitals, physician groups and health plans. Prior to joining CalOptima Health, he was the founder and CEO of Newport PsychCare, a behavioral health company in Newport Beach, and vice president for business and strategic development for St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from San Diego State University.

Marie Jeannis, RN, MSN, CCM, is responsible for oversight of the Equity and Community Health department, including implementation of health education and chronic condition programs. Her work focuses on improving member experiences, promoting optimal health outcomes, ensuring efficient care and improving health equity. Jeannis is a registered nurse and certified case manager, with more than 20 years of leadership experience in health care management. Her background includes experience in home care, care management, utilization management and population health management. Jeannis has served CalOptima Health members since 2002 and has held various clinical leadership positions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from City College of New York and a master’s degree in nursing from Walden University.

Carmen Katsarov, LPCC, CCM, is responsible for the management and oversight of CalOptima Health’s Behavioral Health Integration department and the implementation of state and county behavioral health initiatives. Katsarov is a social worker, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Certified Case Manager with direct practice in community, hospital, utilization and case management. She brings more than 20 years of experience in both clinical and leadership roles, overseeing behavioral health utilization management, case management, social services, and leading initiatives for commercial, Medicaid and Medicare plans, including most recently at Magellan Health and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. Katsarov holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology.

Ladan Khamseh is responsible for oversight of several departments, including Customer Service, Claims Administration, Grievance and Appeals, Coding Initiatives and eBusiness. She ensures the departments’ effective performance and compliance with state and federal contracts as well as agreements with CalOptima Health’s contracted providers. Khamseh develops and implements short-term and long-range objectives consistent with agency goals and guidelines. She has more than 30 years of leadership experience in health care, including holding positions of increasing responsibility at CalOptima Health since its founding in 1995. Khamseh earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biology from University of Wisconsin, and a master’s degree in psychology from Illinois State University.

Donna Laverdiere steers the development and implementation of CalOptima Health’s Strategic Plan and other major planning and growth initiatives. She also works closely with the Government Affairs team while engaging in strategic public policy positioning for the health plan. Laverdiere possesses more than 17 years of government, managed care and consulting experience, with a particular emphasis on Medicaid managed care. She previously served as Senior Director of Medicaid Strategy for Kaiser Permanente and held leadership positions with consulting firm Health Management Associates and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Laverdiere earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts University and a master’s degree in public policy from Duke University.

Linda Lee leads the implementation of quality improvement activities for CalOptima Health. She oversees the key medical affairs functions of Quality Management, Quality Improvement and Quality Analytics, and ensures they are aligned with the organization’s strategic and operational priorities. Lee brings decades of experience overseeing and consulting for Medicare and Medicaid programs for plans in Southern California and nationwide, including a previous position as director of Medical Data Management and Quality Improvement at CalOptima Health. She earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and a master’s degree in public health, both from UCLA.

Eric Rustad leads CalOptima Health’s key analytical departments of Financial Analysis, Actuarial Services, Risk Adjustment and Enterprise Analytics. In this role, he is responsible for leading activities such as health care cost trend analysis, rate development, modeling and pricing, reserve setting, and the development of the annual revenue and cost of care budget. Rustad has nearly 20 years of managed care leadership experience, with 12 years in finance at CalOptima Health as well as prior roles at UnitedHealth Group and Kaiser Permanente. Rustad earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MBA with a specialty in health care and emphasis in digital transformation from UC Irvine. Rustad is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

Javier Sanchez leads the implementation of programs for older adults and Medicare-eligible individuals, including CalOptima Health OneCare and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). He has more than 25 years of experience in managed health care, including overseeing Medi-Cal, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans. Sanchez has held executive roles at Innovative Integrated Health Community Plans, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and CHOC Health Alliance, as well as previous executive positions at CalOptima Health. He studied microbiology at Arizona State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.

Deanne Thompson is responsible for increasing CalOptima Health’s public presence and reputation for health care leadership in Orange County. Thompson oversees the efforts of the Communications and Community Relations departments, which focus on advancing CalOptima Health’s member-focused mission and key messages through internal and external communications, marketing and advertising, media relations, and community engagement. She brings more than 20 years of leadership experience from marketing and communications roles in the health care field. Most recently, she was the director of communications and public relations for CuraPatient/Composite Apps, the company responsible for the Othena app used in Orange County’s COVID-19 vaccine effort. She also served for many years as a manager at the Orange County Health Care Agency and Tenet Health Care.