Vālenz® has announced that Suzann Chesek, BSN, RN, MBA, CCM, joined the team as Vice President of Care on February 21.
Chesek, who has more than 20 years’ experience with managed care and healthcare organizations, will lead care management operations for Valenz following the retirement of Janet Koch. Over the next three months, Chesek and Koch will work closely to assure a seamless transition before Koch’s retirement begins on June 1.
Most recently, Chesek was Director of Clinical Operations, Healthcare Management for Trustmark Health Benefits. She also served as Clinical Operations Manager with Holy Spirit Health System and as Hospital Administrator and Clinical Manager Employee Health & Safety with Wellspan Health.
Chesek’s background in clinical operations for managed care is fortified by her strong foundation as an ICU nurse, including roles such as ICU Bedside & Charge Nurse, House Supervisor & ICU Flex Nurse, and PRN ICU RN. With a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Eastern Mennonite University and an MBA in Healthcare Management from Western Governors University, Suzann is working toward a second master’s degree in Management & Leadership from WGU.
“By leveraging a rich blend of leadership skills and technical expertise throughout her impressive career, Suzann has established herself as a proven leader who thrives in a fast-paced, complex environment,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Valenz. “She welcomes a challenge and is highly recognized for her superior planning, decision-making and change management capabilities.”
Chesek pointed to her experience in managed care organizations as well as her studies in healthcare management and leadership as great preparation for her new role with Valenz.
“The teamwork, collaboration and leadership model at Valenz clearly align with my vision for the continuous growth and innovation of care management operations,” Chesek said. “As a strong believer in asking “why” to discover what is best for patients, clients and the company, I look forward to further enhancing our culture of partnership and accelerating our ability to deliver smarter, better, faster healthcare for the people we serve.”
Source: Vālenz®
