Ken Fasola named President of Centene
Jim Murray named Chief Operating Officer
Brent Layton becomes Senior Advisor to the CEO
Dave Thomas becomes Chief Executive Officer of Markets and Medicaid
Additionally, Company appoints Alice H. Chen, MD, MPH as Chief Health Officer and Brian LeClaire, MBA, PhD, as Chief Information Officer
ST. LOUIS, December 14, 2022 — Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today leadership changes and senior management appointments to position the Company for its next stage of growth.
“With these appointments, Centene is aligning the outstanding talent within our senior executive team with the Company’s value creation mission and long-term strategy for growth,” said Centene Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sarah London. “Additionally, we are excited to welcome two new leaders to our senior management team. Together, today’s appointments reinforce and accelerate Centene’s longstanding commitment to providing high-quality, low-cost healthcare to members and increasing value to shareholders.”
Ken Fasola, currently Executive Vice President (EVP) of Health Care Enterprises, will become President of Centene, continuing to report to Sarah London. In his role as President, Mr. Fasola brings more than three decades of successful leadership in the healthcare industry, including CEO roles at multiple health insurance companies. He will be responsible for Centene’s health plans, all lines of business and core operations.
Jim Murray, currently EVP, Chief Transformation Officer, will become EVP, Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting to Mr. Fasola. Equipped with deep experience in operations spanning a career of nearly three decades, Mr. Murray will be critical to Centene’s efforts in value creation, quality, and core business operations.
Brent Layton will become Senior Advisor to the CEO, as he begins his transition towards retirement. Over the next year, Mr. Layton will continue to play a pivotal role in developing and expanding key strategic partnerships for Centene and driving the Company’s business development strategy.
Dave Thomas, currently EVP, Markets, will become CEO of Markets and Medicaid, reporting into Mr. Fasola. With extensive leadership and more than 20 years of experience in the managed care industry, Mr. Thomas will take on an expanded scope and responsibility for the Medicaid product and business development.
The appointments of Messrs. Fasola, Murray, Layton and Thomas to their new roles are effective today.
Additionally, the Company announced the appointment of Alice H. Chen, MD, MPH, as Chief Health Officer (CHO), effective January 1, 2023, and Brian LeClaire, MBA, PhD, as Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective December 5, 2022. Both individuals will report to Sarah London.
As CHO, Dr. Chen will be responsible for Centene’s strategies, policies, and programs in support of improving population health for Centene’s more than 26 million members.
As CIO, Mr. LeClaire will be responsible for Centene’s information technology strategy, ensuring its alignment with the Company’s business strategy, and delivering secure, differentiated technology-enabled experiences to members.
Relevant bios are outlined below.
Ken Fasola, President, Centene Corporation
Ken Fasola brings more than three decades of successful leadership in the healthcare industry, having most recently served as Centene’s Executive Vice President of Health Care Enterprises and a member of the Office of the CEO. He joined Centene through the acquisition of Magellan Health Inc (MGLN) where he served as CEO and a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to that, he was Chairman, President, and CEO of HealthMarkets, Inc., one of the largest health insurance agencies and supplemental insurance companies in the U.S. HealthMarkets was acquired by UnitedHealth Group in 2019. Prior to joining HealthMarkets, Mr. Fasola spent nearly twenty years in executive leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group and Humana. He served as CEO of Secure Horizons, a division of UnitedHealth Group and the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurer. Prior to that he served as CEO of UnitedHealth Care’s Central Region, President of UnitedHeathcare lines of business and National Sales Officer. At Humana Mr. Fasola was the COO of Market Operations and formerly a member of the Office of the Chairman, a role he assumed after thirteen years leading various divisions within the company.
Mr. Fasola holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Planning and Administration from Pennsylvania State University and was named an Alumni Fellow in 2010.
Jim Murray, EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Centene Corporation
Jim Murray most recently served as Centene’s Chief Transformation Officer, where he led Centene’s Value Creation Office and its Behavior Health business and was a member of the office of the CEO. Previously, he was President and COO for Magellan Health where he oversaw the Magellan Behavioral and Specialty Health and Magellan Complete Care business segments. Prior to his roles at Magellan, Mr. Murray served as President of PrimeWest Health, a Dallas-based company which supports physician shift to value-based care and Chief Executive Officer of LifeCare HealthPartners, a Dallas-based hospital system. Murray also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Humana and held other significant leadership roles over a career spanning nearly three decades.
Mr. Murray received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Dayton and is a certified public accountant.
Brent Layton, Senior Advisor to CEO, Centene Corporation
Brent Layton has more than 30 years of experience with increasing responsibility in the healthcare and public policy sectors, with particular expertise in creating, scaling, and operating business in a highly regulated environment. Mr. Layton most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Centene Corporation where he oversaw the company’s healthcare offerings, including 30 State Medicaid Health plans, the nation’s largest Exchange provider, Ambetter, and the WellCare brand of Medicare products, and was a member of the Office of the CEO. Since joining Centene in 2006, he has overseen the development and implementation of new health plans in more than 25 states, provided strategic guidance to state governments to help them develop effective Medicaid solutions, and developed new business contracting with providers and health systems where he led the company’s effort in value-based purchasing.
Mr. Layton received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.
David P. Thomas, CEO, Markets and Medicaid, Centene Corporation
Dave Thomas most recently served as Centene’s Executive Vice President, Markets where he was responsible for the oversight of Centene’s 31 health plans nationwide. Previously, he was President and CEO of Fidelis Care where he led oversight across all divisions of Fidelis Care. Dave joined Fidelis in 1999 as Director of Strategic Planning and Development and held positions of increasing responsibility during his tenure – from Vice President, Senior Vice President of Operations, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – culminating in leading the organization.
Mr. Thomas received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University at Albany and a Master of Business Administration from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in Manhattan.
Alice H. Chen, MD, MPH, Chief Health Officer, Centene Corporation
Prior to joining Centene, Dr. Chen was Chief Medical Officer at Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, where she was responsible for healthcare strategy focused on quality, equity, and delivery system transformation. She previously served as Deputy Secretary for Policy and Planning and Chief of Clinical Affairs for the California Health and Human Services Agency, where she led signature health policy initiatives on affordability and access and played a leadership role in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Chen was also a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, based at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where she served as its Chief Integration Officer and founding director of the eConsult program.
Dr. Chen received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Yale University and has a Doctor of Medicine from the Stanford University School of Medicine. She also has a Master of Public Health in Health Care Management and Policy from Harvard School of Public Health. A primary care internist by training, she provides clinical care at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.
Brian LeClaire, Chief Information Officer, Centene Corporation
Prior to joining Centene, Brian LeClaire was Director, Technology, for the healthcare team at Arsenal Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in investments in healthcare and industrial growth companies. At Arsenal, he led information technology due diligence, advisory and oversight for the firm’s healthcare sector, and aided portfolio companies in the development and delivery of their technology strategy and value capture initiatives. Previously he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Humana, where he spent more than two decades in various technology and operational leadership roles. Prior to that he was a Vice President of Product Development at Alltel, a wireless service provider acquired by Verizon Wireless.
Mr. LeClaire received a Bachelor of the Arts in Psychology from Ripon College; a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh; and a PhD in Management Information Systems, with a minor in Computer Science, from Oklahoma State University.
About Centene Corporation
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams – to provide fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and value creation as well as the development of its people, systems, and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners.
Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene’s investor relations website, https://investors.centene.com/.
