Our Council Members
MHQP’s unique position as a coalition of multiple stakeholder groups is reflected in our unique governance and guidance structure. Our Board of Directors was reconstituted in 2014 to include seven representative stakeholder members (offering provider, patient and health plan perspectives) and five independent members (offering industry expertise).
In addition, we are guided by the wisdom provided by three councils representing key stakeholder groups:
- Clinician Council (formed in 2002). The MHQP Clinician Council consists of medical directors from a diverse group of physician organizations across Massachusetts who have come together under MHQP’s umbrella. Their top priority is to guide MHQP in establishing a collective set of clinical and service quality improvement priorities that could best be accomplished through collaboration with other MHQP health care stakeholders. Two members of the Council sit on MHQP’s Board of Directors.
- Health Plan Council (formed in 2009). The MHQP Health Plan Council consists of medical directors and directors of quality operations for MHQP’s participating health plan member organizations. The purpose of the Council is to advise MHQP on the design and implementation of statewide performance measurement initiatives and establish and collaborate on priorities for statewide quality initiatives. Two members of the Council sit on MHQP’s Board of Directors.
- Consumer Health Council (formed in 2011). The MHQP Consumer Health Council comprises patients, family caregivers and other members of the public who have been active in, and have advocated for patient-centered care and for improvement in healthcare quality and affordability. The mission of the Consumer Health Council is to increase the quality of care and well-being for all consumers in Massachusetts through robust conversations that build respect, choice, and a holistic view of the individual. Two members of the Council sit on MHQP’s Board of Directors.
Barbara Spivak, MD
President and CEO, Mount Auburn Cambridge IPA
Past President, Massachusetts Medical Society
Chair, MHQP Clinician Council
MHQP Board of Directors
Kara Keating Bench, MD, MPH
Senior Medical Director of Primary Care
Cambridge Health Alliance
Carlos F. Cappas, PsyD, MBA
Chief Behavioral Health Officer
Lynn Community Health Center
Nicholas Cordella, MD, MSc
Associate Director of Quality Strategy
Boston Medical Center
Rebecca Cunningham, MD
Senior Medical Director for Primary Care
Mass General Brigham
Mohammad Dar, MD
Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Community Care Cooperative
Steven Defossez, MD, EMHL, CPE
Vice President, Clinical Integration
Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association
Susan Dargon-Hart, LICSW
Senior Vice President Clinical Health Affairs
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Kastoori Iyengar, MD, MBA, FAAFP, CMQ
Medical Director of Quality
UMass Memorial Medical Center
Elizabeth H. Johnson, MD, MS, FACP
Chief Medical Officer
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Kimiyoshi Kobayashi, MBA, MD
Chief Quality Officer
UMass Memorial Medical Center
Jodi Larson, MD
Vice President and Chief Quality Officer
Boston Medical Center
Michelle Lock, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Pediatric Physicians’ Organization at Children’s
Mark Mandell, MD
Chief Pediatric Medical Officer
Steward Health Care Network
MHQP Board of Directors
Yael Miller, MBA
Director of Practice Solutions & Medical Economics
Massachusetts Medical Society
Spencer Rittner, MD
Medical Director of Population Health
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Daniel Slater, MD, MBA
Chair, Pediatrics & Associate Chair, Primary Care
Optum Massachusetts
Luis Ticona, MD, MPP, MPH
Medical Director, Medicaid Innovation
Reliant Medical Group
Mark Friedberg, MD
Senior Vice President, Performance Measurement and Improvement
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Chair, MHQP Health Plan Council
MHQP Board of Directors
Linda Brenner
Director, Quality Measurement and Performance
Point32Health
Lora Council, MD, MPH, MHCM
VP & Sr Medical Director Quality & Population Health
Fallon Health
Clara Filice, MD, MPH, MHS
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
MassHealth
Angela Li, MPH
Director, Performance Measurement & Improvement
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
David Morales
General Manager
Wellpoint
MHQP Board of Directors
Desiree Otenti, NP, MSN, MPH
Vice President, Quality and Medical Policy
Point32Health
Maurice Sahar, MPH
Senior Director, Quality Assurance
Mass General Brigham Health Plan
Director, MA Senior Medicare Patrol Program
Elder Services of Merrimack Valley
Chair, MHQP Consumer Health Council
MHQP Board of Directors
Antoinette Austin
Retired
Judy Danielson
Health Market Strategy Consultant
Nancy Finn
Healthcare Journalist & Author
Communication Resources
Denice Garrett
Coordinator for Clinical Billing and Data Operations
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.
MHQP Board of Directors
Judy George
AHRQ Quality Indicators Program Lead
Division of Quality Management & Improvement, Center for Patient Safety & Quality Improvement
Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
Cyrus Hopkins
Retired
Rosalind Joffe
President
ciCoach.com
Jim Lomastro
Retired
Ann Naimie
Retired
Pam Ressler, RN, MS
Founder, Stress Resources
Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Tufts University School of Medicine
Janice Singer
Retired
Bonnie Thompson
Family-Centered Child Health Care Advocate
Kestrell Verlager
Disability and Technology Advocate
Debra Zalvan
Founder, INDICATE Health
CEO, UbiCare