DIANE ELIZABETH KOLAK, MSN, RN

**** ******** ****

Naperville, Illinois 60563

Mobile: 630-***-**** E-mail: ad1ihg@r.postjobfree.com CAREER SUMMARY:

An accomplished healthcare executive with progressive leadership and client excellence experience. Proven leadership skills in the areas of clinical account management, consultative clinical sales, finalist sales presentations, clinical operations, project management, innovative and value-based program design. Able to drive collaboration across multiple business lines, expert in innovative program development to increase sales, client retention, satisfaction, and operational transformation. Seasoned leader in change management and cultural service model improvement. Expert in professional development and coaching to motivate individuals and teams to exceed goals in sales, account management, customer satisfaction, and KPIs. Effective in well-established, Fortune 50 companies, as well as start-up organizations. I thrive on challenges that result in business growth, population health and clinical improvement, and increases in member engagement success. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Elevance Health, Indianapolis, IN

March, 2021 – April, 2023

Clinical Advocacy Executive Director, Clinical Advocacy Strategy and Sales Enablement, Commercial Business

• Established and managed relationships with customer decision-makers and influencers to grow and retain business and revenue for premium buy-up clinical, advocacy, condition specific, and digital health improvement programs.

• Customers include self-funded and fully insured employers, large hospital and health systems, state governments, higher education institutes, and labor and trust institutions.

• Aggregate, interpret, and synthesize complex customer service, claims, utilization, case management, pharmacy, behavioral health, geographic, industry, social determinants of health, population data, and analytics in order to identify trends, variances to evidence-based care guidelines, and population health benchmarks for cost of care, condition-specific incidence and prevalence, preventative care activity, high cost claimants, and health risk profiles. Prepared customer presentations to demonstrate rationale for developing multi-year population health strategies, and consultative sales plans to address customer specific issues.

• Developed custom client material for sales presentations and member engagement increases. Tailored and presented material to C-suite executives through entry-level hourly workers to align customer goals and objectives.

• Assessed market specific competitive threats and developed plans to mitigate threats and enhance sales.

• Key team member and author for developing value story, differentiators, and “sell against guides” for the health plan sales and account management teams.

• Conducted training sessions for sales and account management teams related to clinical and digital health program enhancements and value studies and key sales points.

• Achieved 90% close ratio for premium health, advocacy, and digital health solutions buy-up sales.

• Developed member incentive plans to increase member program knowledge, value awareness, and engagement.

• Established consistent process for identifying opportunities to increase growth, retention, and revenue.

• Enterprise project team member to select and develop an enhanced maternity management program.

• Enterprise clinical lead for new student health program sold to non-Elevance Health Blue Plans.

• Consultant for enhancements for enterprise commercial oncology program. AccessHope, Duarte, CA

March, 2020 – February, 2021

Director, Client Excellence, Key Accounts and Channel Partners

• Established and managed relationships with customer decision makers and influencers to grow and retain business with national jumbo and mid-size key clients and channel partners.

• Established processes to obtain customer data to identify opportunities to drive member engagement and increase revenue.

• Collaborated with marketing team and physician SME’s to address member safety concerns related to COVID-19 restrictions.

• Developed hard copy, electronic pieces, and video member teaching guides for hand-washing, proper use of masks, and social distancing for members and channel partners.

• Developed special member focused materials on resilience and behavioral health during COVID-19 isolated hospitalization coping strategies for professional clinical staff as well as oncology patients and their family members.

• Launched several employer/member educational pieces with wider audience appeal to drive member program awareness and engagement.

• Established process for identifying opportunities to obtain customer testimonials for prospective sales and marketing opportunities.

• Achieved 100% retention of accounts in 2020, despite a particularly challenging year related to nationwide COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns.

• Principal architect of the AccessHope Strategic Account Review model to drive a consistent approach to identify growth/revenue opportunities, communicate client status to senior leadership, and develop an early identification system to determine competitive threats to allow for thoughtful planning to mitigate threats, and demonstrate value.

• Developed an Opportunity Analysis process and client report to demonstrate value to prospective customers.

• Established the company’s competitive intelligence library.

• Provided support for the RFP process for national consulting firms, health plans, and channel partner prospects.

• Conducted process modeling activities to identify redundancies and gaps in overall client onboarding activities.

• Principal architect of the clinical value report consisting of compelling case studies demonstrating clinical, financial, and humanistic outcomes in order to demonstrate program value for customers.

• Developed an Executive Summary model and process for succinct customer performance reporting. Kolak Consultants, Naperville, IL

June, 2019 – March, 2020

Principal

• Completed key projects to meet clinical and business objectives for disparate health care organizations: o Developed and provided ongoing oversight for a new Provider Services and Utilization Management program for an advocacy/population health company. o Assessed and audited utilization management strategic partner capability’s with recommendation to move to contract phase.

Goals: Offer a seamless and more satisfying provider experience; increase early opportunities to identify and manage members in order to improve satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and reduce the probability of a high cost clinical event o Developed and implemented the operational, client excellence, and clinical infrastructure for a start-up telemedicine company focused on the long term care market.

Goals: Establish account management and sales support processes, improve customer acquisition and engagement, prevent patient disruption, avoid unnecessary ER and hospital admissions, and reduce loss of facility revenue. Willis Towers Watson, Chicago, IL

July, 2018 – February, 2019

Director, Health and Benefits NA Consulting, Health Management Practice

• Provided clinical consultative services including clinical sales, account management, data analytics and interpretation, developed custom customer programs, and improved client retention.

• Rapid adaptation and response to customer needs and customizing customer projects based upon shifting trends in cost of care, employee retention and recruitment, and population health data.

• Provided best practice solutions to clients in response to changing competitive landscape.

• Drove performance management processes for high risk, high cost care management programs.

• Provided comprehensive population health data analytics with strategic planning and translating customer vision and expectations to measurable clinical and financial outcomes.

• Optimized benefit plan designs to maximize health, wellness, behavioral, member engagement, and cost and clinical outcomes.

• Conducted RFP projects for clients based upon recommendations for employee engagement, population health, wellness, and cost improvement.

HCSC, Chicago, IL

(Health Care Service Corporation)

April, 2015 – February, 2018

Divisional Vice President, Health Care and Marketing

• Managed an annual budget of $7M and a staff of 53.

• Led three key sales and account management functions in an enterprise, multi-state environment: o Clinical Account Management Consultants: provided consultative and strategic clinical account and sales management services for Major, National, and Enterprise National commercial accounts.

o Clinical Proposal (RFP/RFI) Team: developed RFP process and clinical proposal responses for in- force client renewals and new business opportunities for all lines of commercial group business. o Corporate Wellness Consultants and Coordinators: Sold culture of health assessments, design and execution of multi-year health and wellness strategic plans, custom member engagement solutions, population health improvement programs, along with upsells of imbedded full-time wellness and population health advocates within various employer sites.

• Developed and implemented innovative custom solutions, performance guarantees, reporting, and success metrics for at-risk customers. Achieved positive outcomes within 12-18 months.

• Winner of the 2017 HCSC "Collaboration Award", nominated by the BCBSOK Plan President for winning a complex, prestigious, highly visible, and profitable customer.

• Designed and executed the service model infrastructure, documentation system, reporting and analytics, and performance management program for the Clinical Account Management team.

• Transformed the Clinical Account Management Services Team from one that internal and external matrix partners did not value, to an asset that drove client value through increased member engagement, improved population health metrics, increased ROI, mitigating cost of care, and adding value for matrix partners through consultative sales strategy, which ultimately drove high demand for the team’s services.

• Change agent for the transformation of the culture of accountability, drive for excellence, and service model for the Clinical Account Consultants, Wellness Team, and Clinical Proposal Group.

• Principal architect for the integrated clinical sales story for Enterprise National Accounts for the 2018 sales cycle. Process followed in 2019.

• 85% close ratio on a new high-intensity, concierge advocacy care management program for 1-1-18

• Led the re-design of client value and ROI reports. Kolak Consultants, Naperville, IL

January, 2014 – March, 2015

Principal

• Contracted with a diverse group of healthcare companies to provide strategic consultative services in clinical program development, process improvement, financial performance analysis, communication materials, and operational re-engineering projects. Anthem Inc. / Wellpoint Inc., Indianapolis IN

September, 2000 – November, 2013

Lead, Clinical Account Director, Consumer and Commercial Accounts, 2010-2013

• Responsible for strategic clinical account management of large and jumbo national account clients (over 12M members).

• Provided client support. and facilitated unique client requests, positioned new products and offerings for up sell by effectively demonstrating value.

• Delivered weekly/monthly/annual/quarterly clinical and financial outcome presentations and oversaw new program sales and custom implementations for large National Accounts clients.

• Served as clinical SME for Clinical Competitive Intelligence and Best Practice teams.

• Assisted clients to evaluate corporate objectives, care management and wellness program design, and value of new offerings.

• Recruiting, coaching and development of clinical account director staff.

• Lead architect and project leader of Consumer Business initiative to mitigate MLR penalty rebates for Consumer Business in three states.

• Successfully positioned and sold Anthem care management solutions to new Medicaid business in several states.

• Developed clinical RFP library and process for Medicaid business.

• Developed and presented integrated care management story for new Medicaid business with non-Anthem Blue plans.

Staff VP, Lumenos Consumer Directed Health Plans, Clinical Account Management, Anthem National Accounts, June, 2007-January, 2011

• Served as CDHP expert for sales and account management in National Accounts as well as Large Local Group plans.

• Responsible for post-merger account retention. Achieved 98% persistency rate for three years.

• Developed and implemented post-merger client reporting package.

• Developed clinical account management transition plan for migration to enterprise care management solutions.

• Post-merger vendor management, integration and migration strategy including Case, Disease, and Lifestyle Management programs.

• Served on enterprise merger integration team.

Enterprise Care Management Re-Engineering Team Lead, April, 2009-2010

• Led the enterprise-wide care management integration and transformation after multiple plan acquisitions.

• Drove outcomes, consistency, set performance metrics, established culture of excellence.

• Team Lead position reported directly to business unit president. Staff VP, Clinical Account Management and Operations Strategy and Integration, Anthem National Accounts September, 2005 –June, 2009

• Principle architect of a new business unit to provide prospective and existing business clinical sales support, in-force clinical account management strategy, integration, and benefit plan design consulting services to Anthem National Accounts serving over 12M members.

• Designed sales training and sales strategy for the new Clinical Account Management approach.

• Exceeded revenue goals for add-on clinical program sales for 2006 through 2009.

• Hired, trained, and lead national clinical consulting and sales team.

• Due diligence team for pre-acquisition assessment for a technology concern and a radiology management company.

• Reported directly to National Accounts CEO during development of this business unit. Director, Anthem IRISSM

Program, Anthem National Accounts, September, 2001 – September, 2005

• Designed, developed, implemented, sold, and managed operations for a new technology driven, evidence- based gaps in care messaging program.

• Developed pricing, sales strategy and internal training program for the product:

• Generated over $2M in incremental revenue each year after go-live.

• Responsible for sales for new program – achieved greater than 90% close ratio and over 95% persistency rate.

• Designed and implemented Anthem’s first dedicated, customized Health Coaching program for several

“jumbo” National customers.

• Reported to National Accounts CEO.

Manager, Interactive Care Management and Quality Improvement, September, 2000 – September, 2001

• Managed an annual budget over $12M, and 77 staff members in the clinical operations and Quality Improvement areas for Indiana local and Anthem National Accounts business unit.

• Provided sales support for National Accounts Business Unit – membership grew from 650,000 to over 1.2 million in less than 18 months.

• Assisted National Business Unit marketing department in developing competitive sales and training materials for members, employers, sales, account management, and medical director staff. Specialty Care Systems, Inc, Park Ridge, IL

March 1995 – January 2000

Chief Clinical Officer, Executive Vice President, Co-Founder

• Developed entire clinical operation, organizational structure, acuity-based pricing model, and clinical business model for start-up complex disease management company.

• Developed sales plans and provided presentations to senior leadership at managed care organizations.

• Developed marketing, communication, and sales material for managed care organizations, members, and providers.

• Responsible for daily operations and P & L of rapidly growing specialized case management/disease management start-up organization.

• Over 200 direct reports in multiple locations across the US – included field RN’s, home health staff, account management, and operations center staff.

• Managed over 1000 patients representing over $35 million in health care costs.

• Consistently delivered statistically significant clinical and financial outcomes for at-risk managed care clients.

• Principal architect of proprietary clinical information system.

• Negotiated and managed contracts with clients, vendors, and venture capital firms to meet goals and SLA’s. Kolak Consulting, Park Ridge, IL

March 1995-September 2000

Founder and President

Contracted with a diverse group of health care companies to provide strategic consultative services in clinical program development, process improvement and clinical operational re-engineering projects. Key projects included the following:

CM HealthCare Resources, Northbrook, IL (now doing business as Focused Health Solutions) Consultant: Product Development and Clinical Operations Re-engineering

• Developed various disease management programs including clinical, sales, pricing marketing plans, and staffing models.

• Developed program infrastructure including sales and clinical staff training manuals, outcomes measurement tools, and employer interface components.

• Developed and conducted sales training courses for customers, internal staff, providers, and sales and account management teams.

• Developed and delivered sales presentations for hospital C-Suite teams.

• Developed market research template and completed market research for trans-telephonic and wireless biometric technology used for support of disease management services, made purchasing recommendations to company CEO.

Vital Home and Health Care, Mateson, IL

Consultant: Program Development and Clinical Operations Re-engineering

• Develop home-health based disease management programs for a Medicare population.

• Interim Director of Clinical Operations.

• Clinical process mapping and re-engineering project to optimize operations and revenue.

• Member of sales and marketing team.

• Clinical program development for complex chronic disease management.

• Member of the HCFA Prospective Pay System (PPS) implementation team. Instromedix, INC, Hillboro, OR (Instromedix was acquired by Alaris Health, Dublin, OH in 1998) Consultant: Clinical Trial Lead, Product Development, Sales and Clinical Trainer

• Developed, implemented, and managed alpha and beta testing phases for pre-market clinical evaluation and FDA approval for a remote-site trans-telephonic non-invasive cardiac monitoring device.

• Developed and managed project budget and timeline, principal investigator recruitment, study site selection, patient selection criteria and enrollment criteria.

• Outcome: Device was ready for market on-time, under budget, and with full FDA approval, as well as nationally respected Cardiologist PI testimonial. LINC Financial Services, Inc. Chicago, IL

Consultant: Reimbursement Recovery Process Re-engineering

• Developed recovery process for HCFA denied home care claims.

• Trained clinical and non-clinical staff for chart and claims review and financial analysis.

• Outcome: Recovery of $900,000.00 in previously denied claims from Medicare and DMERC. Clinishare Corporation, Los Angeles, CA

Consultant: Clinical Operations and Reimbursement process improvement

• Developed and implemented multi-site comprehensive adult congestive heart failure disease management programs.

• Developed CHF infusion clinic set-up and protocols.

• Developed critical pathway’s, policy and procedure manuals, reimbursement guidelines, sales and marketing materials.

• Recruit, hire, educate, and train key individuals and vendors.

• Liaison between integrated health system and UCLA transplant program leadership. Cardiac Alliance, Inc, Northbrook, IL

January 1990 – March 1995

Sr. Director, Operations & VP of Nursing

• Responsible for 7 cardiac remote monitoring, call centers, home cardiac infusion protocols, pharmacy processes, and specialty home care service centers in 5 states with P & L accountability and over 250 clinical and non-clinical direct reports.

• Increased nursing productivity by 35% with proportional increase in revenues and reduction in expenses.

• Principle architect of Chicago’s first “Early Discharge After Coronary Artery By-pass Home-based Program” with a $700,000.00 cost savings to the partner hospital within the first year. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL 1984 – 2000

• Senior Staff Registered Nurse, Charge Nurse, Senior Preceptor, Surgical and Transplant ICU for adult and pediatric patients.

EDUCATION:

Benedictine University, Lisle, IL:

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), specialty in Leadership, Finance, and Management. Purdue University, Krannert School of Business, Lafayette, IN:

• Certificate of Successful Completion, “Mini-MBA” Program. Loyola University of Chicago, Graduate School, Department of Neurobiology, Chicago, IL:

• Graduate level course work and research in neurobiology.

• Winner of Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Neurophysiology Research Design and Execution. Rush University, Chicago, Illinois:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Illinois Masonic Medical Center School of Nursing, Chicago, IL:

• Diploma in Nursing

PUBLICATIONS:

Kolak, Diane E., & Crabtree, Terry L., “Extended Period Disease Management Programs for Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases”. Cardiovascular Disease Management, Vol. 2, No., 2, Feb. 1996. Pgs 1-5. LICENSURE:

Registered Professional Nurse: Indiana

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