Team
Joseph Berardo, Jr.
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Kevin Mahoney
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Donald Hurter, MA
SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Aaron Ware
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
David Vittoria, LCSW, MCAP, ICADC, NCAC II
CHIEF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OFFICER
Alana Letourneau, M.D., MBA
CHIEF CLINICAL STRATEGY OFFICER
Allen Spokane
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Thomas Downey, MS
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SALES
Katie Meister, LPN
DIRECTOR, CLINICAL OPERATIONS
Neil Lentine
PRESIDENT, ANCILLARY & SPECIALTY SERVICES
Eric Wunderlich
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES
Michael Rydman
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES
Robin France, RN
SENIOR ADVISOR
Terry Beach
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS
Chrissy Gaul
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING
Elizabeth Jennings
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PROVIDER RELATIONS
Tyisha Torres
VICE PRESIDENT, CLIENT STRATEGIES
Steven Walton, DO
MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CARISK OUTCOMES
Robert Post, MBA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, HUMAN RESOURCES AND TRAINING
Humberto Moya, MA
VICE PRESIDENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Sally Balioni
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, CLEARINGHOUSE
Lucia Pineda, MA
VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE
Melanie Dalton, RN, BS
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, CLIENT STRATEGIES
Gilma Clara
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI PLAN
Diane Nicolo
VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION
Cheryl Lynn Clemence Joseph, MBA, MPH
DIRECTOR OF ANALYTICS AND QI
Jon Nichols
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS
Vincenia Annuzzi
DIRECTOR, IMPLEMENTATIONS & PRODUCT STRATEGY
Thomas E. Durkin, III
GENERAL COUNSEL
Carrie Stewart, MD
MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Joseph Berardo, Jr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Joseph Berardo, Jr. has a long and successful track record of building highly motivated teams and driving
substantial value in the healthcare service marketplace. He currently serves as Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Carisk Partners. The Miami, FL based company started as a NCQA and AAAHC
Accredited Managed Behavioral Health Organization (MBHO) for commercial, self-insured, Medicare,
Medicaid and other government-sponsored program insurers and plan sponsors. In October of 2016,
Mr. Berardo led a recapitalization and the expansion into the Workers’ Compensation and Auto/No-
Fault markets. The company has led the way in advanced approaches to managing complex and
catastrophic workplace injuries through an integration of the needs of both the brain and the body.
Using its MBHO foundation and expertise, Carisk applies a biopsychosocial approach creating ‘Pathways
2 Recovery’ for all types of complex claims. Using the foundation developed in Group Health, Carisk has
pioneered programs centered on the care coordination and risk transfer of complex cases in the casualty
market. The behavioral and social care delivered to the patients trusted to the team at Carisk is un-
matched in the space.
Prior to Carisk, Mr. Berardo spent 18 years with MagnaCare, 10 years as CEO before transitioning to
Non-Executive Chairman in January 2015. Mr. Berardo started his career in healthcare services with U.S.
Healthcare in 1990. He subsequently held leadership positions at Mount Sinai Health System, Empire
Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Multiplan. A former Crain’s NY Business “40 under 40” and NJBIZ “Power 50
in Health Care,” Mr. Berardo has authored numerous articles related to health care strategies for
carriers, providers, employers and advisors. He is also a frequent speaker and panel member at industry
events.
Mr. Berardo currently resides in North Palm Beach, FL. He and his wife, Alyssa, have been active in
multiple charitable endeavors over the years. Mr. Berardo has also supported the various athletic and
educational programs in which his four children, Tyler, Madison, Grant and Jonathan, have participated.
Mr. Berardo holds a BA in Economics from Rutgers University.
Kevin Mahoney
President & Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Mahoney brings to the team over 25 years of leadership experience, primarily in finance and operations. Prior to joining Carisk Partners, Mr. Mahoney served as COO of ExamWorks Clinical Solutions, the premier provider of case management, Medicare compliance, pharmaceutical and complex claims management services within the insurance industry.
Previously, Mr. Mahoney served as both COO & CFO for Ability Services Network, and its subsidiary, MedAllocators, during a seven-year span of tremendous growth (30% Revenue CAGR) that culminated in a 2014 transaction with ExamWorks Group.
Mr. Mahoney has also served as Principal and CFO for StrideMark Management Company, a turnaround management company specializing in the acquisition of distressed companies that require a restoration of operational and corporate value. He also held several key management roles within Heritage House, LLC, Stabilus, Inc., and Amtex, Inc.
Mr. Mahoney earned his BBA in Accounting from the University of Dayton.
Allen Spokane
Chief Technology Officer
Mr. Spokane has more than 20 years professional experience as a senior IT Manager. In his current role, he has leveraged his infrastructure expertise to transform the organization’s data center to utilize virtualization and cloud computing.
Mr. Spokane started his career as a developer and worked with various Microsoft-based development and database platforms in a variety of business settings with an emphasis on healthcare technology. He has extensive experience in database design and architecture in CRM, direct marketing and home-grown ERP Systems.
After holding several VP positions in IT, he gained extensive experience in infrastructure, security and operations. He considers himself a “hands-on” executive and has always maintained close ties back to his roots in development and infrastructure.
Mr. Spokane currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Society for Information Management’s New Jersey Chapter (SIM-NJ), after serving three terms as Vice President of Programs and President in 2019.
Mr. Spokane earned a BS in Business from Ithaca College. He lives in western New Jersey with his wife, Sandra, and two daughters, Marissa and Olivia, ages 20 and 15, respectively. In his off time, he is an avid classic car fan and enjoys running and camping with his family.
Thomas Downey, MS
Chief Revenue Officer, Executive Vice President Sales
Mr. Downey has more than 30 years of sales experience. He is responsible for overall sales growth for all Carisk Partners services.
Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Sales MedAllocators, an industry-leading independent
national provider of Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) services and case management services that was
acquired by ExamWorks Clinical Solutions. He also served for 23 years as Vice President of Sales at
Coventry’s Workers’ Compensation Services Group, formerly Concentra Managed Care Inc. He began his career at CRA Managed Care, Inc. as a medical and vocational case manager handling workers’ compensation and auto cases.
Mr. Downey earned a BS and MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Scranton.
Alana Letourneau, M.D., MBA
Chief Clinical Strategy Officer
Dr. Alana Letourneau is a RISE 35 Under 35 and NJBiz 40 Under 40 Award recipient with demonstrated experience in clinical operations, data analytics, health technology and neuroscience research. Dr. Letourneau is responsible for overseeing the Care Coordination, Physician, Quality, and Clinical Data teams across Carisk Partners lines of business.
Previously, Dr. Letourneau conducted neuroscience research at the nation’s leading academic and
government institutions. At Princeton University, she led the first neuroimaging study examining visual cortex neuroplasticity as a temporal receptive window hierarchy in the congenitally blind. This study led to her induction into the Society of Sigma Xi International Research Honor Society and presentation of study results at the world’s largest neuroscience conference. At the National Institutes of Health, she conducted two independent neuroimaging studies within an epilepsy population, publishing results and presenting at the American Epilepsy Society Conference. At New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Letourneau published the first study examining the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on health outcomes in survivors of torture, including Post Concussive Syndrome and PTSD; she was the youngest presenter at the largest national conference for torture treatment programs.
Dr. Letourneau earned her Medical Degree (MD) at New York University School of Medicine, where she was named a Raymond Brienza Scholar, Department of Medicine Awardee in Healthcare Dilemmas and Health Disparities Research Fellow. She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from New York University Stern School of Business, where she specialized in the Management of Technology and Operations with an emphasis in data analytics. At Stern, she was the recipient of the Armando John Garville Scholarship and named to the Dean’s List. Dr. Letourneau also earned a Bachelor of the Arts (BA) from Princeton University, where she majored in Psychology, concentrated in Neuroscience and minored in Global Health and Health Policy; she graduated summa cum laude from Princeton and was awarded the George A. Miller Cognitive Science Prize, Global Health Senior Thesis Prize, Scheide Scholarship and Henry Luce Scholarship.
Michael Rydman
Senior Vice President, Sales
Mr. Rydman has more than 30 years of experience in insurance, healthcare, workers’ compensation and account management. He is responsible for client relationships and sales growth for all Carisk Partners services, specifically the Pathways2Recovery program.
Previously, he was Director of National Accounts at ReMed, a leader in providing innovative clinical care for neurorehabilitation. He also served as Managing Director of Paradigm Management Services, bringing together nationally recognized doctors and specialists, a network of nationwide care facilities and clinical data to guide care decisions for acute and complex case management. Other professional experience includes sales and account management responsibilities at an adjusting and claims management company, third party administrator, and workers’ compensation and liability fraud investigation on firm.
He is a former member of the Board of Directors for Kids of Chance California and the Brain Injury Association of California.
David Vittoria, LCSW, MCAP, ICADC
Chief Behavioral Health Officer
Mr. Vittoria is a trauma-trained mental health and substance use disorder expert with 30 years of
clinical experience empowering patients on their recovery journeys, and leading people and programs to sustained clinical and operational excellence. He has helped to reshape the healthcare industry through the design and delivery of a more strengths-based, culturally attuned, advocacy-focused, compassionate care model to help ease the physical and emotional suffering patients endure after a workplace injury.
Mr. Vittoria provides clinical and operational oversight of Carisk’s behavioral health programs. Prior to joining Carisk in 2017, Mr. Vittoria was a Clinical Team Leader, Program Director, hospital administrator, author, executive coach, and CEO. He is skilled in team development and patient engagement, recognized as a subject matter expert in addiction treatment and grief recovery, and a behavioral health thought leader in the Workers’ Compensation industry. Mr. Vittoria has presented at over 75 national and international conferences and clinical symposiums on the topics of substance use, addiction prevention, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, Motivational Interviewing, the opioid epidemic, severe mental illness, social determinants of health, critical incident stress, and trauma recovery.
Mr. Vittoria is a passionate volunteer in the service of disadvantaged populations, and active Board
Member of various local and national mental health awareness and advocacy organizations, including the Miami-Dade chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Master’s Level Certified Addictions Professional, a Nationally-Certified Addictions Counselor, a Certified Addictions Prevention Professional, an Internationally-Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist.
Mr. Vittoria has been trained in a variety of clinical approaches, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention,Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Traumatic Incidence Reduction, and is a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for over 20 years, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Social Work and Psychology at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work at Florida International University, and the Center for Addiction Studies and Education at The University of Miami.
In recognition of his thought leadership in behavioral health in Workers’ Compensation, and as an acknowledgment of Mr. Vittoria’s ambassadorship of Carisk’s patient-centered approach in helping to develop their Pathways 2 RecoveryTM Program, Mr. Vittoria was honored to be selected as the recipient of the 2020 Comp Laude® Service Provider/Vendor award.
Mr. Vittoria earned BA and MA degrees in Social Work from Florida International University, twice graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Eric Wunderlich
Senior Vice President, Sales
Mr. Wunderlich is a seasoned sales executive with more than 20 years experience. He is responsible for sales team leadership and accelerating the growth of the risk-transfer business through strategic planning and sales execution.
He joins Carisk after eight years at Paradigm Outcomes where he was responsible for increasing revenue in the workers’ compensation complex care management business.
He has served as Chairman of the National Air Transportation Association Environmental Committee, Advisor to OSU Chapter of NetImpact, Sustainability Advisor to Columbus Council on World Affairs and as a member of Mayor Coleman’s Green Team. Mr. Wunderlich is a former Vice-President for the Ohio-West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the U.S. Olympic Alumni Association and an avid supporter of Swim Across America for more than 20 years.
Mr. Wunderlich completed his B.A. in Communications at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, is married to professional tennis player Ann Grossman and is the father of two sons.
Steven Walton
Medical Director of Carisk Outcomes
Dr. Walton is a dedicated physician with over 7 years of experience in physical medicine and rehabilitation, specifically post-acute care including inpatient rehabilitation, subacute rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation and home health care services. He joined the Carisk Team in 2021 as Medical Director of Carisk Outcomes.
Dr. Walton has extensive experience and training in utilization management, consultative care, neurorehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation, polytrauma rehabilitation and non-surgical musculoskeletal care; providing health care services to a diverse patient population with varying degrees of medical complexity and disease states.
Prior to joining Carisk, Dr. Walton led an interdisciplinary team focused on increasing the rate of return of functional ability, improving length of stay efficiency, discharge planning and decreasing rate of readmission to the acute care setting. Dr. Walton believes in the importance of patient advocacy. He maintains excellent rapport with patients and effective communication with family members of patients, other health care providers, colleagues, and all ancillary staff members.
Dr. Walton earned his medical degree at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – SOM and completed his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX.
Chrissy Gaul
Senior Vice President, Marketing
A seasoned commercial strategist with more than 15 years of progressive healthcare marketing and strategic planning experience, Ms. Gaul is a results-oriented professional with expertise in US and global marketing, product launches, new product planning and business development. Her knowledge and proficiency for identifying and launching solutions that address areas of high unmet medical need have generated proven results.
Throughout her career, she has served in various roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, she built and led the Commercial Insights & Brand Strategy Marketing department at Novocure™. In this position, she added value to the current and future commercialization efforts of Optune®, an innovative Neuro-Oncology treatment for aggressive brain cancer.
Ms. Gaul has been recognized for innovative thinking and the ability to strategically transform business concepts into opportunity. At Bristol-Myers Squibb, she contributed to the successful launch of the first immunotherapy proven to increase overall survival in advanced melanoma. At Celgene, she added to the growth of in-market oncology product acquisitions post-integra on. In this commercial marketing role, she received the Transformational Award for exceptional dedication and highly innovative accomplishments, and led the successful launch of digital marketing technology and CRM.
A member of the Alliance of Women in Workers Compensation (AWWC), she currently holds a position as ambassador for NJ and the Northeast Region. She is also an ac ve member in the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA).
Ms. Gaul earned a B.S. in Business & Marketing from Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Maryland. She now leads the NJ Chapter of the Alumni Association and holds a position on the Chapter Relations & Development Committee.
Elizabeth Jennings
Senior Vice President, Provider Relations
Ms. Jennings has spent the past 30 years in the managed care industry and has a strong track record in provider network development, contract negotiations and relationship development across all levels of management and continuums of care. She is responsible for the overall integrity, growth and management of Carisk’s provider networks across all products and service lines.
Previously, Ms. Jennings held various payer and hospital consulting roles, including Aetna, nThrive, MagnaCare and Mazars USA, where she successfully conveyed each organization’s commitment to the provider community. She has extensive expertise in the healthcare market and a thorough grasp of issues confronting both payers and providers.
Ms. Jennings was a founding Co-Chair of the Payer and Provider Collaboration Committee of the NJ Healthcare Financial Management Association, which was awarded the HFMA’s Helen M. Yerger Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Performance in Collaboration. Ms. Jennings graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Business Administration from Montclair State University, and earned a certification in Design and Architectural Studies, a personal hobby and interest, from Parsons School of Design in Manhattan.
Robert Post, MBA
Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Human Resources and Training
Mr. Post has over 30 years of healthcare sales, sales support, marketing, and Human Resources experience. In his present role leading Carisk’s Human Resources Team, he is responsible for developing and implementing recruiting and retention strategies and tactics that attract top talent and allow these individuals to grow along with Carisk.
One of the accomplishments that he is most proud of is the development and organization of Carisk’s Diversity Council, which he chairs.
Before assuming his role in HR, Mr. Post was instrumental in the development of strategies and the management of key projects for all areas of the company, ensuring that all initiatives were planned, communicated, and delivered in a timely and organized manner. Mr. Post also worked closely with the management team to define and execute corporate initiatives.
Previously, Mr. Post served in various management positions with some of New York’s largest insurers and PPO’s, including EmblemHealth, MagnaCare, MultiPlan, and Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Mr. Post began his career selling microcomputers to Fortune 500 companies for the NCR Corporation.
Mr. Post is a proud graduate of the New York City public school system and earned a BS in Mathematics from Dickinson College and an MBA from Boston University.
Gilma Clara
Account Director, University of Miami Health Plan
Ms. Clara has over 30 years of behavioral health experience overseeing all functional areas of a Managed Behavioral Health Organization (MBHO). Ms. Clara joined Carisk in 2013, and was a key resource in transitioning the University of Miami’s academic MBHO – University of Miami Behavioral Health (UMBH) – into Carisk’s operations. Her areas of expertise include NCQA and AAAHC accreditations, the development and implementation of organizational Managed Care Applica on (MCA) modules, call center reporting metrics, and policies and procedures.
Previously, she was Director of Business Operations for UMBH from 1993 to 2012, serving more than 450,000 Members and ensuring compliance with State and Federal guidelines, NCQA standards and established corporate performance standards. As Account Director for the University of Miami Plan, she is responsible for ensuring University of Miami
Health Plan Members receive the best possible care, and Providers provide timely access to Members and receive prompt and accurate claims processing. She also works with the U of M Benefits Office to coordinate resolution to Member complaints, and the medical insurance carrier to remedy complex claim matters. Additionally, she represents Carisk at annual Open Enrollment Wellness/Benefit Fairs, and supports the University’s Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).
Ms. Clara earned a BA in Business Administration and Communications from the University of Miami.
Cheryl Lynn Joseph, MBA, MPH
Director of Analytics and QI
Ms. Joseph joined Carisk in February 2014 following the acquisition of University of Miami Behavioral Health. She has nearly 20 years of experience in managed behavioral healthcare.
Ms. Joseph is responsible for advanced analysis and reporting of clinical, quality, utilization, and financial metrics to Carisk’s executive team, health plans and regulatory agencies, including analysis of system processes and development of improved solutions to increase efficiency and reduce manual processing. She performs background research regarding clinical conditions and industry developments, and writes annual analyses regarding these issues and clinical trends for patients and Providers. Ms. Joseph has managed Carisk’s accreditation processes for both NCQA and AAAHC.
Ms. Joseph earned a BS in Chemistry from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, an MPH from the University of Miami School of Medicine, and an MBA from the University of Miami. She is a member of Mensa as well as Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for business students.
Humberto Moya, MA
Vice President of Information Technology
Mr. Moya manages and develops application portfolios. He has been instrumental in helping departments achieve business objectives by: introducing software development standards, process improvements and automation; developing an internal application to improve access to the Provider network; improving system configuration, system administration and infrastructure, networking, information technology security, data warehousing and reporting; and developing strong relationships with vendors and clients. Mr. Moya also plays a key role as technical liaison among several departments to support their core objectives and goals as well as consolidation and integration of systems (financial, phone, email, platform, applications, operations, vendors, technical support, network, etc.)
Mr. Moya has more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare and information technology industries, including experience with Electronic Health Records, (EHR), Practice Management System (PMS), Patient Medical Records (PMR), Health Information Exchange (HIE), Claim Management System (CMS), and Provider and Member Portals. He has created real-time system integrations and multiple data processing clearinghouses for a variety of organizations including FloridaShots, OptumInsight, Availity, SureScripts, First Databank, Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, Baptist Health System, Aurora Diagnostics, Aegis Labs, Bostwick, MerchantOne, OnePaymentand the Department of Children and Families.
Mr. Moya is a Certified PHP Developer and member of Beta Gamma Sigma. He earned a BA in Telecommunications and Electronic Engineering from the University of Oriente, a BA in Information Technology Engineer from the University of Granma, and a MA in Management Information Systems from Florida International University.
Diane Nicolo
Vice President, Administration
Ms. Nicolo has spent the last 27 years, working with Joe Berardo, Carisk Partners Chief Executive Officer in a variety of Executive Administrative roles. She is instrumental in managing Mr. Berardo’s time, logistics, and business operations. She is a multi-tasker who can work in a fast-paced environment under pressure. She performs similar tasks, as needed, for other members of the Executive Management Team and Advisory Council. She has also been a key player in several marketing initiatives.
Previously, Ms. Nicolo was the Director of Administration and Marketing Manager for MagnaCare and served in Executive Support roles at MultiPlan and Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where she began her career as an Administrative Assistant.
Ms. Nicolo sits on the Diversity Council. She embraces Diversity as an essential component in the way we do business.
She attended Mercy College on an athletic scholarship.
Lucia Pineda, MA
Associate Vice President of Finance
Ms. Pineda has over 20 years of financial and operational experience with healthcare physician services and commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid markets. She is responsible for Carisk’s accounting and financial reporting activities.
Ms. Pineda served as the Assistant Controller of ContinuCare Corporation/Humana Inc. from 2007 to 2013, overseeing day-to-day operational accounting functions and interpretations of accounting data. Previously, she was Manager of Corporate Accounting for Ivax Corporation/Teva Pharmaceutical with responsibility for all financial accounting functions, including preparation of financial statements and financial analysis, and ensuring compliance with tax regulations.
Ms. Pineda obtained a BA in Accounting from Florida International University and a MA in Taxation from Nova Southeastern University.
Terry Beach
Senior Vice President, Operations
Ms. Beach has over 25 years managed care operational process improvement and project leadership experience, focusing on models for operational infrastructure, management tools for frontline leaders, health claim processing, and managing large teams to handle network providers’ data files and multiple vendor relationships. She is also an expert in industry accreditation requirements, including NCQA processes.
She is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and overseeing all operational functions at Carisk Partners, using metric-driven strategies that deliver continuous process and quality improvement.
Prior to joining Carisk Partners, Ms. Beach worked at MagnaCare Administrative Services for more than a decade, serving as Executive Vice President of Operations and Director of Network Development, where she successfully managed 5 million group health claims, 3.5 million workers’ comp and no-fault bills, and a call center handling 80,000 incoming contacts monthly. She also served as Senior Manager, Network Operations for Select Providers lnc./USI Administrators.
Tyisha Torres
Vice President, Client Strategies
Ms. Torres has 23 years’ experience in Workers’ Compensation, No-Fault and Managed Care, working for both national and regional third-party administrators, insureds, and managed care companies. In her current role, she leads client strategies and account management, and ensures program integration and customer satisfaction.
Previously, Ms. Torres worked at Rising Medical Solutions in client acquisition and retention. She also served as Director of Operations at the MagnaCare Casualty Solutions Division, where she was
responsible for day-to-day Workers’ Compensation and No-Fault operations, and oversight of the Certified PPO Program with responsibility for account management, case management and utilization review services.
She is currently President Emeritus of the New York Claim Association and Past President of the NYC Association of Insurance Women.
Kenneth Loffredo
Senior Advisor
Mr. Loffredo has over three decades of experience in building and delivering innovated business solutions for those with a vested interest in Healthcare and Workers’ Compensation. He is well known throughout the Workers’ Compensation managed care industry. Mr. Loffredo currently serves as a member of the board, investor and senior advisor to the management team at Carisk Partners.
Previously, Mr. Loffredo has served as CEO of ExamWorks Clinical Solutions, Principle and CEO of Abilities Network Services and MedAllocators, Senior Vice President of Coventry Workers’ Compensation Services, and Senior Vice President of Concentra.
Mr. Loffredo holds advanced degrees from both Springfield and Assumption Colleges and currently resides in Naples, FL. He remains active in numerous advisory positions and continues to invest in emerging companies with unique offerings that are changing the way both Insurers and those impacted by work related injuries pursue meaningful recovery and success.
Don Hurter, MA
Senior Strategic Advisor
Mr. Hurter has more than 30 years of experience specializing in Workers’ Comp, disability and medical management services.
Most recently, Mr. Hurter served as President of Rae-Cox Group, LLC. Previously, he was Global Head of Medical Management Services and Senior Vice President, Global Management Services at AIG; President of Health Direct, Inc., specializing in case management and utilization review; and President of directDME, specializing in durable medical equipment, home and vehicle modifications, transportation and translation services.
He is a published author with articles in Business and Health, Risk and Insurance, Case Management Magazine and Fortune. He previously served as Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), Core Funders Group; as Board Member, Insurance Rehabilitation Study Group (IRSG); and as a Member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Cornerstone Group, NCCI Medical Data Call Steering Committee and American Insurance.
Mr. Hurter earned a Bachelor of Arts from American University and a Master of Arts from George Washington University.
Aaron Ware
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Ware has over 20 years of leadership experience in finance and operations. Prior to joining Carisk Partners, he served as VP of Finance at Bold Penguin, a leader in the insurance technology space serving small businesses, carriers, MGAs, brokers, and retail agencies.
Previously, Mr. Ware spent 16 years in the Workers’ Comp industry in various finance leadership roles at Optum Workers’ Comp and Auto No-Fault. He initially joined the organization in 2006 under its original ownership at Progressive Medical and played a key role in its growth and sale to Stone Point Capital in 2010, again in 2013 to Kelso & Company, and again in 2016 to Optum.
Mr. Ware started his career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their audit practice, working on both private and public companies across a variety of industries.
Mr. Ware resides in Columbus, OH. He and his wife have two boys, and he actively participates in coaching football and soccer. His family is involved in various local non-profits. Mr. Ware previously served on the Board for Columbus Speech and Hearing and the Development Committee for Seeds of Caring. He is the current Treasurer and Vision Board Member for Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna, OH.
Mr. Ware obtained his BSBA in Accounting from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business, his MBA from Capital University, and his CPA (Inactive) in the State of Ohio.
Jon Nichols
Vice President, Operations
Mr. Nichols joined Carisk Partners in 2018, bringing over 20 years of operational, technical, and leadership experience to the team.
Mr. Nichols’ primary role is that of operations, system integrations, system design/development, and project management for the organization’s strategic initiatives.
Previously, Mr. Nichols served as Clinical Systems Business Analyst for ExamWorks Clinical Solutions. He also served as Director of IT for both Ability Services Network and MedAllocators.
Mr. Nichols earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University.
Vincenia Annuzzi
Director, Implementations & Product Strategy
Ms. Annuzzi joined Carisk Partners in 2012 and currently serves as the Director of Implementations and Product Strategy. In this role she is responsible for managing the Implementation and Support teams servicing both payers and submitters of medical claims, as well as the development of projects and operations specifically relating to the Intelligent Clearinghouse solution.
Throughout her time at Carisk, Ms. Annuzzi has gained experience and expertise in project management, operations and implementations management, account and customer support management, writing and development of technical documentation, as well as department and team building. She has cultivated strong relationships with numerous top stakeholders in the healthcare industry nationwide, including state governing boards, insurance carriers, medical billing software vendors, billing companies, provider groups, hospital systems, and other trading partners.
Ms. Annuzzi currently resides in Northern NJ where she has recently served on the Andover Township Board of Education as the Operations Committee Chair. She has also been active as a volunteer with other organizations including the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces and the In2Books Reading & Writing Mentorship Program. In her personal time, Ms. Annuzzi proudly supports the various academic, musical, and athletic endeavors of her two amazing sons Roman and Marco.
Ms. Annuzzi earned her BA in International Relations from St. Joseph’s University with a minor degree in French and an AS in paralegal studies.
Katie Meister, LPN
Director, Clinical Operations
Ms. Meister has worked for the last 10 years in the Worker’s Compensation industry specializing in operational efficiencies to assure optimal patient outcomes as well as improved customer experiences. Katie joined the Carisk team in June of 2019 and manages our team of clinical care coordinators.
Ms. Meister has held her LVN licensure for 17 years and has extensive experience in Facility Wound Care Tracking, Home Health Management, Catastrophic Care Management and Long Term Care Nursing.
Robin France, RN
Senior Advisor
Ms. France has nearly 30 years experience in Workers’ Compensation, Disability Management, Patient Advocacy and Managed Care, serving large insurance carriers and managing exceptional patient outcomes. In her current role at Carisk Partners, she leads client clinical strategies and account management, and serves as a Workers’ Compensation managed care resource and liaison, ensuring customer satisfaction.
Previously, Ms. France worked for Coventry Health Care in Sales and Account Management for 25 years, and as an Operations and Sales Liaison at One Call Care Management. Throughout her career, she has influenced significant positive results in client relationships, quality assurance and financial outcomes by growing market share through strategic planning, project management and an exceptional approach to problem-solving.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kent State University.
Thomas E. Durkin, III
General Counsel
Thomas E. Durkin, III (“Chauncey”) currently serves as General Counsel for Carisk Partners, reporting to Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Mahoney. In this capacity, he oversees the legal function for the parent corporation as well as its operating subsidiaries. Mr. Durkin provides strategic advice to the management team, focusing on key legal, regulatory, and compliance issues, as well as business strategies and growth initiatives.
In private practice, Mr. Durkin focused on representing growth-oriented clients in fields ranging from health care to technology, environmental and manufacturing. He represented companies in business transactions and corporate governance matters, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, debt and private equity financing and securities offerings and was materially involved in strategic growth transactions and financings.
In addition to the practice of law, Mr. Durkin has served in various senior executive management positions for both private and public companies. He also served on several public and private boards of directors and is involved in various charitable endeavors.
Mr. Durkin is a member in good standing of the Bars of the State of New Jersey (1978), United States District Court for New Jersey (1978), State of New York (1983), and United States Supreme Court (1986).
Mr. Durkin graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep (1971) and Fordham University in 1975 and graduated Cum Laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1978.
Carrie Stewart, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Stewart is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Medicine. She specializes in helping patients with back and neck pain return to work without surgery. Dr. Stewart’s first position out of training was with Kaiser Permanente in Northern California working in a position split 50/50 between occupational health and general physiatry. After relocating to Michigan, she has worked in outpatient musculoskeletal settings where she continued to care for patients with musculoskeletal injuries and oversee patients with general rehabilitation needs including traumatic brain injuries, amputations and stroke. She has been voted Top Doc by her peers and she has been recognized as a Castle Connolly top doctor. Dr. Stewart joined the Carisk team in 2021 and became Co-Medical Director in 2022.
Dr. Stewart is a Board-Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician who specializes
in helping patients with back and neck pain return to activity without surgery. Dr. Stewart is proficient in the evaluation of musculoskeletal pain and providing non-surgical treatment options to those with back and neck problems. She has years of experience in caring for injured workers and has a deep understanding of the importance of focusing on the whole person and not just the injury. Her specialties include musculoskeletal medicine, conservative treatment of spine conditions, oversight of complex chronic pain conditions and general rehabilitation of patients with amputations, brain injury and stroke.
Dr. Stewart believes that behavioral health treatment is a key component for achieving optimal recovery and Carisk’s philosophy of prioritizing the mental health of injured employees resonated with her.
Dr. Stewart is a Diplomate, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and received her MD degree from the Wayne State School of Medicine. She was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society during medical school. Her specialty training in Physiatry was completed at The University of California, Davis. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Neil Lentine
President, Ancillary & Specialty Services
Mr. Lentine has 38 years of experience in the Casualty and Disability insurance and third-party administration arena, with a primary focus on Workers’ Compensation Claims and Managed Care services. He joined the Carisk Partners team in 2021 and currently serves as President of Ancillary and Specialty Services. In his role, Lentine will be responsible for guiding the continued growth and further integration of Carisk’s Surgical Implant Management, Imaging, and Intelligent Clearinghouse programs.
Previously, Mr. Lentine spent 20 years with Broadspire in several roles including President of Broadspire Services U.S., Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Client Services. In his early career years, he held various senior claims management roles at Reliance National Insurance Company, after learning the claims craft at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and AIG Risk Management.
Mr. Lentine earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ where he also played baseball (1981-1984). Mr. Lentine resides in Naples, FL with his wife Christine and they have a daughter, Alicia (age 31) and a son Michael (age 29).
Melanie Dalton, RN, BSN
Assistant Vice President, Client Strategies
Ms. Dalton has over 26 years of experience in managed care and account management services, working with employers and insurance carriers in both local and national roles. She joined the Carisk Partners team in 2021 and currently serves as Assistant Vice President of Client Strategies. In her role, Melanie will be responsible for fostering client relationships, executing client strategies, and ensuring client satisfaction.
Previously, Ms. Dalton worked as a National Account Manager for ExamWorks ComplianceSolutions, managing and retaining larger clients along with sales execution. Prior, she worked in various management roles at Concentra Managed Care and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Ms. Dalton also served as a Utilization Review Nurse for ReMed.
Through her consultative approach, nursing background and account management experience, she has produced positive results for clients leading to long-term, productive relationships, business development and organic growth. She helped develop customized pharmacy solutions yielding safer efficacy and lower costs.
Ms. Dalton earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.
Sally Balioni
Vice President of Sales, Clearinghouse Division
Sally is the Vice President of Sales for the Clearinghouse Division and has been with Carisk Partners for over 5 years. Sally oversees the sales operations for the division and is responsible for submitter and payer sales as well as software vendors partnerships. She is the liaison for clients with our internal stakeholders. Sally brings to Carisk over 20 + years’ experience in product and software sales, customer service and new business development. Prior to joining the company, Sally worked for several of the top publishing organizations in the country as a c-level sales leader. She resides in Wall, New Jersey with her husband, Rob and her children Robert and Jenna. Sally holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ.