ASHA MAHARAJ
St. Augustine,FL
Summary
Director-level healthcare leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategic growth, client engagement, and operational transformation. Expert in cultivating executive partnerships, implementing large-scale change initiatives, and designing programs that elevate employee engagement and community impact. Expert in change management driving organizational transformations and optimizing processes. Skilled in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and risk mitigation. Strong focus on team collaboration and delivering measurable results. Reliable, adaptable, and equipped with exceptional communication and leadership skills. Passionate about advancing UnitedHealth Group’s mission to improve health outcomes and make the health system work better for everyone through inclusive leadership, innovation, and data-driven strategy.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Strategic Engagement & Change Management Leader
Optum – SE Region (US)
04.2023 - Current
- Lead strategic engagement initiatives for high-profile provider partnerships, fostering consultative relationships and identifying growth opportunities.
- Execute growth strategies resulting in measurable improvements in client satisfaction (NPS) and operational performance.
- Develop and deliver strategic value stories that align Optum’s solutions with client business objectives.
- Facilitate “Navigating Change” workshops for 44 leaders, strengthening trust, communication, and cultural alignment.
- Partner with local healthcare foundations to co-sponsor community initiatives, increasing brand visibility and social impact.
- Influence cross-functional teams across operations, product, and technology to deliver innovative, client-centric solutions.
Technical Solutions Manager
Optum – SE Region (US)
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Managed a $22M portfolio spanning 82 operational relationships across 53 strategic clients.
- Secured $10M in contract renewals through proactive engagement, issue resolution, and performance tracking.
- Designed Power BI dashboards and client health metrics, improving efficiency by 50% and reducing escalations by 60%.
- Led DE&I training initiatives aligned with UHG’s enterprise strategy, cultivating inclusive and empowered teams.
- Partnered with leadership to enhance stakeholder collaboration and elevate client experience outcomes.
Client Liaison
Optum360 / Northwell Health – Huntington, NY
01.2018 - 01.2021
- Built and maintained 13 strategic client relationships, enhancing service delivery and client retention.
- Created and facilitated focus groups to capture employee feedback, improving engagement scores by 40%.
- Streamlined reporting and resource utilization processes, increasing productivity by 25%.
- Partnered with leadership to identify operational bottlenecks and develop process improvement strategies.
Revenue Cycle Management Analyst
Optum360 / Northwell Health – Westbury, NY
01.2014 - 01.2018
- Conducted complex financial analysis and monthly reconciliations for variances exceeding $20M, supporting strategic decision-making.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to identify revenue opportunities and streamline workflows.
- Delivered actionable insights to leadership to inform resource allocation and process optimization.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Finance
Molloy College
Bachelor of Business Management and Communication - undefined
Adelphi University
Leadership Training for Managers - undefined
Dale Carnegie Institute
Skills
- Leadership & Strategy: Strategic Planning, Servant Leadership, Change Management, Organizational Transformation
- Engagement & Communication: Stakeholder Engagement, Employee Engagement, Relationship Management, Problem Solving
- Innovation & Operations: Technology Literacy, Process Improvement, Adaptability, Data-Driven Decision Making
- Organizational assessment
- Influencing skills
- Change visioning
- Organizational realignment
- Cross-functional coordination
- Training and coaching
- Organizational development
- Technical acumen
- Change request tracking
- Teamwork
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Excellent communication
- Organizational skills
- Effective communication
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Decision-making
- Relationship building
- Operational efficiency
- Team building
- Customer relationship management
- Analytical thinking
- Conflict resolution
- Continuous improvement
- Stakeholder management
Certification
- Change Management Practitioner – Cornell University
- HFMA Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR)
- HFMA Business Intelligence Certification
Timeline
Strategic Engagement & Change Management Leader
Optum – SE Region (US)
04.2023 - Current
Technical Solutions Manager
Optum – SE Region (US)
01.2021 - 01.2023
Client Liaison
Optum360 / Northwell Health – Huntington, NY
01.2018 - 01.2021
Revenue Cycle Management Analyst
Optum360 / Northwell Health – Westbury, NY
01.2014 - 01.2018
Bachelor of Business Management and Communication - undefined
Adelphi University
Leadership Training for Managers - undefined
Dale Carnegie Institute
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Finance
Molloy College
Community & Professional Impact
Partnered with local healthcare foundations and nonprofit organizations to drive community engagement initiatives promoting wellness and inclusion., Spearheaded volunteer and social responsibility programs supporting social determinants of health and employee engagement across markets., Recognized for servant leadership and commitment to organizational culture, empowering teams through empathy and innovation.