Dynamic technology executive with a proven track record at Kaiser Permanente, driving strategic initiatives that reduced costs and enhanced operational efficiency. Expert in transformational change management and collaborative leadership, adept at aligning multi-million dollar budgets with organizational goals to achieve high-impact results across diverse healthcare environments.
Hi, I’m
ELISSA THAXTON
Traverse City
Summary
Overview
36
years of professional experience
Work History
City of HopeDuarte
Technology Investment Initiatives Lead
01.2024 - 01.2025
Job overview
- Delivery of technology investment initiatives across the system to improve efficiency, reduce technical debt and standardize
- Lead team of 25+ project managers, completed 80+ capital projects while redesigning the portfolio and project management team
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)San Francisco
Vice President, Care Delivery Technology Services - KP HealthConnect
07.2016 - 03.2024
Job overview
- Company Overview: The nation’s largest integrated, non-profit health care system with $95B+ in annual operating revenues, 12.5M members, and 39 hospitals, 620+ medical offices, 23K physicians, 300K+ employees in eight (8) states
- Promoted to direct KP’s Epic Care Delivery System, a $30M annual investment portfolio with 600+ employees and a $150M annual budget
- Led efforts to articulate the vision to support KP’s mission; exceeded performance expectations across all executive matrixes each year
- Fully accountable for the multi-year IT organizational development strategy and product roadmap for KP’s EHR system across 39 medical centers and 620+ health clinics in eight markets nationwide
- Leveraged data and analytics from various teams to Drive strategic and transformative changes; developed and translated strategic multi-year plans into goals; and directed key initiatives responsible for accelerating achievement of KP’s mission
- Fostered team work across all program activities; developed and managed a team of 50+ Leaders / Managers / Executives; and in-directly oversaw the work performance of as many as 600 employees
- Achieved 99.98% systems availability by directing the development, implementation, and management of technology strategies to support HIT / HIE, Analytics & Population Health/Precision Medicine, Improve Access, Mental Health / Behavioral Health Outcomes
- Developed a multi-year strategy to reduced Epic systems from 18 instances to three (3) and exceeded delivery of critical organizational goals by providing ongoing collaboration across hospital, health plan, provider, and national functions
- Provided the executive-level skills to complete a seamless enterprise-wide transition from eight (8) teams to one integrated team
- Produced a 25% cost reduction over six (6) months
- Reduced release cycle 60% and maintained high availability in 39 medical centers and 18 Epic production instances by establishing common IT service management processes and tools for 800+ staff
- The nation’s largest integrated, non-profit health care system with $95B+ in annual operating revenues, 12.5M members, and 39 hospitals, 620+ medical offices, 23K physicians, 300K+ employees in eight (8) states
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)San Francisco
Interim Senior VP, Care Delivery Technology Services
06.2021 - 12.2021
Job overview
- Chosen to be the interim senior-level executive authority for directing enterprise-wide Care Delivery Technology Services organization and collaborated with the CIO to direct KP’s IT Care Deliver multi-year technology strategy encompassing a $250M annual investment portfolio, 3K employees; and a $500M annual budget
- Succeeded in completing numerous operating model changes during a period of leadership transition; managed multiple programs requiring collaboration across Care Delivery, Hospital, Health Plan and Digital Services; and delivered 94% of $250M investment programs on-time and on-budget
- Reduced costs on a $500M budget including 2.5% budget savings and a $27M reduction of vendor spend
- Co-chaired the Care Delivery Governance Approval Portfolio Council for the 2022 Investment cycle
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
Executive Director, Care Delivery Technology Services - KP IT National
08.2012 - 07.2016
Job overview
- Promoted to direct the execution and delivery of an investment portfolio of high-profile strategic process improvement programs, projects, solutions delivery and implementations
- Leveraged operational management strengths to direct initiatives supporting KP’s mission across the organization’s entire multi-state enterprise
- Chaired KP’s Program Management and Product Release Management Community of Practice and provided executive-level decision-making on strategic project planning, requirements analysis, resources, staffing, testing, and quality
- Championed teamwork and a more customer-centric culture to better meet internal client needs; created and executed action plans to improve project management maturity; and established solutions development life cycle (SDLC) best practices, cross-portfolio performance reporting and analytics, and quality assurance
- Established and managed a highly successful PMP certification program (through the Project Management Institute) to develop the project management skills, knowledge, and abilities of 100+ PMs
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
Director, Strategic Services Care Delivery - KP IT NCAL Market
08.2011 - 07.2012
Job overview
- Managed implementation of Epic’s Medical Record System across the Northern California market and directed KP’s first (1st) successful hospital implementation in 22 hospitals and all hospital-based departments (OR, MedSurgical, ICU) and ancillary areas (quality, patient safety, health information, billing, admitting, etc.)
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
Director / Program Manager - KP NCAL Market
06.2003 - 07.2011
Job overview
- Recruited away from IBM and charged with developing a multifaceted plan to implement Epic’s Practice Management / Revenue Management system across KP’s Northern California Market
- Key part of the senior-management team responsible for successfully rolling-out and implementing Epic’s EHR software and systems technology across markets that represent 40% of Kaiser’s membership
- Successfully completed the complex project in less than 12 months implementing new EHR technology (admitting, registration, scheduling, billing) across 22 Service Areas and 100 Clinics/Billing Office Sites
IBM GLOBAL SERVICESSan Francisco
Consulting, Professional Solutions / Certified Senior Project Manager
04.1989 - 10.2003
Job overview
- Delivered successful technology, program / project management, and services solutions consulting for numerous Fortune 500 corporations and non-profit organizations including Wal Mart, Bank of America, Toyota, and Kaiser Permanente
- Managed engagements and collaborated with partners, client executives, project teams, finance, solutions development, regulatory and compliance to understand client technology needs and create solutions that helped companies overcome their challenges and achieve organizational goals
Education
American College Healthcare Executives (ACHE) from FACHE in Process
01.2024
University Overview
HARVARD EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMCambridge, MA
Graduate
01.2023
University Overview
Project Management Institute
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
01.2023
University Overview
MIT Mastering Design Thinking
Certificate
01.2020
University Overview
Stanford Leadership For Strategic Execution, Finance & Business
Certificate
01.2011
University Overview
DeVry University
MASTERS OF BUSINESS (MBA) from BUSINESS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
University Overview
DeVry University
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BS) from COMPUTER SCIENCE
University Overview
Skills
- Strategic Executive Leadership
- Consulting
- Strategic Program Management
- Transformation / Change Management
- Collaborative Leadership
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Budget Administration
- Adaptability
- Analytical Acumen
Executive Training
Executive Training
- Mastering Design Thinking, MIT, 2020
- Leadership for Strategic Execution, Finance & Business, Stanford, 2011
- Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Project Management Institute, 2023
- American College Healthcare Executives (ACHE), FACHE in Process, 2024
Affiliations
Affiliations
- ACHE
- PMI, PfMP
Timeline
Technology Investment Initiatives Lead
City of Hope
01.2024 - 01.2025
Interim Senior VP, Care Delivery Technology Services
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
06.2021 - 12.2021
Vice President, Care Delivery Technology Services - KP HealthConnect
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
07.2016 - 03.2024
Executive Director, Care Delivery Technology Services - KP IT National
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
08.2012 - 07.2016
Director, Strategic Services Care Delivery - KP IT NCAL Market
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
08.2011 - 07.2012
Director / Program Manager - KP NCAL Market
KAISER PERMANENTE (KP)
06.2003 - 07.2011
Consulting, Professional Solutions / Certified Senior Project Manager
IBM GLOBAL SERVICES
04.1989 - 10.2003
American College Healthcare Executives (ACHE) from FACHE in Process
HARVARD EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Graduate
Project Management Institute
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
MIT Mastering Design Thinking
Certificate
Stanford Leadership For Strategic Execution, Finance & Business
Certificate
DeVry University
MASTERS OF BUSINESS (MBA) from BUSINESS & COMPUTER SCIENCE
DeVry University
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BS) from COMPUTER SCIENCE
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