Jennifer Abel

Dedicated and focused health care professional with 25 years of experience excelling at prioritizing, completing multiple tasks simultaneously and following through to achieve business goals. Having spent time in both leadership and project manager roles, I am adaptable, flexible, and detail-oriented. I specialize in leading, mentoring, influencing and developing cross functional teams, fostering a collaborative environment.

• GOHEALTH URGENT CARE, 02/01/23, Present, ENTERPRISE PROJECT MANAGER, Assisting in PMO creation by implementing new processes and procedures for streamlined work, standardization, and governance practices. Responsible for management of internal business projects involving cross functional teams of subject matter experts. Establishing and maintaining relationships with sponsors, team members, vendors, and stakeholders. Leading the overall planning, coordination, and execution of projects from inception to completion. Implementing use of formal Project Management artifacts and governance such as Scope & Charter documents, RAID & RACI logs, requirements gathering processes, lessons learned, weekly status updates, etc. Providing regular progress reports to all stakeholders, including the Executive Leadership Team. Identifying risks, developing risk mitigation strategies, and making adjustments to ensure project success.
• SALISBURY/NEW STORY MANAGEMENT, 04/01/13, 02/01/23, PROJECT MANAGER, Co-led creation of a Project Management Office including all foundational documents, new workflows & processes, change management efforts as well as training. Managed project timelines, identifying and resolving issues that arose ensuring milestones were met in a timely manner. Developed clear and detailed project documentation such as dashboards, project plans, project schedules, RACI documents, change control documents, lessons learned, communication plans, resource plans, etc. Charged with leading two enterprise-wide project initiatives through implementation (HRIS and ERP). Utilized different Project Management methodologies to align the delivery of technology projects with overarching business objectives. Managed project risks and issues while coordinating the escalation/resolution process and developed mitigation plans as needed. Led project communications keeping all team members appraised of project status, next steps, action items, potential risks, etc.
• SALISBURY/NEW STORY MANAGEMENT, 04/01/13, 12/01/18, VICE PRESIDENT, Responsible for oversight of all clinical services, residential placements, and Outpatient services for deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents and adults needing behavioral health services. Acted as the communication liaison between Deaf and hearing businesses under the Salisbury/New Story umbrella of companies. Facilitated oversight of all corporate initiatives/lead strategic planning activities for division. Charged with leading new program development work, fiscal management, strategic planning, and road mapping. Performed contract negotiations with payers, including government assistance and federal aid programs, private insurance, and Managed Care entities. Responsible for team recruitment, retention, and mentoring, as well as disciplinary and termination processes. Served as a surveyor for CARF International, including conducting quarterly surveys across the US to determine conformity to specific clinical accreditation standards.
• SALISBURY/NEW STORY MANAGEMENT, 04/01/13, 08/01/15, DIRECTOR OF QUALITY & LEARNING, Developed quality improvement strategies across multiple divisions, including developing the quality reporting process by program and accreditation type. Tracked program outcomes for multiple divisions and developed reports and graphs to share with operational leadership for management planning. Suggested recommendations on policy and process improvement activities. Identified learning and development opportunities, designed respective learning strategies, and conducted learning analysis to identify succession gaps. Created a comprehensive mentoring and coaching program to facilitate the employee onboarding process and instituted a professional development framework. Built out a team of Quality Assurance analysts to support business metrics/needs. Orchestrated the three-year CARF accreditation process for two different corporate divisions and managed for compliance.
• HAVEN HOUSE, 02/01/11, 04/01/13, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Responsible for oversight of all day-to-day operations for organization. Aligned the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program with model of care/best practice principles. Expanded Outpatient services by 25% in less than 20 months. Implemented quality controls in Out-Patient department to ensure contract compliance and correct billing practices. Negotiated all payor contracts -commercial and government. Participated in capital campaign and helped raise $1.5M in less than a year. Worked with external construction team to build out and successfully move entire operation from one location to another.
• NORTHWESTERN HUMAN SERVICES, 10/01/00, 01/01/11, COUNTY DIRECTOR, Responsible for oversight of multiple Out-patient, clinical, residential, and foster care services in the Lehigh Valley area for adults, adolescents, and children with behavioral health needs & emotional challenges. Fiscal accountability and profit & loss responsibilities for region. Provided strategic direction for the region, in concert with the corporate office. Responsible for all people management activities. Performed all contract negotiations with County MH/IDD partners, as well as MCO contracts. Participated in the first Electronic Medical Records vetting, selection, and implementation process organization wide. Led the RFP process for new program development -won the bids for 3 new programs in 24 months.