2024 Health Care Power 50: I – Z (updated)

Listen to this article

Ed Jimenez

Since being tapped in late 2022 to serve as president and CEO of University Hospital, Jimenez has hit the ground running. The organization is in the beginning stages of a multiyear project to modernize its hospital and medical facilities – hiring new Senior Vice President, Construction and Real Estate Jennifer Denault, in August, to oversee those efforts. In September, University Hospital was rated as one of America’s Best Employers in New Jersey by Forbes – for a third consecutive year. “This recognition is based on our own employee feedback, and we take pride in its reflection of the positive workplace culture and community that all of us work hard to foster,” said Jimenez. “Our incredible team works daily to bring their best efforts in service to our patients, community, and to each other.” Earlier this year, University Hospital launched a new multidisciplinary Weight Management Center in partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “We are confident that this care approach will result in healthier patients and provide sup-port for individuals suffering from obesity and health complications related to being overweight,” said Jimenez. “We are hopeful to improve patient outcomes for years to come.”

Michael Johnson

Johnson is the president of the New Jersey Innovation Institute, at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, which includes health care among its core areas of focus. Previously, he served as managing director at Visikol, which was sold to Swedish biotech BICO in 2021, as well as chief commercial officer at MatTek Life Sciences. At NJII, Johnson oversees a team that is focused on accelerating the development of innovative technologies through leveraging the resources of NJIT. While a scientist by training, Johnson is a skilled commercial leader and has built and overseen every aspect of a company from technology licensing to GAAP and IFRS accounting. According to the organization, Johnson focuses his efforts solely on solving the big problems that our world faces by leading the development, translation and commercialization of paradigm-shifting technologies. He has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List – as well as prior versions of this collection – and has received two patents in addition to multiple publications and federal/state grants. “We are very excited to have attracted someone of Michael’s experience and capability to serve as NJII’s next president. He is an excellent match for this opportunity, and we have great confidence that he will have a tremendous and positive impact on NJII,” NJIT President Teik Lim said when Johnson was hired in September 2023. “I very much look forward to working with him as we expand the ways in which NJII and NJIT engage with government and industry to develop mutually beneficial partnerships,” Lim added.

Robert Johnson

When Johnson was named dean of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2011, he was the first alumnus to serve in the role and his subsequent service as interim dean of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, which ended in 2022, made him the first leader to oversee two medical schools at the same time. With a shortage of health care workers hitting nationwide, Johnson’s leadership at the school educating the next generation is even more important these days. A 2021 recipient of the NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award, Johnson’s clinical expertise and research focuses on adolescent physical and mental health, adolescent HIV, adolescent violence, adolescent sexuality, health equity and family strengthening. With that background, Johnson is a recognized spokesperson for the adolescent and adolescent issues. He addresses local, state, national and international audiences and frequently appears on television and radio. He has published widely, and he conducts an active schedule of teaching, research and clinical practice at NJMS. Johnson also chairs the New Jersey Governor’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, the Newark Ryan White Planning Council, and the Board of Deacons at Union Baptist Church in Orange. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and vice chair of the Community Prevention Task Force of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Devdatt (Dev) Kurdikar

Kurdikar serves as president and CEO of embecta, one of the largest pure-play diabetes care companies, as it continues to build its own identity after its spinoff from BD. The company is the leading producer of diabetes injection devices, manufacturing approximately 8 billion instruments annually for an estimated 30 million patients. Last year, the next evolution of embecta’s post-BD spinoff took shape as the company cut the ribbon on its new global headquarters in Parsippany. Previously, Kurdikar was vice president and general manager, Men’s Health at Boston Scientific Corp. He served in the same role at American Medical Systems and led the Men’s Health business through a turnaround, then the carve-out and sale to Boston Scientific, where he led the business through its integration. Before joining AMS, he was vice president, Marketing at Baxter International, where he worked directly with the company’s top executives on a global commercial initiative to drive market access. In his 11 years with Baxter, Kurdikar held leader-ship roles of increasing responsibility in finance, strategy and integration, R&D planning and operations.

William Lewis

Lewis is chair and CEO of Insmed. The former co-founder and leader of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals Inc. joined the Bridgewater-based global biopharmaceutical company in 2012. Insmed’s work targets serious and rare diseases. Lewis’s efforts recently earned him the 2024 Dr. Sol J. Barer Award for Vision, Innovation, and Leadership from BioNJ. Accepting the award at the organization’s 31st Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration in February, Lewis spoke about living for something bigger than oneself and the impact that the work his company – and others like it – has on peoples’ lives. “We can do this – for patients everywhere,” Lewis said. “This is our shared vision. … We work to give it back.” At Insmed, that work has shown measured growth. “Despite the backdrop of difficulties in the macro market, capital is always available for good ideas,” Lewis told NJBIZ last summer. “During the 11 years I’ve been with the company, we’ve gone from 30 employees to more than 800, and we see opportunities in our product pipeline that will get us through the corrections that the market is currently going through.” In addition to serving as a member of the board of trustees for BioNJ, Lewis is chair of the board of directors of NewAmsterdam Pharma.

Steven Libutti

Under Libutti’s leadership as director, the Rutgers Cancer Institute, together with RWJBarnabas Health, recently retained its status as the state’s only Comprehensive Cancer Center. RCI scored in the “exceptional range” in its redesignation by the National Cancer Institute, announced earlier this month. Commenting on the news, Libutti – also senior vice president of oncology services at RWJBarnabas – said , “Our continued dedication to excellence as recognized by the NCI also means that Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health are well-positioned to continue delivering on our mission as we prepare for the opening of the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center in 2025, which will further propel us into the future of cancer discovery and care.” And Libutti is at the forefront of that forward momentum. The rising $750 million project in New Brunswick – a 520,000-square-foot facility accommodating inpatient and outpatient treatment, research laboratories, retail space and ancillary services – will be the state’s first free-standing cancer hospital. Meanwhile in Livingston, a $225 million cancer center is also due in 2025. That site will serve as the northern hub RCI and RWJBH’s oncology services.

Amy Mansue

Inspira Health saw significant growth in 2023. At the forefront of those efforts is Mansue, who has served as president and CEO of the South Jersey health system since 2020. That growth expanded Inspira’s footprint as well as its business. The provider opened several new facilities, including the region’s first Autism Diagnostic Center. Inspira also topped out a $71 million redevelopment effort in Woodbury that will bring a satellite emergency department and behavioral health unit to the area. But the cherry came in the fall, when Inspira completed the addition of Salem Medical Center. “The finalization of this integration marks a significant milestone for our entire health system and community as Inspira Medical Center Mannington officially becomes part of the Inspira Health family,” Mansue said at the time. “Our combined expertise and dedication will enable us to deliver high-quality patient care and empower healthier communities as one collective team.” Amid that growth, the hospital continues to earn high marks. Earlier this month, Inspira scored in the top 10% on Healthgrades’ 2024 Outstanding Patient Experience Award.

Paul Marden

In his role as CEO UnitedHealthcare New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, Marden oversees commercial operations in those states – leading a team responsible for providing access to commercial health benefit products and services to small and large businesses with up to 5,000 employees. He brings more than three decades of health insurance industry experience to this role – where he is focused on driving the company’s agenda of affordability, simplicity and delivering quality, supported care. “Employers and their employees are focused on affordability, a simpler, transparent experience, and getting care where and when they want it,” he said in a 2023 interview with Invest. “Affordability is a top focus of UnitedHealthcare, and we are always pushing the envelope to offer solutions to assist our members in keeping their health care costs low.” Many of these efforts are centered on technology – which Marden noted during an NJBIZ panel discussion last year on how technology can be used to make health care delivery more efficient, inclusive and sustainable. “Virtual care exploded during the pandemic for obvious reasons, and we’ve continued to build on options for members … Now, I think people expect to have access to virtual care through their health plans,” said Marden. “And so, we’ve provided some choice. We have 24/7 access to virtual care. We’ve made it convenient so that members can access that through their smartphone or their computer tablet – however they want to do it. But they have a choice of virtual care options.”

Michael Maron

Since 1987, Maron has served as president and CEO of Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, which is New Jersey’s last remaining independent Catholic health system. Comprised of a 361-bed acute care medical center, cancer center, medical fitness center, residential hospice, nursing school and large physician network, Holy Name provides culturally sensitive care across a continuum from pre-conception through end-of-life. One of Holy Name’s biggest headlines in 2023 was the unveiling of its newly renovated Villa Marie Claire residential hospice, which offers a patient-centered, family-focused approach that strives to be a national model for hospice care facilities. At the 26-acre Saddle River property, patients receive end-of-life care in a sanctuary-like setting that combines state-of-the-art medical facilities with functional home-like living spaces. Amenities include private patient suites, dedicated chapel, library, dining room, horse stables, swimming pool and outdoor pavilion for entertaining guests. There are overnight accommodations for loved ones and a playroom for children. Following the opening, Maron commented, “Holy Name completely reimagined the hospice and palliative care experience and how families can navigate the end-of-life stage… Our community deserves comfort, dignity, and high-quality care in the final stage of life and Villa Marie Claire makes that possible.” Since Holy Name received a $3 million appropriation from the state in July 2018 to further develop an end-of-life care model for the Garden State, Maron also thanked Gov. Phil Murphy, state Sen. Paul Sarlo and the Legislature “for bringing greater awareness to our effort” and “for assisting us in creating this incredibly special place.” At the time of the allocation, Maron commented, “Creating a standard for the appropriate use of end-of-life-care resources will result in a reduction in state and federal costs stemming from unnecessary hospital admissions, ER visits, procedures, tests, and treatment.” Along with numerous accolades for patient care and clinical performance, Holy Name has also been recognized for workplace excellence, including by NJBIZ’s Best Places to Work list. After achieving designation as a Magnet organization in 2009, 2014 and 2019 by the ANCC Magnet Recognition program for excellence in nursing services, Holy Name applied for redesignation in January.

Mike Munoz

As market president for AmeriHealth since March 2017, Munoz has overall responsibility for profit-and-loss management and oversees all business operations for the Cranbury-headquartered health insurance provider. Previously, Munoz led AmeriHealth’s sales and marketing division for more than a decade, enhancing product offerings, improving broker engagement and growing brand awareness. Since its founding 30 years ago, AmeriHealth has grown to provide health coverage to more than 265,000 people and 8,000 businesses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Munoz has also made associate engagement a top priority by fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, which has helped AmeriHealth make NJBIZ’s Best Places to Work list for 12 years in a row, including a second-place ranking for 2023. Last fall, AmeriHealth also became one of the first health plans in New Jersey to earn a health equity accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a distinction that only 5% of plans nationally have been awarded. To receive the recognition, organizations must show that they have a standardized framework in place to carry out their health equity efforts and internal culture that supports those efforts. They also must conduct work that helps reduce health inequities and improve care, as well as have a way to collect data on race, ethnicity, language, gender identity and sexual orientation — data that can help ensure a heath plan offers services and provider networks that are mindful of patient cultural and linguistic needs. Munoz – who is active on numerous community boards, like Special Olympics New Jersey and United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey – described the accreditation as a testament to AmeriHealth associates’ work in “prioritizing access, education, resources and innovation to ensure a more equitable healthcare environment.” He was also appointed as one of the newest board members of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

Daniel Regan

Following his own struggle with addiction, Monmouth County native Daniel Regan – with the help of his mother, Lynn – developed a recovery system of his own to fill the gaps in the current system with a focus on extended aftercare. After receiving interest in the program stemming from Daniel’s remarkable recovery, the Regans realized the need for access to an aftercare pro-gram. With that in mind, in 2012, they founded HealingUS Centers. Those efforts have continued to evolve – with Healing Us Centers, which are rooted in an authentic, multiple pathway philosophy, offering the only clinical treatment center attached to an award-winning aftercare and recovery community that allows clients to build a life in sobriety surrounded by peer sup-port. Regan has built and developed the program, providing comprehensive and effective care that addresses the complex and delicate nature of mental health and substance use disorders. Since launching, HealingUS has assisted over 20,000 families struggling with addiction through this innovative approach.

Brent Saunders

In 2023, Saunders rejoined Bausch + Lomb, which has its U.S. headquarters in Bridgewater, as CEO and chairman. He brings more than 25 years of experience – serving in a number of senior executive roles at several global pharmaceutical and health care companies, including Schering-Plough Corp., Forest Laboratories Inc., Actavis plc, Allergan plc and The Beauty Health Co.; successfully overseeing numerous value-enhancing initiatives, transactions and integrations. “I am honored to once again lead Bausch + Lomb during this exciting time as a new publicly traded company,” said Saunders last February. “Over the course of the company’s history, Bausch + Lomb has always stood at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific and technological optical advancements, and today, Bausch + Lomb is more focused than ever on developing and offering new treatments to meet unmet eye health needs. I am confident in our future, and I look forward to once again working alongside the more than 12,000 employees who live by and aspire to achieve the Bausch + Lomb mission of helping people see better to live better.” And his tenure is off to a good start – with strong, recently announced fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results. “Revenue growth in 2023, and in the fourth quarter in particular, exceeded our expectations and set the tone for 2024,” said Saunders. “Double-digit growth is always impressive, but even more so when you consider how we got there. Our quality of growth is what helps set us apart from others.”

Gary Small

Small is chairman of Hackensack University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and serves as physician-in-chief for behavioral health at Hackensack Meridian Health. He’s also the inaugural H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at HMH, which was created with a $3 million donation from its eponymous philanthropy. Small joined HMH in 2020 and oversees educational programs and training. He is responsible for his department’s clinical operations and develops and expands research and academic programs, in addition to developing and maintaining quality initiatives. He also leads recruiting efforts for physicians within the behavioral health field. Small has written more than 500 scientific works and received numerous awards and honors, including the American Psychiatric Association’s Weinberg Award for Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world’s top 50 innovators in science and technology and he is the author of 14 popular books, including The New York Times bestseller “The Memory Bible” and the Los Angeles Times best-seller “The Other Side of the Couch.”

Gary St. Hilaire

Since 2020, St. Hilaire has been leading Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey as president, CEO and a member of the board of directors. St. Hilaire brings more than 30 years of experience to the table as a health care executive, entrepreneur and financial leader with particular expertise in executive leadership, strategy, start-up operations, acquisitions divestitures and business turnarounds. Under his leadership, the organization is playing an outsized role in the transformation of the state’s health care industry – with a focus on collaboration with physicians, hospitals and health systems to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that are aimed at quality – not quantity – of care for patients. “Horizon is among the most for-ward-thinking health insurers in the country,” said St. Hilaire when he took the top job in 2020. He pointed to collaboration and putting members first as to why he was drawn to the role. And under his watch, those efforts are just growing and evolving.

Brian Strom

Strom is the chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and the executive vice president for health affairs at Rutgers University. “The future of human health is being shaped today, and it is clear that RBHS – as a place where solutions are discovered and applied, leaders are trained, and innovation flourishes is poised to influence its growth,” Strom says of RBHS. Over several decades, his body of work has been extensive – writing more than 580 papers and 14 books; and serving as principal investigator for more than 275 grants, including over $115 million in direct costs. He has also spearheaded the effort to merge New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School under one umbrella as the Rutgers School of Medicine. “This integration will empower Rutgers to navigate the dynamic landscape of health care, meeting the ever evolving and complex needs of the future while flourishing amidst a competitive market,” said Strom. “We will amplify Rutgers’ position as a trailblazer in 21st-century medical education and solidify our role as a leader in advancing the frontiers of health care.” Strom’s major research interest is in the field of pharmacoepidemiology — the application of epidemiologic methods to the study of drug use and effects. He is recognized as a founder of this field and for his pioneer work in using large automated databases for research.

Sarah Trent

Trent is a well-known cannabis advocate, attorney, and founder and chief executive officer of Raritan-based Valley Wellness. The business launched in December 2022 as the first independently owned medical dispensary in the state, was the second to launch in Somerset County and one of the few ventures not run by a multistate operator. Since then, Trent has focused on helping patients who are seeking relief from a range of ailments from insomnia to anxiety to Crohn’s disease. While the number of patients enrolled in the state’s medicinal marijuana registry has steadily declined following the start of legalized recreational sales in April 2022, Trent remains a champion for the program for several reasons — the biggest being a lower cost due to no state tax on cannabis for patients. However, as the cannabis landscape continues to evolve, Trent’s dispensary is among the many local cannabusinesses that sought state approval to offer adult-use sales as a way to capture the emerging market. Even with an expansion into recreational sales, Trent has promised that medical patients will always be a priority at her shop. Looking ahead, Valley recently secured 35 acres in Oxford under a redevelopment agreement allowing for cannabis cultivation and is planning for a build-out with an estimated completion date of 2025. An attorney and former public defender with the Legal Aid Society, Trent is also known for enthusiasm, mentorship and commitment to helping New Jersey build a sustainable, equitable industry. Over the past year, she has forged several retail partnerships with other woman-owned manufacturers and cultivators in New Jersey, including Brute’s Roots in Egg Harbor and ButACake in Jersey City. She also serves as co-chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Special Committee, and is the force behind NJ Cannabis Certified, a 15-hour educational certificate program taught virtually in conjunction with eight community colleges across the state that is geared toward those interested in working in the industry or wanting to learn more about cannabis.

Carolyn Welsh

After joining NJ Sharing Network in 1999 as a hospital services manager, Welsh continually advanced to take on broader responsibilities and last year took the helm as CEO of the state’s federally designated nonprofit responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue. During her more than two decades with the New Providence-based organization, Welsh has worked with NJ Sharing Network employees, local hospitals and community partners and hundreds of volunteers to achieve record growth in lives saved and enhanced through donations and transplantations. In 2023, NJ Sharing Network saw 715 transplants in a single year – up from 670 the previous year – marking the most in the organization’s 36-year-history. It also announced that 44,266 eye and tissue donations were made, an 11% increase over the prior year. Of NJ Sharing Network’s network of 54 partner hospitals, Jersey Shore University Medical Center had the highest number of organs transplanted (74) and most tissue and eye donors (76), Cooper University Hospital had the highest number of organ donors (28) and University Hospital in Newark had its highest number of organs recovered for transplant (65) and organ donors (25) in its history. An additional 20% of NJ Sharing Network’s partner hospitals set individual records for the highest number of transplanted organs or donated tissue in their history. The record high comes less than two years after NJ Sharing Network announced a goal of reaching 700 transplants in a single year by 2024. To meet that goal, NJ Sharing Network developed strategic plans for growth that includes adding talent, resources and programs to facilitate the donor process and support for donor families. The nonprofit is also boosting its outreach and education efforts. Commenting on a successful 2023, Welsh said, “Thanks to the generosity of New Jersey organ donors and their families, more organs were transplanted than ever before. For the families of those who have received the gift of life, it means more time together, more memories to create and more moments to cherish.” She went on to say, “Our team members, hospital partners and our NJ Sharing Network community have helped us reach new levels of excellence in organ and tissue donation and transplantation. We thank them for their compassion, dedication and unstoppable spirit that defines our mission. Together, we offer caring support to donor families and make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need of a second chance.”

Debra Wentz

As president and CEO of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Wentz serves as a voice for providers serving some of the most sensitive and vulnerable patients in the state. NJAM-HAA is a nonprofit trade association representing 164 hospital-based and free-standing community mental health and substance use disorder treatment centers. Annually, NJAMHAA serves 500,000 children and adults. Wentz – a 2023 NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business honoree – leads operations, including policy, publications, finances, conferences and events, as well as IT. According to colleagues, Wentz is a “high-energy powerhouse” whose innovative leadership has taken the small, formerly under-the-radar NJAMHAA into the spotlight as a high-impact association. And still, she continues to sound the alarm on the demands of New Jersey’s behavioral health needs. In January, Wentz penned a piece for NJ Advance Media calling attention to the need for sustained support this budget year. “In a time of such great need for our residents, the state must step up to provide full investment in the behavioral health care workforce and services,” she wrote. “New Jersey’s diverse children, youth and adults are worthy of no less.” Looking ahead, Wentz’s advocacy will continue to push the issue in the Garden State.

Tatsuyuki Yasuno

Yasuno is chairman and CEO of Eisai Inc. as well as president of the Americas Region for the company. That gives him responsibility for the strategic direction of Eisai’s largest commercial region worldwide. He joined the company in 1991 and has since held a number of executive roles, most recently as CFO and chief investor relations officer for Eisai Co. Ltd. in Tokyo until he was tapped to take over for outgoing CEO Ivan Cheung in August 2023. Before that, Yasuno spent time in the Garden State as president of Eisai Inc. and the Americas Region in 2020. During that time, he helped successfully navigate the business through the pandemic, including relocating its headquarters to Nutley and reintroducing the workforce to the new space. “Eisai is a human health care company. This ON3 Eisai workplace will bring the Eisai community together in one place and drive a culture of new scientific horizons and entrepreneurial innovation,” Yasuno commented at the time. “We draw inspiration from our patients and passion from our people. We break barriers every day. Our workplace will too.” Case in point: Eisai’s game changing Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi, which Time magazine called one of the Best Inventions of 2023.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:43 p.m. ET March 27, 2024, to note that Mike Munoz is market president for AmeriHealth.