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NOW OPEN! Our new location at 50 Boston St., Lynn is welcoming patients. READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
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Brent Asplin, MD, MPH
CEO
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Yukiko Wu
Chief People Officer
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Eric Schmidt
COO
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Runnell Townsend Jr., MSPH
Vice President of Growth
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Angela Farinella, FNP-BC
Senior Clinical Director
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Katherine (Katie) Walters
Chief of Staff
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Rob Pahlavan
Co-Founder
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Harpreet (Harps) Singh
Chief Technology Officer
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Zachery Chen
Head of Finance
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Brent Asplin, MD, MPH
CEO
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Yukiko Wu
Chief People Officer
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Eric Schmidt
COO
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Runnell Townsend Jr., MSPH
Vice President of Growth
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Angela Farinella, FNP-BC
Senior Clinical Director
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Katherine (Katie) Walters
Chief of Staff
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Rob Pahlavan
Co-Founder
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Harpreet (Harps) Singh
Chief Technology Officer
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Zachery Chen
Head of Finance
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Brent Asplin, MD, MPH
CEO
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Yukiko Wu
Chief People Officer
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Eric Schmidt
COO
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Runnell Townsend Jr., MSPH
Vice President of Growth
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Angela Farinella, FNP-BC
Senior Clinical Director
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Katherine (Katie) Walters
Chief of Staff
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Rob Pahlavan
Co-Founder
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Harpreet (Harps) Singh
Chief Technology Officer
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Zachery Chen
Head of Finance
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Brent Asplin, MD, MPH
CEO
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Brent is an emergency physician and entrepreneur with a range of experiences across private equity, health system, and academic medicine roles.
Before joining Gather, Brent spent five years with VillageMD, initially as Chief Operating Officer and then as President of Village Medical. Brent previously served as Chief Clinical Officer for both Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis and Mercy Health in Ohio and Kentucky.
Brent is passionate about business models that reward providers who deliver better outcomes and lower the total cost of care. During his time in the ER, he encountered countless patients who were struggling to access high quality primary care. He is committed to bringing advanced primary care to the populations who most need it.
Brent enjoys traveling, exercising outdoors, and visiting family. A native Minnesotan, Brent is an avid sports fan who just wants the Vikings to win a Super Bowl before he dies.
Yukiko Wu
Chief People Officer
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Yukiko brings with her over twenty years of experience in the people and talent industry. Most recently, she served as the head of people for a PE backed, technology enabled specialty pharmacy startup, Trellis Rx in Atlanta, GA. As an early-stage hire, Yukiko created the people and talent infrastructure for the company from the ground up during its rapid revenue and workforce growth phase. Yukiko believes that organizational culture is created by its employees and leaders and their collective behaviors that are driven by common values. Her mission is to guide and coach business leaders on how to cultivate a healthy workplace environment in practical, authentic, and strategic ways that ultimately drive results.
Having grown up in Japan until the age of twelve, Yukiko has an appreciation for the power of diversity in life, and in business. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD. She resides in Massachusetts with her (former musician turned stay-at-home dad) husband, two sons who are growing up too fast, plus two dogs and two cats who are generally better-behaved than her human family members.
Eric Schmidt
COO
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Eric is a dedicated advocate for expanding primary care access and overcoming the obstacles that hinder a healthier life for so many. As a founding member of the management team at VillageMD, Eric played a pivotal role in establishing and managing operations in multiple markets. He also played a key role in co-creating a clinical operating model that delivers exceptional care to thousands of individuals in communities around the country.
Prior to his tenure at VillageMD, Eric held senior positions where he played a significant role in developing and driving transformative healthcare solutions at R1 (formerly Accretive Health) and Optum.
Eric’s leadership style is characterized by disciplined execution,innovative thinking, and a commitment to fostering an enjoyable work environment for his teams. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Finance, which he earned from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Runnell Townsend Jr., MSPH
Vice President of Growth
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Runnell is one of the few pioneers of the growth and business development functions within value-based care (VBC) models across the country. Starting his career in Clinical Quality Operations at Carle Foundation Hospital, he worked alongside the executive team while achieving his Master's in Public Health, and helped the hospital achieve the prestigious Magnet Recognition.
Shortly after completing his course work in academia for his PhD at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Runnell joined the growth department at Oak Street Health in their early launch stages in 2014. During his three years at Oak Street as Clinical Operations Director, Runnell was responsible for clinical outcomes and growth for five medical offices in the Chicagoland area.
Runnell always had a passion for teaching in the professoriate, so for ten years, Runnell taught Public Health 101 at UIUC, and published two academic articles along with colleagues and his academic advisor, Dr. Jan. Runnell was also in business development for major health systems in Chicago, such as Sinai Health and Holy Cross Hospital. Before joining Gather, Runnell was employed by ChenMed, also a nationally recognized VBC model focused on older adults, to increase patient acquisition.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, and Germany as a military dependent, Runnell serves our country in the Air National Guard as a First Lieutenant Public Health Officer. He currently resides in Chicago with his fiancé, Maria, and his lovely daughter, Mia.
Runnell enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with his loved ones in his spare time.
Angela Farinella, FNP-BC
Senior Clinical Director
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Angela is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who is trained as a Primary Care Provider. She graduated from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. Angela has provided primary care to patients in metro-Boston communities. She has also spent time designing and implementing clinical programs at the nationwide level. Angela focuses on understanding the unique needs of her patients and how they can be addressed. She is published in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst for developing a care model that supports patients being discharged home from the hospital.
When she is not in the office, she enjoys cooking new recipes.
Katherine (Katie) Walters
Chief of Staff
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Katie serves as a member of the leadership team at Gather Health and is an accomplished value-based healthcare professional. She enjoys leveraging her master’s education from Lehigh University in Healthcare Systems Engineering to create innovative business strategies and operational processes, then brings these solutions to life with strong communication and teamwork skills.
Before joining Gather Health, Katie was employed by ChenMed. During her time there, Katie held positions as a Director in their National Center of Excellence for Operations and Talent Development, in addition to regional roles supporting the Philadelphia market as Assistant General Manager and Director of Network and Medical Costs. Katie has also held leadership positions at Cigna within their Provider Relations and Network Operations department where she was responsible for network development and value-based contracting for their Medicare Advantage business across 6 states.
Katie was born and raised in Connecticut and currently resides in Philadelphia. She enjoys the Philadelphia food scene, traveling, hiking, and most importantly spending time with her loved ones (especially those with four legs and wagging tails).
Rob Pahlavan
Co-Founder
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Rob is a Co-Founder at Gather Health and a Partner at Healthcare Foundry. Rob builds companies at the intersection of healthcare services and technology to create a better healthcare system for populations in need. He has co-founded and/or been the CEO of five companies in Healthcare. Rob started his career at McKinsey & Co and as an investor in the space.
Rob holds a BA in English with a minor in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Rob is a Boston area native (and sports fan) and lives there with his wife, two kids, two Siberian cats and beloved Boston sports teams. He loves thinking about Healthcare, reading, writing, cooking, wine as well as watching and coaching sports. While his Healthcare skills are sometimes deservedly called into question, he doesn’t believe that his cooking or coaching skills ever should be.
Harpreet (Harps) Singh
Chief Technology Officer
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Harps is an accomplished executive leader in the healthcare technology, data and analytics space with eighteen years of experience developing and scaling large-scale applications and data analytics solutions to enable improvement in health of populations, simplification of clinical and operational workflows, health information management and advanced analytics and insights.
Harps’ work has been primarily focused on patients who are on Medicare and Medicaid, chronically or acutely ill. Before joining Gather Health, he led the software engineering, data and analytics functions at WelbeHealth, a PACE program provider, and spent 13 years in various leadership roles at Optum and UnitedHealthCare, leading teams of up to 100. He is passionate about transformative leadership that brings people along in the journey of change and growth.
Harps has an MBA in HealthCare from the University of Saint Thomas, an MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, and a BS in Manufacturing & Automation Engineering from the University of Delhi. Harps was born in New Delhi, India, and has been calling Minneapolis his adopted home for over 18 years. He loves to spend time with his son, socializing, working out, and hiking and spending time in nature, especially in the American Southwest.
Zachery Chen
Head of Finance
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Zach is Gather Health’s Head of Finance and brings a wealth of experience in healthcare finance and value-based care to Gather Health’s leadership team. Prior to joining Gather Health, Zach served as the Vice President, Strategic Finance at Atrius Health, a multi-specialty risk bearing provider group in the Greater Boston market, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Atrius Health’s financial and strategic vision and notably in Atrius Health’s sale to Optum in 2022. Before his time at Atrius Health, Zach started his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he advised healthcare clients on a wide range of financial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic partnerships.
Zach holds a BS from The Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences as part of the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management.
Zach grew up in Nashville, TN but has been slowly moving his way up the East Coast and currently resides in Boston. When not thinking about healthcare, he enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Building Gather
Our community partners and Gather Guides work alongside clinicians and executive leaders to build Gather together.
One team,
gathered around you
Started by physicians and healthcare leaders with decades of experience in bringing remarkable care back to the community, we believe every person deserves to have a full team of local advocates helping them to manage their health.
Built up from the
community
Gather works with the people who know their neighborhoods best — residents,
community-based organizations, and local leaders — to develop care that is truly reflective of the needs of the communities we serve.
Gather Health brings holistic primary care back to the neighborhood. We work with residents, local leaders, and clinicians to develop care that's crafted for the communities we serve.
Building healthcare that shows how much we care
Gather Health offers primary care with social and home-based support for the communities that need them most. Our approach ensures older adults feel supported to thrive every day.
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