Leadership Team

Gregory Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Jerry Vaccaro, President and Chief Operating Officer
Alex Cardona, President, APS Puerto Rico
Kara Dornig, Chief Strategy Officer
Judy Ehrenreich, Chief Human Resources Officer
Greg Flanagan, Chief Information Officer
John McDonough, Chief Financial Officer
Stephen Saunders, Chief Medical Officer
Richard Surles, Chief Development Officer
Joyce Tichy, Chief Legal Officer
John Tillotson, National Operations Executive

Gregory W. Scott
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Chairman and chief executive officer, Gregory Scott, joined APS in 2007 to lead the company’s recapitalization management team and today has executive management responsibilities for APS Healthcare and its subsidiaries.

Scott joined APS from PacifiCare Health Systems where he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer, leading all corporate finance and information technology functions. During his five-year tenure, PacifiCare’s market capitalization increased approximately tenfold.

Earlier, Scott was chief operating officer and CFO of New York-based Medsite Corporation, a provider of Internet products and services for physicians.  While at Medsite, he recruited and led a senior management team that built Medsite.com from a $5 million to $40 million company while improving gross margins to more than 16 percent.

Scott’s previous senior-level positions in healthcare include senior vice president and CFO of Prudential Insurance Company of America’s HealthCare Group; executive vice president, CFO and director of Prudential Securities; president of the North Central Group’s HealthCare and Employee Benefit Operations; vice president and treasurer of Prudential Insurance Company; and senior vice president of Prudential Capital Corporation.

Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics from Colgate University and a master’s degree from the University of Michigan.  He is a member of the CFO Advisory Council and the Financial Executive Institute, and serves on the board of directors of the National Kidney Foundation and the Orangewood Children’s Foundation.

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Jerome V. Vaccaro, M.D.
President and Chief Operating Officer

Jerome Vaccaro, M.D., leads APS Healthcare’s operating divisions as president and chief operating officer. He joined the company after serving as president and CEO of PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH) where he transformed the company from a California-based operation serving its parent company’s health plans to a national company with diverse membership and nearly double the revenue.

Previously at PBH, Dr. Vaccaro served as vice president and corporate medical director. He led the development of the initial National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation process, and managed the launch of an industry-leading clinical outcomes management system, ALERT™. Dr. Vaccaro also served as senior vice president for specialty health businesses at PacifiCare Health Systems (PHS), where he led PacifiCare Dental and Vision and served on its board of directors. During his tenure at PHS, he introduced significant new product innovations and transformed technology operations to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Earlier positions include serving as executive director and medical director for several mental health organizations, including the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and the Hawaii Mental Health Division. Named as one of “The Best Doctors in America” and included in Who’s Who in Healthcare, Dr. Vaccaro has served in executive and consulting roles for numerous professional organizations, and on boards including the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Anti-Stigma Foundation and the NCQA Standards Committee. Dr. Vaccaro is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the former chair of the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association.

Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Vaccaro holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and sociology from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and a doctorate of medicine degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

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Alexis Cardona
President, APS Puerto Rico

Alexis Cardona serves as president of APS Healthcare’s Puerto Rico division, responsible for the administration and operation of the division, which provides an array of healthcare products to private and public sector payors in Puerto Rico. 

Prior to joining APS in 2001, Cardona was chief operating officer and executive vice president for ACE Insurance Company, formerly CIGNA Insurance Company of Puerto Rico. He served as controller for ACE International Latin America, formerly CIGNA International - Latin America, where he had financial responsibility for the company’s Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador businesses.

Earlier in his career, Cardona served as financial operations manager for The Gillette Company and as a staff accountant for Pricewaterhouse and Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Business.

A recognized leader in the Puerto Rican healthcare industry, Cardona has received awards from the Puerto Rico Association of Certified Public Accountants for Distinguished Services in the Healthcare Industry, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill for Exemplary Practices in the Private Sector and the Carlos Albizu University's Pinnacle of Success award for his outstanding contribution to the healthcare industry in Puerto Rico.

Cardona is a member of the Puerto Rico Association of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has served on a number of boards and committees in the healthcare industry and trade associations, including The Puerto Rico Guarantee Association and the Association of Insurance Companies.

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Kara Dornig
Chief Strategy Officer

Dornig brings two decades of expertise in the behavioral health and disease management to APS where she is responsible for strategic partnerships, forming new ventures and overseeing marketing initiatives vital to the company’s mission.

Prior to joining APS, Dornig served as Chief of Staff and Director of Product Development  at PacifiCare Behavioral Health. In this dual role, Dornig provided overall management and coordination of the senior management team while marshalling cross-functional, multi-departmental teams to design and build new behavioral health products, successfully launching three new product lines in nine months.

A seasoned marketing expert, Dornig led program development and marketing as Vice President of Program Development and Marketing for United Behavioral Health, transforming disjointed functions into a cohesive, four-department operation. She also served as Vice President of Business Development for the company’s health plan market, closing seven accounts for $15 million annual revenue.

Dornig’s earlier work includes positions of increasing responsibility and seniority for Merit Behavioral Care Corporation where she led teams in the successful acquisition of federal government contracts — USPS, TRICARE and others — valued at tens of millions of dollars.

Dornig is active in numerous professional organizations including the National Association for Female Executives and American Marketing Association. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Mount Holyoke College.

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Judy Ehrenreich
Chief Human Resources Officer

Judy Ehrenreich brings innovation and expertise in human resource management to her role as chief human resources officer for APS where she leads the design and implementation of policies and practices that align APS team members with the company’s vision and commitment to local operations.

Prior to joining APS, Ehrenreich served in the two most senior HR roles for PacifiCare Health Systems, a global $11 billion insurance organization. As chief human resources officer, she led strategic initiatives that resulted in improved recruitment and selection, better alignment between reward systems and business strategies, increased employee productivity, higher levels of employee satisfaction, reduced turnover, and greater simplification of HR processes. Ehrenreich also developed performance metrics, oversaw development of the employee intranet, and redesigned employee and executive compensation and benefit programs.

Earlier, Ehrenreich was senior vice president and vice president at First Interstate Bancorp, where she led the centralized, corporate-based HR unit for this 40,000-employee financial industry holding company. She has also held leadership roles at Hydril Oil Company, Marriott/Host International, and Columbia Savings & Loan.

An author and contributing editor to numerous HR textbooks and publications, Ehrenreich is a frequent speaker at Fortune 500 HR leadership conferences. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, a master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University, and numerous certifications in compensation, benefits and human resource management disciplines.

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Greg Flanagan,
Chief Information Officer

Gregory Flanagan is chief information officer for APS Healthcare, responsible for all technology development and support initiatives. His leadership in the deployment of key technologies, including the company’s state-of-the-art CareConnection® system, is a key factor in driving improved efficiencies and greater health outcomes for APS clients throughout the nation.

Prior to joining APS, Flanagan served as chief information officer at MRPKCH, LLC, where he developed technology strategies to more effectively support healthcare operations that included outpatient physical therapy services and ambulatory surgical centers. Earlier, Flanagan held the position of president at XMi Technology, a unit of Xebec Management, Inc., where he managed technology operations for the company and its operating divisions.   

Past technology leadership positions include president of InfoAdvantage, Inc., one of Nashville’s largest technology services firms serving healthcare providers and professional services organizations; senior program manager for healthcare and enterprise solutions at SAIC, a global provider of information technology solutions; vice president at Theraphysics Corporation; and roles at HealthTrust, Inc., where he managed the company-wide implementation of a financial decision-support system for the $3 billion corporation.    

Flanagan is a member of the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society, and he is the volunteer regional director for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in health administration, both from Duke University.

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John McDonough,
Chief Financial Officer

John McDonough is chief financial officer for APS Healthcare. Expert in long-term financial planning and cost management strategies, McDonough’s leadership in accounting, budgeting and forecasting plays an integral role in the development and implementation of APS Healthcare’s strategic plans.

McDonough brings 25 years of experience in finance, operations and business development to APS Healthcare, including previous leadership positions at McKesson, Datascope Corporation, C.R. Bard, and Arthur Young and Company. As senior vice president and CFO at McKesson Medical Surgical Division, he negotiated the sale of McKesson’s Acute Care business to Owens and Minor, and transitioned more than 3,000 customers totaling over $1 billion in revenue from 23 distribution centers. Additionally, McDonough grew McKesson brand sales by more than 20 percent in each of his last two years at the company.

With C.R. Bard, McDonough was responsible for all accounting functions, financial planning and analysis, contracts, information technology and customer service. He spearheaded the reorganization of multiple divisions to more closely align sales with customers, and negotiated acquisitions, divestitures and product distribution agreements. His role in consolidating manufacturing plants to improve cost structure played a key role in the company’s financial performance. McDonough has a bachelor’s degree from Franklin and Marshall College, and CPA credential from the State of New Jersey.

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Stephen Saunders, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

Stephen Saunders, M.D., M.P.H., is chief medical officer for APS Healthcare, responsible for quality improvement, clinical product development, and management of the company’s medical directors and physicians. A national thought leader in the design of new care approaches for Medicaid populations, Dr. Saunders has developed and implemented innovative disease management and care coordination programs including the groundbreaking “medical home” case management projects.

Dr. Saunders was previously medical director for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. He performed the physician-provider liaison role for the Department and managed key stakeholder committees regarding new healthcare initiatives.  During his tenure, Dr. Saunders also directed quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives, and played a key role in the quality oversight of pharmaceutical management for high-risk populations.

Previously, as Associate Director of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Division Chief of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Dr. Saunders directed statewide public health programs for maternal and child health, adolescent health, family planning, and the women, infants and children (WIC) program. As assistant director for the Arizona Department of Health Services, Dr. Saunders was responsible for the operation of the state’s family health programs, including children with special healthcare needs.

Board certified in pediatrics, Dr. Saunders is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and adjunct assistant professor for the University of Illinois. He is a member and past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as a member and past president of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. He is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Illinois Public Health Association.

Dr. Saunders earned his Masters in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health, M.D. from University of California at Irvine and Bachelor of Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

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Richard Surles
Chief Development Officer

Richard Surles leads the market development, product development and account management for APS as chief development officer for APS. A nationally recognized leader in the public sector healthcare field, Dr. Surles brings more than 30 years of accomplished executive experience to APS.

Prior to joining APS, Dr. Surles was executive vice president at Comprehensive Neurosciences, Inc., where he led new business development and collaborative partnerships.  Previous positions include Executive Director for the Center for State Health Policy at Rutgers University and Executive Vice President for national operations at Merit Behavioral Care Corp., which was acquired by Magellan Health Services. Dr. Surles has also served as Commissioner of Mental Health for the state of Vermont, the Administrator of Mental Health and Mental Retardation for the city and county of Philadelphia, and Commissioner of Mental Health for the state of New York

Recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and the National Mental Health Association, Dr. Surles is an honorary fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and served as a member of The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force. Widely published on government policy, Surles received a doctorate of philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s degree in education from the University of Delaware, and  bachelor’s degree from Barton College.

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Joyce Tichy,
Chief Legal Officer

Joyce Tichy is chief legal officer for APS Healthcare, overseeing all legal activities including contract oversight, regulatory advice, litigation, dispute resolution, legal compliance and corporate governance. Her 25 years of experience as an attorney, including 15 years specializing in the healthcare industry, and background working in the federal judicial system are key assets for APS Healthcare.

Prior to joining APS Healthcare in 2008, Tichy served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to Liberty Health System, Inc., a three-hospital system in New Jersey, for two years.  She spent the previous 13 years at Wellchoice/Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield where she held a variety of increasingly responsible positions culminating in the role of Associate General Counsel, Vice President for Risk Management and Chief Privacy Officer, She has also held positions in law firms, and served as a law clerk to Federal District Judge H. Lee Sarokin (D.N.J.) and Federal Court of Appeals Judge Robert S. Vance (11th Circuit).

Tichy holds a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School, a Master’s degree from Wesleyan University, and a B.A. from Yale University.  She is licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  She is a past Chair of the New York City Bar Association Health Law Committee, and is a member of its Science and the Law Committee.  She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association Health Law Section and the American Health Lawyers Association.

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John Tillotson, M.D.
National Operations Executive

John Tillotson is national operations executive for APS Healthcare, directing implementation of the company’s business strategies by allocating resources to meet its short-term and long-term objectives. His responsibilities include clinical and non-clinical outreach operations, operations strategy, business implementation and facilities management.

Previously, Dr. Tillotson was chairman of Alere Medical, Inc., where he led the company’s new business development and partnership initiatives.  He also served in prior roles as consultant and advisor to PacifiCare Behavioral Health, and was a partner at Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) where he sourced, incubated and managed healthcare-service investments for firms that included Alere Medical, Accordant Health Services, and Presidium.

Dr. Tillotson established Managed Health Network, one of the first managed behavioral health organizations (MBHOs) in the country, serving as CEO, president and chairman until its acquisition by Health Net in 1996.  Earlier, as vice president of healthcare programs at CIGNA Corporation, Tillotson managed acquisitions and new product development for CIGNA’s healthcare division. 

As legislative assistant for health under Senator Dave Durenberger (MN), Chairman of the U.S. Congressional Health Subcommittee, Dr. Tillotson shaped key legislative agendas and was recognized as a leading voice on the subject of healthcare reform. He also served as vice president at InterStudy, a health policy think tank founded by Paul Ellwood, M.D., who pioneered much of the early thinking around HMOs and restructuring the healthcare system to be more competitive.

Dr. Tillotson has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and medical degree from the University of Minnesota.

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