Melissa M.

About Melissa M.

Healthcare strategy and transformation leader with 20+ years of experience driving enterprise strategy, innovation, and operating model transformation initiatives across health plan, PBM-adjacent, and behavioral health markets.Translates emerging trends into market-ready solutions through disciplined experimentation, pilot design, and executive decision support – guiding organizations on where to invest, scale, or exit.Led forward-looking enterprise strategy at Optum / UnitedHealth Group, including the strategic evaluation of Surest\'s alternative health plan model and investment decisions that shape new market opportunities.Trusted advisor to C-suite leaders, clients, and enterprise stakeholders, delivering clear executive narratives that align cross-functional teams and drive action. Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Strategy & Innovation, with research focused on employee engagement during leadership transitions, reinforcing a career-long focus on sustaining performance, trust, and momentum through change.Applies a scholar-practitioner approach, bridging rigorous research with real-world execution to deliver measurable outcomes across enterprise strategy, operations, and growth.

Experience

1. Executive Director Enterprise Strategy, Governance & Innovation

   Optum

   Feb 2025 — Present

   Lead enterprise strategy and innovation initiatives for Surest, UnitedHealthcare’s alternative health plan model serving ~1.2M members, guiding cross-functional transformation across finance, clinical, network, operations, technology, and legal.• Continuously monitor, assess, and synthesize emerging market trends in affordability, utilization management, behavioral health, and alternative payment models to identify strategic opportunities.• Develop strategic investment and P&L impact recommendations guiding executive decisions on pilot programs, new care models, and enterprise initiatives. • Design, sponsor, and govern pilot programs, including a case‑rate model (~100 cases/year), partnering with IT, Operations, Clinical Economics, and Finance to validate ROI, scalability, and market readiness.• Translate pilot outcomes and market insights into executive recommendations informing enterprise investment and scaling decisions.• Orchestrate cross‑functional alignment across Finance, Legal, Clinical, Network, RIMS, RCM, and Operations to accelerate decision‑making and execution.• Lead cross-enterprise operating model transformation through governance redesign, overseeing a portfolio of 15+ enterprise‑critical initiatives and improving prioritization discipline, transparency, and speed‑to‑decision.• Serve as the executive liaison to Surest leadership, external partners, consultants, and brokers, communicating complex strategies clearly and persuasively.

Education

• Chippewa Valley Technical College

  Associate Degree

• University of Wisconsin-Parkside

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

• University of Wisconsin-Stout

  Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc)

• Capella University

  Doctor's Degree