Kaiser Permanente names new enterprise strategy, business development leadership

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sam Glick will join Kaiser Permanente as executive vice president for enterprise strategy and business development. He will be responsible for enterprisewide strategy and business development. He will oversee the strategy, business development, government relations, communications, innovation and enterprise risk management functions as well as Kaiser Permanente Ventures and Kaiser Permanente International programs. In this role, Glick will develop and connect strategies across the organization’s entire portfolio of businesses including Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care and coverage, Risant Health, the KP Medical Foundation, the National Health Plan, and future new businesses.

Glick’s service will begin in June 2024 when he replaces Paul Swenson, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, who has announced he will be stepping down from the role after leading the organization’s strategy for more than a decade. While stepping down from the role, Swenson will continue with the organization for a period of time to work on special projects. Glick will report to Kaiser Permanente's chair and chief executive officer, Greg A. Adams.

Glick joins Kaiser Permanente from Oliver Wyman, an international management consulting firm, where he has served as global leader of health and life sciences, working with health systems, health plans, and other health care organizations across the country to be more responsive to market and consumer needs. He also currently leads the firm’s global marketing function and serves as a member of the Oliver Wyman Global Leadership Team and the Marsh McLennan Senior Leadership Team. Prior to his roles at Oliver Wyman, Glick helped to build the strategy and corporate development function at Mercer, the country’s largest employee benefits broker and consultant.

“Sam’s broad understanding of the health care marketplace, collaborative relationships with industry leaders, and broad leadership experience will help us as we strengthen our enterprise strategy and business development capabilities,” said Adams. “His leadership will help us as we continue to respond to the external market and address the challenges that we and all of health care currently face.”

Shelby Decosta has been named Kaiser Permanente’s new chief business development officer with overall responsibility and accountability for growing Kaiser Permanente’s mission and touching more lives through mergers, acquisitions, market expansion and service line diversification for Kaiser Permanente, Risant Health, and other businesses. She will serve on the executive teams for Kaiser Permanente and Risant Health and work closely with senior leaders across the enterprise.

Decosta joins Kaiser Permanente from UCSF Health where she currently serves as president for UCSF Health care network and chief market development officer, responsible for mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. She also manages UCSF Health’s accountable care organization, joint ventures and management agreements with community health systems, as well as the system’s ambulatory outpatient centers and physician network. Prior to UCSF Health, Decosta held leadership positions at Trinity Health and Dignity Health with accountability for mergers, acquisitions and partnerships.

“Shelby’s collaborative, innovative, results-driven approach, as well as her experience establishing and implementing diversified growth initiatives across community and academic nonprofit health systems, will help Kaiser Permanente continue to grow our enterprise,” said Adams.

Decosta will begin her service in July 2024 and report to Glick.