Leadership
More Than 225
Years of Combined
Experience
In Renal and Managed Care
Meet Our Team
Champion Health Plan is led by a team of experts with deep, multifaceted experience in all aspects of kidney care and ESRD management.
Our executive leadership team is not just a group of corporate bureaucrats. We’ve got 225+ years of combined, hands-on operational experience with renal disease and managed care. And our collective vision is simple—to improve care and outcomes for those with end-stage renal disease.
Jeffrey Davis
CEO
Co-founded and led Universal Care Health Plan (dba Brand New Day) from 1983 until Bright Health acquisition in 2020
Served as COO and CFO at Universal Care until appointed to CEO in 2006
Played a key leadership role in company’s 18-month transition following sale to Bright Health
Holds CPA with extensive training in health care quality improvement, IT and corporate governance
Jay Davis
EVP & COO
Co-founded and led Universal Care Health Plan (dba Brand New Day) from 1983 until Bright Health acquisition in 2020
Served as EVP at Universal Care and led the network development, sales, service, marketing and compliance functions
Played a key leadership role in company’s 18-month transition following sale to Bright Health
Mike Wong, DO
EVP & CSO
Founded and led MedCare Partners in partnership with Bright Healthcare
Executive suite at Alignment Health for one year
Co-founded Pharmadex in 2003 and played an integral role in contract negotiations between supply chain participants of Japan’s pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution industry
Certificate of residency in anesthesiology, doctorate in medicine and bachelor of science degrees.
Kenneth Watkins
CFO
Positions at Brand New Day, Molina Healthcare, ValueOperations and Easy Choice Health Plan
VP & CFO of VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance) until acquired by Nationwide in 2006
Division CFO of PacifiCare (acquired by UnitedHealthcare)
CPA and MBA from University of Southern California
Jerome Tannenbaum, MD
Chairman
Co-founder and Chairman of Sanderling Renal Services
Founded an led DSI Renal from 2005 until sale to DaVita in 2011
Founded and led National
Nephrology Associates from 1998 until Renal Care Group acquisition
in 2004
Board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology
Hemant Dhingra, MD
Board Member
President & CEO of The Nephrology Group since 2014
President & CEO of KareWell Health, central California’s largest value-based care organization, since 2021
President & CEO of nCare, an advisor to nephrology practices, since 2016
Connie Synder
Compliance Officer
Part-time VP at Segral Medicare Experts, a consulting firm for Medicare Advantage and Part
D plans
EVP and Compliance Officer at Brand New Day from 2003 to 2021
Also held various regulatory roles
at Health Net
