ChristianaCare names new board members and leaders

New members and leaders have been named to the ChristianaCare Health System and ChristianaCare Health Services boards, with terms effective Jan. 1.

“We are grateful for the commitment of our health system and health services board members, who play a vital role in guiding our organization and ensuring we are true to our mission of service to the community today and for generations to come,” said Janice E. Nevin, MD, MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO.  “Their unique perspectives and extensive experiences are invaluable to ChristianaCare as we deliver high-quality, accessible, equitable care that helps people achieve their best health.”

Nevin also expressed her gratitude to outgoing board members Nicholas Marsini Jr. and Paul J. Kaniefski for their years of service to the ChristianaCare Health System board.

“Their tremendous leadership and support have been vital to our organization as we have adapted to meet the changing needs of our community and weather the ongoing challenges in healthcare,” Nevin said. “Thanks to their tireless work, ChristianaCare has been able to grow while also maintaining our commitment to quality, safety, equity and affordability.”

George Foutrakis serves as chair of the ChristianaCare Health System board, succeeding Marsini. Foutrakis is the global health economics and outcomes research leader for Gore Medical. Over his 30-year career in medical devices and healthcare technology, he has led and contributed to numerous efforts spanning a wide range of surgical, endovascular and interventional products and applications. He also holds eight U.S. patents.

Alexandra von Plato is vice chair of the health system board, succeeding Foutrakis. As chair of Publicis Health, she has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare communications and media, and has served as both a global CEO and chief creative officer.

James Richard “Rick” Howard joined the health system board in mid-2024. He is the chief information and data officer for Brand Engagement Network Inc., a generative AI company. He is responsible for IT infrastructure and operations, data security and compliance, cybersecurity oversight, technology innovation, data strategy and lifecycle management. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Howard is considered a leading expert in the industry on the management, normalization and integration of clinical and financial data. He previously served as chief data officer for the health system Ascension, which was globally recognized for its data management and analytics impact on the business.

David Nash, MD, MBA, is a member of the health system board. He is the founding dean emeritus at the Jefferson College of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University, where he remains on the full-time faculty as the Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy. A board-certified internist, Nash is internationally recognized for his work in public accountability for outcomes, physician leadership development and quality-of-care improvement. 

Julie Topkis Nason joins the ChristianaCare Health Services board after serving as an ex officio member. She has over 30 years of experience in development, with positions ranging from leadership roles to executive positions, including leading philanthropy efforts for St. Francis Hospital and Mercy Health System. She is an owner of Nason Construction as well as president of the company.

Tynetta T. Brown joins the ChristianaCare Health Services board as an ex officio member. She has over 27 years of experience in organizational administration, community and public health programming, the pharmaceutical industry, strategic planning, public relations, marketing and issues management. She is president and CEO of Philanthropy Delaware and serves as chair of the ChristianaCare Council of Advisors, in addition to several other local volunteer boards.