Meet the SNP Alliance Team

Medicare-Medicaid Integration Consultant, SNP Alliance

Pamela J. Parker, MPA

Pamela has over 34 years of experience in state government in Minnesota, with specialized expertise in management of integrated Medicare and Medicaid health care policy, operations and financing for people with dual eligibility, managed long term services and supports, rate setting, and MA D-SNP policy and contracting.

She was responsible for the creation of the first CMS-approved state Medicare-Medicaid integration demonstration for people with dual eligibility in 1995. She also developed and managed several specialized managed care programs for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the first Medicare Medicaid D-SNP demonstration approved by CMS in 2013.

Pam served as Director of Long Term Care and has a long history of consumer advocacy serving as the states’ first long term care ombudsman. Pam has been an advisor to CHCS, MedPAC, MACPAC, AARP, NCQA, NASHP, and the Alliance for Health Reform and has been a frequent speaker at national conferences on topics related to MLTSS and dual eligibility.

After retiring from her state management position, Pam joined the SNP Alliance team as Medicare-Medicaid Integration Consultant.

Pam has a Masters of Public Administration degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was a Bush Leadership Fellowship Recipient.

Performance Evaluation Lead and Policy Consultant, SNP Alliance

Dr. Deborah Paone, DrPH, MHSA

Dr. Deborah Paone works with providers, health plans, communities, research centers, and government agencies to promote better systems of care. Throughout her 25+ year career, Deborah has worked across disciplines and settings—bridging policy, practice, and research—to integrate health care and social services for older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.  

Dr. Paone is an independent researcher/consultant and President of Paone & Associates, LLC, a firm she founded in 2002 (Minneapolis). While maintaining her practice Deborah has served as the Performance Evaluation Lead & Policy Consultant to the Special Needs Plan Alliance since 2016. She is the SNPA subject matter expert in quality measurement, Model of Care/care coordination, and health equity. She leads analyses on these topics and spearheads research and collaborative projects. She also serves on technical expert groups, such as the RAND/CMS MA Stars TEP and the NQF Health Equity Workgroup. 

Deborah also provides consultation to Johns Hopkins University, serving as the Implementation & Evaluation Director-CAPABLE. She serves as Co-P.I. with Dr. Sarah Szanton, Dean of the School of Nursing, on the CAPABLE Care Partner study to enhance the program for caregivers of participants. Deborah Paone: Faculty Directory (jhu.edu). 

Previously, Deborah served as Vice President for the National Chronic Care Consortium (Minneapolis), Director of Aging & LTC Services for the American Hospital Association (Chicago), and Executive Director of a community services nonprofit, Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness (Edina, MN). 

Deborah has a Doctor of Public Health (UNC-Chapel Hill), a Master of Health Services Administration (University of Michigan), and a Bachelor in Gerontological Issues in Community Health (University of Rochester).   

Principal, State Health Partners; I-SNP Consultant, SNP Alliance

Suzanne Gore, JD, MSW

After nearly 15 years working in and around government, Suzanne formed State Health Partners in 2018 with a passion to improve health care, especially for underserved individuals. At State Health Partners, Suzanne helps states and organizations navigate the complexities of state health programs with a specific focus on Medicaid managed care, Medicare Special Needs Plans, long-term services and supports, and behavioral health.

Suzanne has extensive practical experience with Medicaid policy, waivers, program development, and implementation, and knows the state legislative and budget process. She has developed, drafted, reviewed, scored, and served on the final selection committee for a number of successful state procurements and developed proposals and grant applications for funders ranging from the federal government to philanthropic organizations.

Prior to forming State Health Partners, Suzanne served as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources and Senior Advisor on Health Care to Virginia’s Governor. In these roles, she had an instrumental role in shaping and administering health policy across Virginia. In her most recent position as Deputy Director of the Virginia Medicaid program, she oversaw the policy, legislative, appeals, innovation, and regulatory divisions of the agency. In between state government stints, Suzanne worked in the non-profit sector where she spearheaded the Center for Health Care Strategies’ efforts to help states integrate Medicare and Medicaid and develop managed long-term services and supports programs.

Her academic background includes business, law, and social work as she earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree from the University of Virginia, a Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law, and a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Principal, Lyle Health; Consultant, SNP Alliance

Jill Sumner, MPH, MBA

Jill Sumner, Principal at Lyle Health, possesses over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry. Throughout her career, she has held various positions in payer and provider organizations, with a primary focus on enhancing the delivery and financing of healthcare services for complex and underserved populations. Jill has specialized in establishing partnerships between providers and payers through population health management models, aiming to enhance quality and streamline healthcare spending.

Her ability to identify gaps in the industry and naturally connect the dots to develop innovative solutions has established her as a thought leader in the field. With prominent positions in the two largest professional associations for long-term care providers, she developed multiple successful initiatives to foster productive partnerships between managed care organizations and providers.  Jill has been instrumental in the development of special needs plans including ISNPs, DSNPs, CSNPs and one of the first MMPs in the nation.

Jill has held positions within the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield (now Anthem) and Virginia Premier Health plan.  As the VP of Strategy and Business Development at Virginia Premier Health Plan she successfully led the organization in being one of three health plans awarded a contract to develop one of the first Medicare-Medicaid plans in the country.

Jill’s educational background includes two Master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in gerontology, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

As Principal at Lyle Health, Jill helps organizations and individuals navigate the complex healthcare system. Understanding that every situation and organization is unique Lyle Health takes an individualistic approach to identifying the end goals and crafting a strategy to attain them.

CEO, MAST Health Policy Solutions

Tom Kornfield

Tom Kornfield is the founder and CEO of MAST Health Policy Solutions, a boutique healthcare consulting firm specializing in Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D. He is a recognized national expert on MA payment policy with mastery of Medicare Part D and the Inflation Reduction Act. His unique combination of working in the public and private sector, gained over 25 years of experience, provides him with an unparalleled and creative perspective on government policy. In addition, during his tenure at CMS, he originated the idea to allow five-star Medicare health plans to market and enroll year-round. Since leaving CMS, he has experience as a senior consultant with Avalere and as the Vice President of Medicare Policy at AHIP.

Tom holds an M.P.P. from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Policy. His undergraduate degree is from Hamilton College.

Jill Selby

Jill Selby has recently concluded her 12-year tenure as Senior Vice President overseeing Product Development, Marketing, and Market Expansion at SCAN Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage Plan catering to nearly 300,000 members. Throughout her tenure, Jill played a pivotal role in driving the growth and evolution of SCAN’s Medicare Advantage products, across California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico.

Her responsibilities encompassed spearheading market expansion initiatives, identifying geographic growth opportunities, and leading the innovative development and deployment of SCAN’s industry leading product offerings. Additionally, Jill served as the driving force behind SCAN’s marketing strategies, overseeing traditional, digital, and social media advertising efforts, as well as sales lead generation.

With an extensive background spanning over 35 years in the healthcare sector, Jill now brings her wealth of expertise and experience to the table as a self-employed consultant. In this capacity, she is dedicated to assisting various industry partners in navigating and thriving within the dynamic landscape of current day healthcare.