Altarum Appoints Raena Akin-Deko and Lisa Tompkins-Brown to Leadership Team
May 14, 2021
Altarum has tapped Raena Akin-Deko and Lisa Tompkins-Brown, leaders in health care quality improvement and federal health programs, respectively, to expand the reach and impact of Altarum’s innovative solutions to advance health among at-risk and disenfranchised populations.
As vice president of strategic initiatives, Raena Akin-Deko will provide leadership in developing corporate strategy, market intelligence and go-to-market planning and execution. She will be responsible for developing and operationalizing a strategic framework across the enterprise with a focus on growing the organization's portfolio of high-impact initiatives that advance quality of care for disadvantaged populations and the chronically ill.
Lisa Tompkins-Brown, vice president of federal health strategy, will drive the business transformation and growth of Altarum’s federal health care initiatives supporting the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Health Agency, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. She will focus on identifying and developing strategies and strategic partnerships to advance health equity for our nation.
“Raena and Lisa’s expertise will be essential in creating and executing strategies to advance the nation’s public health and health care infrastructure, including building next-generation disease surveillance systems and implementing new models of community-based long-term care that are more equitable. We are fortunate to have these accomplished professionals on our leadership team,” said Dan Armijo, Altarum senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Prior to joining Altarum, Raena Akin-Deko led strategy, growth, and performance of a $50 million portfolio of evaluation products and oversaw development of accreditation and recognition products valued at $30 million for the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Earlier in her career, Raena served as the director of learning and innovation at the Alliance of Community Health Plans, where she increased membership and implemented programs to highlight best practices in quality improvement, medical management, and product development.
Raena has her thumb on the pulse of the health care sector, having chaired multi-stakeholder committees composed of state, federal, and private sector health systems and purchasers—from Kaiser Permanente to American Express—to gather input on existing and new products to improve quality. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology-zoology and a master’s degree in Health Services Administration, both from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
“Altarum has a long history of innovating in health care and is poised to address at scale some of the most persistent gaps and inequities in the health system. I look forward to working with Altarum’s talented people to bring those solutions to more states,” said Raena Akin-Deko.
Lisa Tompkins-Brown has 25 years of experience advancing strategy, large-scale acquisitions, and business transformation for more than 20 federal, not-for-profit, and for-profit organizations in health information technology, health care quality, and health policy.
In her previous role with MITRE, Lisa managed projects valued at $30 million in support of the CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, including Quality Improvement Organizations, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Programs, and the Quality Payment Program. She established and led strategic direction and program delivery for a $40 million program supporting Veterans Affairs.
Lisa has created partnerships among government agencies, health systems, and community organizations that drive system change, from easing the burden clinicians face in conducting business transactions to establishing data-sharing agreements between federal agencies to improve services for TRICARE beneficiaries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hampton University and a Master of Science degree in health care administration and a master’s degree in business administration from University of Maryland Global Campus.
“The federal health space is seeing greater momentum for sustained investment in health to eliminate racial disparities and gaps in care for low and middle-income communities. Now is the time to act, and we’ll be working closely with our federal partners to build a stronger health system for the nation,” said Lisa Tompkins-Brown.
Altarum is a nonprofit organization that works with federal and state agencies and foundations to design and implement solutions to improve the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations disenfranchised by the health care system. We achieve measurable results by combining our expertise in public health and health care delivery with technology, workforce training and continuing education, applied research, and technical assistance. Our innovative solutions lead to better health for beneficiaries and better value for payers.