Global professional services firm Huron (NASDAQ:HURN) today announced its largest promotion class in company history, elevating 43 senior-level leaders across the firm to corporate vice president, managing director, operating managing director, and principal. The promotions reflect the firm's continued growth and long-term investment in developing talent and leadership.
"We are thrilled to celebrate this exceptional group of leaders and the impact they have made across Huron," said Mark Hussey, chief executive officer and president of Huron. "Their dedication to our clients, our people, and our communities demonstrates the strength of our culture and the power of our values in action. I congratulate each of them on this important career milestone and look forward to the leadership and impact they will continue to bring in their new roles."
We are pleased to recognize the following individuals:
Financial Advisory Capabilities
Zach Brody is a managing director focused on working with healthcare provider organizations in navigating complex financial challenges. He works closely with leadership teams to guide restructurings and turnarounds, both in and out of court, acquisitions and integrations, and large-scale financial transformations. Zach is recognized for his ability to bring clarity in high-stakes situations, align stakeholders around actionable strategies, and drive measurable improvement during periods of change.
Maxim Novitsky is a managing director with more than 14 years of experience advising nonprofit hospitals and health systems on critical strategic, financial, and capital planning decisions. He has guided more than 80 organizations through mergers and acquisitions, partnership development, strategic growth initiatives, and capital strategy, with expertise in helping leadership teams navigate financial complexity while pursuing transformational change. Combining corporate finance expertise with strategic insight, Max is known for aligning capital allocation with enterprise priorities to drive sustainable growth and long-term financial resilience.
Joe Polancich is an operating managing director with more than 18 years of experience helping organizations strengthen operations, improve working capital, and enhance balance sheets through capital markets solutions. He advises clients across industries on refinancings, recapitalizations, and both in- and out-of-court restructurings to support long-term stability and growth. Joe works closely with leadership teams to assess complex situations, develop tailored strategies, and execute solutions efficiently.
Mitchener Turnipseed is an operating managing director with over 15 years of investment banking experience spanning mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital markets, and restructuring engagements. He advises clients on complex, high-stakes transactions by combining rigorous financial analysis with a deep understanding of strategic value creation. Mitchener has supported successful outcomes for organizations across healthcare, industrials, energy, consumer products, and financial services, helping leaders navigate pivotal moments with confidence and clarity.
Digital Capability
Michael Bene is a principal with more than two decades of experience leading organizations through digital transformation initiatives that support strategic business goals. He works closely with executive teams to design and implement enterprise technology solutions that improve efficiency, productivity, and growth. As a Salesforce subject matter expert, he advises leaders on data governance, system architecture, and integration strategies to maximize the value of their technology investments.
Bryan Birkeness is a managing director with over 13 years of experience helping organizations plan and execute large-scale transformation initiatives. He works closely with executive leaders to implement and optimize Workday and other cloud technologies, aligning processes, data, and operating models to support effective decision-making.
Doug Blitzer is a managing director with more than 30 years of experience helping manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, and professional services organizations improve performance through strategic technology enablement. He specializes in leading digital transformation initiatives and Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM implementations that drive operational efficiency, data-driven decision making, and scalable growth.
Alan French is a principal with more than 30 years of ERP experience, including 25 years driving transformation across healthcare and higher education organizations. He has led large‑scale ERP implementations as project director, guiding enterprise programs to successful, on‑time, on‑budget outcomes. Alan works with clients to maximize return on investment across Workday Human Capital Management (HCM), Payroll, Finance, Supply Chain, and Grants Management by aligning technology with operational and financial objectives.
Jofi Jose is a principal with over 30 years of experience driving digital transformation and technology-enabled business improvements. She leads high-performing teams to design and implement cost-effective, scalable solutions across business and IT processes, with expertise in digital program management, enterprise technology strategy, and analytics.
Ryan Knickerbocker is a principal with over 20 years of experience delivering technology and process solutions for universities, research institutions, and other educational organizations. He has expertise in student information systems (SIS), human capital management, financials, supply chain management (SCM), and grants systems. Ryan focuses on business process redesign, software implementation and upgrades, and project management, leveraging insights from multiple institutions to meet each client's unique needs.
Dean Lohiser is a managing director with 30 years of experience leading technology and digital transformation initiatives across the retail, energy, and transportation industries. He specializes in building and modernizing digital platforms, including enterprise systems, data and analytics capabilities, cloud-enabled architecture, and customer-facing digital solutions that improve experience, loyalty, and revenue growth. Dean is known for translating business strategy into scalable digital road maps, leading complex technology transformations, and strengthening IT operating models, governance, and delivery capabilities.
Bianca Mason Delauney is a managing director with more than 15 years of experience leading industry-focused finance and technology transformations for professional services and project-based organizations. She works closely with executive teams to design and execute enterprise transformation strategies using Workday as the core platform, guiding organizations through readiness, implementation, and post–go-live optimization. Bianca's work focuses on aligning technology investments to operating models, governance, and growth objectives to drive scalable, sustainable outcomes.
Eric Mehling is a principal with over 18 years of experience building enterprise-scale digital capabilities across energy, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and higher education. Eric brings a practitioner's perspective to helping clients move beyond experimentation with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to production-grade solutions. He leads a high-performing team of data scientists and engineers that develop specialized solutions for our clients, including predictive models, agentic systems, digital twins, and optimization algorithms.
Brad Norkin is a managing director with more than 30 years of experience leading business and technology transformations for public and private sector organizations. He works with clients across industries to enhance business and supply chain performance through process improvement, digital enablement, and operational transformation. Brad brings deep expertise in project governance and quality assurance, helping organizations deliver complex initiatives with consistency, transparency, and measurable impact.
Joseph Mattar is a managing director with over 30 years of experience leading more than 60 large-scale, finance-led transformations for global organizations across commercial industries. With deep Oracle expertise and experience in complex finance transformations, Joseph has led initiatives across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Singapore, bringing a global perspective on multinational operations and regulatory environments. He is known for bridging finance leadership and technology to deliver scalable solutions that drive efficiency and long-term growth.
Rey Mendez is a managing director and digital strategy leader who helps energy, utilities, and asset-intensive industry executives turn transformation into measurable operating advantage. He leads enterprise transformation programs that accelerate close, improve capital planning, strengthen materials availability, and boost workforce productivity. Rey connects strategy to execution by translating complex decisions into a clear path forward, aligning leaders on outcomes, and using cloud, data, and practical AI to automate work and improve decision quality for adoption to stick.
Jake Pultorak is a principal with more than 30 years of experience advising energy and utility organizations on financial technology and digital transformation. He brings deep expertise across gas, electric, water, renewables and midstream oil and gas, helping clients meet complex regulatory requirements while reducing the ongoing cost of compliance. As an Oracle expert, Jake has managed large-scale ERP implementations that modernize financial accounting, strengthen system integration, and improve enterprise reporting. He also led the development of Huron's Energy Application Toolkit (HEAT), which enables regulated energy clients to meet FERC reporting requirements with greater efficiency, accuracy, and auditability.
Adam Sigg is a managing director with more than 18 years of experience leading enterprise data strategies for Fortune 500 organizations, turning master data, governance, and integration into strategic assets across customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and enterprise performance management (EPM) transformations. He drives enterprise data management programs by uplifting data quality and standing up governed, AI‑enabled data foundations that accelerate automation and digital modernization.
Nick Yezza is a managing director with over 18 years of experience leading finance and technology initiatives for large enterprises in the commercial sector. He specializes in AI-enabled financial planning and analysis, enterprise performance management, and advanced analytics that drive strategic decision-making across the office of the CFO. Nick architects large-scale programs that modernize finance operating models and deliver measurable business outcomes.
Education and Research Consulting and Managed Services
Tom Bechert is a principal with over 21 years of experience helping academic medical centers, universities, hospital systems, and cancer centers maximize research program performance and improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of research administration. He works with research leaders to build clinical trials offices (CTOs), manage institutional review boards (IRBs) and human research protection programs (HRPPs), optimize processes, and ensure compliance while promoting subject safety and operational efficiency.
Zach Belton is a principal with more than 20 years of consulting experience advising higher education institutions, academic health centers, and research institutions on research administration transformation. He specializes in improving operational efficiency, strengthening compliance, and enhancing service delivery across sponsored research administration, financial controls, animal operations, and service centers.
Chris Byrne is a principal with 15 years of management consulting experience, primarily supporting higher education leaders in addressing operational challenges to optimize resources and deliver on their mission while enhancing operational efficiency, improving student and stakeholder outcomes, and supporting long-term institutional growth. He has leveraged this expertise to lead strategy and portfolio management internally, developing and informing key growth areas and go-to-market strategies across the business, while continuing to support clients.
Sharif Fakhr is a managing director with more than 15 years of experience advising hospitals, academic medical centers, health systems, biotech and pharmaceutical companies on strategy and operating model design, revenue cycle and clinical research billing (CRB), and end-to-end clinical research operations. His expertise includes research program assessments, compliance reviews, performance improvement, and transformation initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness, helping organizations manage financial and operational risks for stability and growth.
Lauren Halloran is a principal with 20 years of experience helping universities, academic health centers, and nonprofit organizations align their missions with operations, strategy, and technology. She specializes in student lifecycle management, leading transformative reviews of administrative and student services, developing enrollment and retention strategies, and optimizing technology solutions. Lauren has advised a wide range of institutions on organizational assessments, financial modeling, and strategic planning to improve efficiency, strengthen student outcomes, and support long-term sustainability.
Laura Humberger is a principal with more than 25 years of experience helping higher education institutions, academic medical centers, and non-profit organizations strategically deploy resources and achieve excellence in financial operations. Laura leads finance, accounting, human resources, and change initiatives, combining operational expertise with a strategic perspective to help large, multi-entity institutions align their financial infrastructure and processes to support strategic outcomes.
Healthcare Consulting and Managed Services
Robin Brusman is a principal with over 16 years of experience in revenue cycle consulting and working with large, multi-facility health systems to drive measurable improvements in financial performance, operational efficiency, and compliance. She now plays a key leadership role in expanding the firm's revenue cycle managed services offerings, helping clients achieve sustained results through scalable, high-impact solutions that strengthen end-to-end revenue cycle operations.
Sara McCabe Petykowski is a principal with over 12 years of experience advising healthcare organizations on human resources initiatives, clinical operations, and workforce strategy. She works with hospitals and academic medical centers to design and implement talent and culture transformations, align workforce and clinical delivery teams, and strengthen recruitment and retention in highly competitive labor markets. She also supports large healthcare organizations through merger and acquisition integration, ERP implementations, and provides interim CHRO leadership during periods of transition.
Angie Esbenshade is a principal with more than 30 years of healthcare management consulting experience. She leverages deep clinical and operational expertise to help healthcare organizations strengthen workforce engagement, improve care delivery, and elevate the patient experience. Angie has supported clinical operations nationwide, from rural hospitals to large academic medical centers, delivering tailored solutions that advance organizational goals.
Nikki Feucht is a principal with more than 19 years of experience helping healthcare organizations align people, processes, and operations to improve care delivery and performance. Nikki works with hospitals, academic medical centers, physician practices, and multi-location health systems to implement operational improvements, optimize workflows, and enhance patient access. Her expertise focuses on helping medical groups create sustainable performance improvement solutions that increase efficiency, improve capacity, and strengthen overall quality of care.
Tyler Goetz is a managing director with more than 12 years of experience at Huron delivering healthcare consulting and managed services solutions for hospitals and health systems. He works with executive and operational leaders to improve performance across revenue cycle and enterprise operations, with a focus on scalable, repeatable solutions that support long-term stability. Tyler is recognized for his hands-on approach and commitment to helping clients achieve sustained results through disciplined execution and ongoing support.
Christine Gonzalez is a managing director with over 11 years of experience guiding health systems through operational and strategic initiatives. Christine helps organizations optimize processes, implement strategic solutions, and drive measurable results in patient access and ambulatory operations. She is recognized for her ability to manage complex projects and deliver sustainable impact to clients.
Andrew Gulino is a principal with more than 15 years of experience leading large-scale process improvement initiatives for complex hospitals and health systems. He specializes in revenue cycle transformation, guiding operational redesign, system and process optimization, cash acceleration, consolidation efforts, and enterprise change management. Andrew has led high-impact implementations across academic medical centers, multihospital systems, community hospitals, and large public healthcare organizations, delivering sustainable improvements and significant recurring financial benefits.
Tim Lechene is a managing director with over a decade of experience guiding federal and private sector healthcare organizations to improve revenue cycle and operational performance. He works with healthcare leaders to streamline business operations, implement technology solutions, and optimize financial performance. Tim focuses on delivering sustainable results through process redesign, strategic change management, and workforce optimization.
Jayme Letarte is a principal with more than 14 years of experience helping healthcare organizations transform access and revenue cycle operations to improve patient experience and financial performance. She advises academic medical centers, regional health systems and medical groups, and pediatric hospitals on access model design, operational change management, and electronic medical record implementations. Her work focuses on creating sustainable operating models that strengthen performance, alignment, and long-term results.
Jennifer Malatek is a managing director with more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, including more than a decade in executive roles. She advises acute, post-acute, physician, and community healthcare organizations on organizational alignment, cultural change, and team development to improve patient outcomes and operational performance.
Annie Moran is a managing director with more than 15 years of experience helping healthcare organizations improve revenue cycle performance and operational efficiency. She advises health systems, hospitals, and physician groups on large-scale process improvement, system redesign, and technology implementation to enhance financial performance and patient experience. Her expertise includes accounts receivable management, patient access optimization, and department standardization initiatives that deliver sustainable results for clients.
Michael Saunders is a principal with more than 10 years of experience helping healthcare organizations optimize revenue cycle operations and improve financial and operational performance. He works with hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers to implement process improvements across patient access, billing, collections, and denials management. Michael brings a practical, data-driven approach to his engagements, helping clients strengthen revenue integrity, improve cash flow, and build more efficient, sustainable operations that support long-term financial health.
Hannah Wu is a managing director with more than 12 years of experience helping health systems and healthcare organizations with large-scale revenue improvement and strategic initiatives. She specializes in revenue cycle transformation to improve financial performance, including operating model redesign, technology advancement, operations optimization, and clinical denials improvement. Hannah leads consulting engagements ranging from short-term, targeted projects to multi-year, large-scale initiatives, and has served in interim operations leadership roles.
Innosight, Huron's Strategy & Innovation Business
James Kehoe is a managing director with extensive experience helping healthcare organizations develop innovative strategies and partnerships to drive growth and transformation. He works closely with CEOs and executive teams to support strategic planning, mergers, payor-provider collaborations, and other complex partnerships. James focuses on delivering measurable impact and long-term value through innovative solutions and strategic alignment across the healthcare ecosystem.
Ernie Spence is a managing director with a strong track record of working with senior leaders to transform human and organizational performance in complex, high-risk operating environments. He leads large-scale initiatives in organizational culture, operating model redesign, supply chain optimization, leadership development, and workforce performance improvement. Ernie aligns strategy, governance, and processes to drive measurable, sustainable improvements in performance across energy, industrial, government, and technology industries.
Enterprise
Andrew Barnes is a corporate vice president and strategic finance and operations executive with over 15 years of experience in professional services. As Huron's financial planning & analysis (FP&A) leader, he works with senior leaders to translate complex financial performance into clear, actionable insights that help shape enterprise strategy and board and external stakeholder communication. Andrew has led the development of forecasting, profitability, and operating model frameworks that enhance financial clarity, strengthen decision‑making, and drive business performance.
Jennifer Marshall is a corporate vice president with more than 25 years of finance and operations experience guiding organizations through global growth, acquisitions, integration, and scaling of high-impact solutions. She collaborates with cross-functional teams to streamline operations, optimize performance, and deliver measurable results. Her expertise includes strategic planning, P&L management, performance modeling, change management, and the use of digital tools such as automation and analytics to improve efficiency, financial outcomes, and sustainable growth.
Jess Stabile is a principal with over 17 years of experience driving seller enablement and operational excellence. She specializes in creating clear, actionable collateral, delivering practical coaching, and leveraging AI-driven workflows to improve sales performance and efficiency. Jess collaborates with teams to align strategy, tools, and processes, ensuring measurable impact across enterprise sales initiatives.
ABOUT HURON
Huron is a global professional services firm that collaborates with clients to put possible into practice by creating sound strategies, optimizing operations, accelerating digital transformation, and empowering businesses and their people to own their future. By embracing diverse perspectives, encouraging new ideas and challenging the status quo, we create sustainable results for the organizations we serve. Learn more at www.huronconsultinggroup.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Allie Bovis
abovis@hcg.com