Senior Leadership

Lovelace Health Plan CEO Dennis Wilson has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in health plan management. He came to Lovelace Health Plan from Cigna HealthCare, where he most recently had national responsibilities as president of a market segment representing more than 500,000 commercial members and $1.4 billion in revenues. Before that, he was president and CEO of Partners in Care Corporation in Somerset, N.J., and vice president of northeast sales for Healthnet/Foundation Health Systems in Connecticut.

Kevin Kandalaft is Chief Operating Officer of Lovelace Health Plan. Kevin has worked in managed care in New Mexico since 2000. He has served as chief operating officer, managed care officer, and vice president of Network Operations for Lovelace Health Plan. Before coming to New Mexico, Kevin held health-plan management positions in California and Connecticut. He has an MBA and a Bachelor’s in Economics from University of California, Irvine.

Frank Ulibarri is Chief Financial Officer for Lovelace Health Plan. Prior to joining Lovelace Health Plan he was Chief Financial Officer for the Gulf States Region for UnitedHealthcare, Inc., and held Director of Underwriting positions for several large insurance companies including Humana in Puerto Rico and New Orleans and QualChoice Health Plan in Ohio. Frank is a graduate of the University of Utah.

Marlene Baca is Chief Sales and Service Officer for the Lovelace Health Plan. Marlene has 19 years' experience in the health-care industry, the last nine years as a senior administrator with responsibilities including sales, marketing, product implementation and program oversight. She has been with Lovelace Health Plan since 1988, most recently serving as vice president of Public Programs, director of Senior Services and as a sales manager.

As Vice President of Legal Operations, Karen Francolini is in charge of Legal Affairs, Compliance and Program Management for Lovelace Health Plan. Karen has an extensive health-care background, including broad experience in health-care law and regulation, insurance, managed care, and health-care delivery-system operations. Prior to joining Lovelace, Karen was vice president for Hospital/Health Plan Operations at the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Kaiser Foundation Hospitals in Oakland, California. Karen has also served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief Counsel for Lovelace Sandia Health System and Lovelace Health Systems.

Carole Henry is Assistant Vice President for underwriting for Lovelace Health Plan. A professional with more than 20 years of experience, Carole comes to LHP from Presbyterian Health Plan where she served as executive director of underwriting. Before coming to New Mexico, Carole served as Director of Pricing and Underwriting for the Ohio Region of Kaiser Permanente and as Director of Underwriting for the Cobalt Corporation, currently a Wellpoint/Anthem organization. She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University.

Dr. Jeannette Velarde is Medical Director for the Lovelace Health Plan. A pediatrician by specialty, Dr. Velarde has been a clinical professor of pediatrics at the UNM School of Medicine, medical director of the Gibson Pediatric Ward and Lovelace Gibson Pediatrics Clinic, and associate medical director of the Lovelace Health Plan. Dr. Velarde earned her medical degree from the UNM School of Medicine and did her residency at Children’s Medical Center, Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. She currently serves on the Board of the New Mexico Telehealth Alliance and has been at Lovelace Health Plan since 2000.

Patricia Harris is Lovelace Health Plan’s Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining Lovelace Health Plan, Patricia was Director of Human Resources for Santa Ana Star Casino, Human Resources Manager for the Pueblo of Santa Ana, and all while a small-business owner. She has a BBA in Human Resources Management and Accounting from the University of New Mexico. She is a wife of 13 years, and a mother of two. She enjoys many outdoor activities including horseback riding and camping. She is a native New Mexican.

Ann Greenberg is Associate Vice President, Programs and Compliance Officer for the Lovelace Health Plan. Ann also serves as the organization's HIPAA Privacy Officer. She is responsible for administering LHP's and LINC's insurance programs in all lines of business and is an expert in interpreting and implementing state and federal regulations. Ann has been with Lovelace Health System since 2001. She has a Master's degree in statistics and a Bachelor's in psychology from the University of New Mexico. Ann is a certified compliance professional in HIPAA and Healthcare Fraud and Compliance, as well as a graduate of The George Washington University, Healthcare Corporate Compliance program.

Linda Hubbard is Director of Quality and Disease Management for Lovelace Health Plan. A registered nurse, Linda has worked in quality management and quality assurance since 1990 in both the St. Joseph and Lovelace systems. She has worked as staff nurse, surgical nurse and operating room manager and is active with Quality New Mexico and the National Baldrige Quality Program.