West Health announced the hiring of veteran Capitol Hill Leadership staffers with decades of experience in health policy and legislation to identify and drive policy solutions to lower the cost of health care. West Health has also successfully recruited a Washington industry veteran in the stakeholder health care policy arena. Joining Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Rodger Currie, these three will serve as Senior Directors of Government Affairs for the collective West Health initiative and its organization, the West Health Institute. Dayle Cristinzio joins West Health with more than ten years of experience working for House and Senate Democratic Leadership, having served for six years as Legislative Director for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Previously, she worked for two years as Director of Appropriations for Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). Judith Gheuens, J.D., joins West Health from the office of U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), the Senate Minority Whip and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, where she has served as his key Health Counsel. Valerie Volpe joins the team with more than 22 years of experience engaging and collaborating with stakeholders in support of policy and business goals. She was most recently with Merck & Co. where she worked as Director of Stakeholder Engagement partnering with patient groups and other important voices across the spectrum of health care delivery.

The West Wireless Health Institute changed its name to West Health Institute.

Gary and Mary West announced that Nicholas J. Valeriani has been named chief executive of the collective West Health effort and CEO of the West Health Institute. Valeriani will chair the executive committee of the West Health initiative, directing West Health's efforts to lower health care costs through innovative, cost-effective technologies and solutions in four crucial areas: innovative medical research, policy, investment and entrepreneurship. Valeriani established himself as a visionary health care leader over a 34-year career with Johnson & Johnson where he led several corporate functions and was a member of the corporation's Executive Committee as Corporate Vice President of Human Resources; Worldwide Chairman of Medical Devices & Diagnostics; and as Vice President of the Office of Strategy & Growth. Valeriani brings a unique blend of expertise in engineering, operations, medical devices and diagnostics, entrepreneurship, and non-profit leadership that make him uniquely qualified to lead West Health.