Our Team

David Ott, Principal

David Ott’s more than 20 years of executive level leadership in the health insurance and managed care industries includes a track record of extraordinary success in business development and organizational change management, including mergers/acquisitions and new business entity creation.  David served as in senior executive positions for several large health care organizations, most recently as Senior Vice President of Business Development for WellPoint Health Networks, Inc., the largest health insurance company in the U.S. While CEO for HealthLink, Inc., the Midwest’s largest provider network, he spearheaded a successful merger of HealthLink with RIGHTCHOICE Managed Care, Inc., a Blue Cross Blue Shield subsidiary, and also created HealthLink CompManagement, a certified workers’ compensation managed care organization serving more than 2 million regional workers.  David’s extensive corporate strategy experience has resulted in unparalleled growth in revenue and profitability. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.

Bruce Gosser, Principal

Bruce Gosser’s extensive experience in health care and health care management spans over 35 years and includes health insurance, self-funded plans, provider networks, and marketing. Bruce led the development of a state-wide, physician sponsored health plan in Kansas and as VP Managed Care and Administrator, Christian Hospital NW for BJC Healthcare. His executive leadership responsibility also includes several start-up company ventures, including his health care consulting firm, Gosser Group LLC. Bruce served as general manager of HealthLink, a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc., and led the integration of two provider networks into the HealthLink program. He holds a Master of Health Administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine, a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Wake Forest University, a Master of Divinity from Phillips University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Truman State University (formerly NE Missouri State College)

Donald E. Lighter, MD, MBA, FAAP, FACHE

Dr. Donald E. Lighter has wide experience in the provider and payer segments of the health care industry.  A practicing pediatrician for 25 years, Dr. Lighter led and operated both private and academic child health practices, as well as working in pediatric emergency departments, hospital-based after-hours clinics, and as a hospitalist.  From 2001 – 2008, Dr. Lighter served as the Chief Quality Officer for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a 22 hospital system, where he worked in the areas of medical staff performance and compensation, leadership training, and medical affairs strategic planning.   His managed care experience spans nearly 30 years and includes serving as Vice President for Quality and Clinical Policy at WellCare, Inc., a Medicare/Medicaid HMO headquartered in Tampa.  He has also worked as a Medical Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee Health Plan, and Heritage Health Plan. Over the course of his career, Dr. Lighter has also led the formation of two IPAs and three HMOs.

Kezia D. Lilly, MSN, MBA, Clinical Operations

Kezia D. Lilly brings more than thirteen years of clinical nursing, quality management, and managed care experience in health care which includes pre-certification, case management, physician and facility auditing, quality improvement, data analysis, presentations, project management, quality reviews and appeals, claims repricing, and contracting of national providers and facilities.  She has directed medical management projects for a national employer-directed managed care company, a provider sponsored health plan, and two large hospital systems, St. John’s Mercy Health System and Cox Health System.  Kezia’s experience also includes applications experience and business requirements writing for multiple Electronic Health Record programs.

Courtney Walter, CPA, Finance

Courtney is a CPA with nine years of public accounting experience for Ernst & Young and over 20 years of health care industry experience.  He has served in various managed care financial roles for MetLife HealthCare, WellPoint, and Coventry and held the position of CFO for HealthLink for ten years where he was also responsible for strategic planning, payor relations, marketing, IT, and medical economics.

Robin Theiss, Operations and Communications

Robin Theiss worked for 22 years in the health insurance industry, beginning with technical positions in claims and automation for General American Life Insurance Company where she managed database operations of the company’s many fee schedules and policy masters nationwide and also held positions in compliance, and field training and auditing of the company’s satellite offices and third party administrators across the U.S. and Canada. She was instrumental in the start-up of Sanus Health Plan where she set up operations and served as Manager of Claims, Customer Service, and Management Information Systems.  As Director of Operations for MetLife, she directed operations for five regional service centers (St. Louis, Louisville, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Kansas City) and led the centralized Customer Service and Information Systems departments. For 11 years, Robin worked for HealthLink, Inc. holding the positions of Director of Operations, Vice President of Operations, Chief Operating Officer, and Senior Vice President of Strategic Affairs.  In addition to her health care career, she is a writer, editor, bookseller, and nonprofit literary arts leader. Currently, she holds the position of Senior Editor for Boulevard magazine, a literary publication of St. Louis University, and has served in past positions as President of St. Louis Writers Guild, Secretary of the Board of Missouri Writers Guild, and Secretary of the Board of Missouri Center for the Book. Robin also owns an independent bookstore in St. Louis, StLBooks.