Menu
We know health care inside and out. We are Clinicians. Strategists. Health service researchers. Care designers. Administrators. We know that running a healthcare system is complex, dynamic and difficult. With decades of experience achieving top results in healthcare settings around the world, we understand how overloaded systems can stifle innovation.
Elizabeth Kvale, MD, MSPH is a national leader in palliative, supportive, and survivorship care. Dr. Kvale worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for 15 years developing patient-centered approaches to palliative care delivery. While there, she developed an HCIA award-winning supportive care program and collaborated on projects to improve palliative care training and delivery in the VA Health System. She was the innovator behind the Patient-Care-Connect program at UAB, a 15-million-dollar CMMI implementation of lay health navigators for Medicare recipients with cancer across the Deep South. Dr. Kvale has received funding from the VA, CMMI, HRSA, NIH, and the American Cancer Society for health services research focused on enhancing access to supportive and palliative care for populations including those historically impacted by health disparities.
Robin N. Richardson is a dynamic leader in care delivery transformation and accomplished healthcare strategist with over 15 years of industry experience. As Chief Strategy Officer of Polaris Global Health Solutions, LLC, Robin is responsible for driving a strategic vision of care transformation tailored to meet the needs of communities around the world. With a background in health policy and advocacy working for three different state governments and in Washington, DC, Robin has a proven track record of successfully redesigning and implementing healthcare programs that improve outcomes and increase access to care. Her work has included designing new models of care for children and youth with disabilities, redesigning nursing facility payment methodologies to improve care and contain costs, and developing a new patient-centered model of integrated cancer care.
Her expertise in global health and community engagement has been instrumental in identifying community needs and developing creative solutions that address the unique challenges faced by historically underserved populations. Her expertise in developing high-value care models has helped drive meaningful change in the industry. With a strong background in designing, analyzing, advocating for, and implementing legislative and regulatory initiatives at all levels of government, Robin is a driving force behind efforts to improve healthcare access and outcomes for all. Robin earned a MA in International Human Rights with a focus on global health from the University of Denver. She currently serves on the boards of the National Organization for Arts in Health and the Moving Beyond Cancer Collaborative.
With over 15 years of experience in the health care industry, Rebekkah has established herself as a thought leader and change agent in health care transformation and person-centered care with a passion for improving both patient outcomes and provider experience. She has a deep understanding of the complex challenges facing health care today and is adept at developing strategies that drive transformational change. As the Chief Innovation Officer for Polaris Global Health Solutions, she partners with multilateral organizations, academic medical centers, health systems, governments, NGOs, medtech, pharma companies, and payers to support their transition towards relationship-centered care delivery.
Her commitment to human-centered design has enabled her to create innovative solutions that help health systems and organizations to optimize their operations and achieve greater efficiencies and impact. Rebekkah has an extensive background in oncology and chronic disease management; psychosocial health; process improvement; program design, implementation, and evaluation; advocacy; community-based participatory research; and strategic communication. Through disciplined leadership, consulting, and coaching, she guides organizations through change management for greater team resiliency in an industry that is shifting towards value-based care in an evolving reimbursement environment. Rebekkah is known for her collaborative approach to authentic leadership, her ability to inspire and motivate teams, and a commitment to achieving results.
Over the course of her career, she has collaborated with numerous impactful organizations including: UNDP, Jhpiego, the Value Institute for Health and Care, LIVESTRONG, NIKE, Partners In Health, Shell, Gilead, Canopy Cancer Collective, Union for International Cancer Control, American Cancer Society, Cancer Alliance of Texas, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and dozens of others. Her work has spanned across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Rebekkah also serves as the Chair Elect for the Cancer Alliance of Texas. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her partner and two young sons. During her spare time, she teaches a Tibetan-Buddhist lineage of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Rebecca leverages over 15 years of experience across healthcare, non-profit, and sales sectors to deliver innovative solutions for a diverse clientele. Her background, enriched by her El Paso, TX roots, fosters a deep understanding of multicultural community needs. This cultural sensitivity informs her approach to ensuring she develops solutions that are inclusive and effective for all stakeholders.
A personal experience with cancer ignited a passion for patient advocacy, leading her to establish the first global scalp cooling support network for patients and families. Rebecca’s expertise extends to healthcare policy, having spearheaded successful advocacy efforts partnered with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) that resulted in legislative change to improve access to care in Texas. She served as Co-chair of the Provider and Healthcare Systems Workgroup for the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women, collaborating with leading experts to develop strategies for a more responsive healthcare system.
Rebecca’s consulting experience encompasses medtech application user experience, non-profit branding initiatives, patient program design, and network engagement strategies. Her passion for healthcare extends beyond consulting. She is an alumna of the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Institute has inspired future generations as a keynote speaker for the Livestrong at School program, empowered patients through a featured campaign with the American Cancer Society, and shared her expertise on health panels at Cedar Sinai’s Undergraduates Gaining Research Opportunities For the Cancer Workforce (U-GROW) program and the Redefining Health Care Summit. Her dedication to social good was further recognized with a Community Service award from South by Southwest (SXSW).
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
