Leo Garcia was placed as the chief technology information officer for Nebraska Health Information Initiative (NeHII) in La Vista, Nebraska, a 501(c)3 non-profit health information exchange organization that joins healthcare providers, payers, and the State of Nebraska. Designated as the statewide integrator by the governor, NeHII works with the eHealth Council and the state HIT coordinator to facilitate Health Information Exchange initiatives throughout the state in order to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. During the course of its existence, NeHII has connected more than 3.5 million patients, providers, and institutions; connected 70% of acute care in Nebraska; and provisioned access and provided training to over 10,000 clinicians. NeHII is certified as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry and as a Qualified Entity, and is the first HIE in the nation to pursue NCQA certification and achieve HEDIS measure certification. In his role, Leo will serve as the senior executive responsible for overseeing Information Technology and Systems people, processes, and technologies in support of the organization’s unique objectives and goals. The CTIO is NeHII’s key leadership role in the critical strategic, technical, and management initiatives – from information security to customer experience and leveraging data – that mitigate threats and drive business growth. As a member of the senior executive team, the CTIO participates in the prioritization and coordination of IT/IS investments to enable corporate growth, and drives IT/IS initiatives and development in coordination with NeHII’s strategic plan.
Leo comes to NeHII from Health Catalyst in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations. There, he served as director of technology, supporting clients through digital data transformations to support their visions and objectives. Previously, Leo served as senior business intelligence manager with Melaleuca in Idaho Falls, elevating the business intelligence, data warehouse, and compensation teams to the next level by implementing standard operating procedures that increased the proficiency and quality of the work that was delivered to customers. He has also served in positions of increasing responsibility with eBay relative to NPS development, product management, and business reporting; in product management roles with Zions Bancorp; and as a business analyst with Farm Bureau Financial Services.
Leo holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems from Brigham Young University and an MBA with an emphasis in technology management from Westminster College, and is a Certified Business Analyst through ESI and The George Washington University. Outside of work, he enjoys fishing, golfing, and playing racquetball. He and his wife are the parents of three grown daughters and a young son.
Quick Leonard Kieffer’s Derek Castaneda led the search to recruit Leo to NeHII.
