Avarion Advisors
Meet Our Advisors
At Avarion, our Advisory Team is composed of seasoned healthcare executives, clinicians, and strategists with firsthand experience across the industry. With deep understanding of operational, financial, and technological complexities, we partner with organizations to navigate change with confidence. United by a shared commitment to elevate performance and deliver lasting value, our advisors provide the insight, leadership, and collaboration needed to drive transformation across healthcare.
William A. Spooner, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO has nearly 40 years of healthcare experience. Prior to joining The Advisors, Bill served 18 years as CIO of San Diego‐based Sharp Healthcare. He now serves as advisor to Healthcare systems and vendor firms on strategy, innovation, and performance improvement.
During his time at Sharp, Bill led an aggressive IT effort that placed Sharp on the Hospitals and Health Networks Most Wired list for 14 of its first 16 years. Numerous IT advances in both the business and patient care arenas supported Sharp’s development as the leading San Diego integrated delivery network in a highly competitive managed care environment. IT was cited for its contributions to Sharp’s 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Sharp placed high on numerous “best places to work” rankings, including #6 and #7 on Computerworld’s 2013 and 2014, respectively, Best Places to Work in IT rankings.
Recipient of the 2009 John E. Gall Jr. CIO of the Year award, Bill is a member the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives which he served as Chair in 2006. In 2013, he received CHIME’s inaugural Public Policy Award and the CHIME Legacy Award in2018. In 2011 he was named by Information Week as one of the 25 leaders driving the healthcare I.T. revolution. He serves on the Board of the Tennessee HIMSS chapter, as well as and the Board IT Strategy Committee of Ballad Health. He previously served on the Board Organizational Risk and Corporate Responsibility Committee of Advent Health, the Boards of the Blue Ridge Medical Management Corporation, National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC), Digital Pathology Association, San Diego‐based Community Clinics Health Network and San Diego HealthConnect regional HIE, as well as the Healthcare IT News Editorial Board. He is a past member of the Healthcare Information Systems Executive Association and Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Bill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from California State University, Chico.
Jon P. Burns is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 48 years of experience leading complex health systems through strategic, financial, and operational transformation. His career has spanned several nationally recognized organizations, where he has driven innovation, integration, and measurable performance improvement across clinical and administrative functions.
Jon began his career at Geisinger Health System, holding multiple financial management roles before advancing to senior leadership positions at the University of North Carolina Hospitals. His leadership at UNC led to record-setting improvements in cost savings and operational efficiency, and he served as a Faculty Associate for the School of Public Health and Department of Health Policy and Administration. He later held executive roles at Western Reserve Care System and the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as Senior Executive and Operations Officer for Information Technology and Chief Technology Officer for eCleveland Clinic.
Most recently, Jon served as Senior Vice President of Operations, Chief Administrative Officer, and President of UM Medical Solutions for the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). As UMMS’s first System Chief Information Officer, he unified IT operations and led enterprise-wide EMR integration across the medical system and School of Medicine. He also co-founded iHarbor, the system’s Center for Innovation, developed the UM Staffing Center, and oversaw the creation of a 400,000-square-foot Logistics Operations Center. Recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as one of the nation’s top CIOs, Jon continues to serve as a trusted advisor and thought leader in healthcare innovation, operations, and technology.
Dr. Raj Grover is an experienced physician executive with over 20 years of leadership in healthcare operations, clinical transformation, and electronic medical record (EMR) strategy. He has an exceptional track record of helping healthcare organizations achieve measurable improvements in performance, efficiency, and patient outcomes. His expertise spans executive leadership, interim management, and advisory roles across hospitals, academic medical centers, and multi-specialty physician groups.
As Founder and Managing Director of Operations Improvement and Clinical Transformation Services, Dr. Grover has partnered with leading healthcare systems nationwide to implement enterprise-wide EMR platforms, optimize workflows, and align clinical, financial, and operational performance. His work has identified more than $250 million in cost savings while driving meaningful improvements in compliance, quality, and physician engagement.
A trusted advisor to both executives and clinicians, Dr. Grover brings a deep understanding of how to bridge clinical practice with organizational strategy. He holds master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from North Maharashtra University in India.
Bill L. Montgomery, FHIMSS/FCHIME, has more than 30 years of experience in large integrated delivery systems, academic medical centers and healthcare corporations.
Prior to joining The Advisors, Bill served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Hospital Sisters Health System. Over his career, Bill served as CIO for Fletcher-Allen Health Care (now The University of Vermont Health System), the University of Florida Health Science Center, the New England Medical Center, Albany Medical Center, Shands Healthcare, as well as numerous physician practice groups. As Vice President for the communications corporation Sprint Nextel, Bill built the organization’s healthcare division and was responsible for all strategic planning, product development and market development.
Bill has served as a Board Member of the Healthcare Information Management & Systems Society (HIMSS), as a Trustee for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and as a member of the Healthcare Information System Executive Association.
Bill holds a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from Syracuse University and a Masters Degree in Health Systems Management from Union College of Schenectady, New York.
Ed Kopetsky is currently Chief Information Officer at Stanford Children’s Health. He is responsible for the strategic direction for information technology and biomedical systems. He recently led modernization of all major enterprise systems, notably full continuum patient care systems and advanced analytics. Ed is a member of the executive team for the organization, and has been the lead on multiple strategic initiatives outside IS including sponsorship for the implementation of Lean across the organization, and the development and implementation of an enterprise portfolio management system.
Ed has an extensive background in integrated healthcare organizations, information technology strategy and change management, process and cost improvement, and healthcare consulting. Prior to joining Stanford Children’s Health, Ed was a Partner at IBM Global Business Services, and Executive Vice President with Healthlink, a consulting firm that specialized in healthcare IT and process improvement. He also previously served as Senior Vice President and CIO for Centura Health and Sharp Healthcare.
Prior to joining Next Wave Health Advisors, Ed contributed to numerous professional organizations. He served as Board Chair for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the Microsoft Healthcare Users Group. He is currently the Advisory Board Chair for the Industrial and Systems Engineering Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ed also serves on multiple advisory boards for healthcare technology companies, and is member of the Health Information Systems Executive Association (HISEA).
Ed was the recipient of the first Annual Leadership Award, Sharp HealthCare. He has also published articles in professional journals and national healthcare publications.
Ed earned an MS Degree in Industrial Engineering – Health Systems from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Frank Clark, PhD is a highly energetic, business savvy, service focused, and innovative leader with a proven record of thirty years of accomplishments in large complex healthcare organizations (academic medical centers and community-based healthcare providers/payers). He has served most recently as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer for the Hospital Authority, Medical Center, and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
During his time at MUSC, Frank completed implementation of both the Epic Enterprise EHR and Revenue Cycle systems. This included both inpatient and ambulatory applications. The successful completion of this implementation allowed MUSC to achieve Stage 6 of the HIMSS EMR Adoption Model in 2010. Frank’s ongoing focus on quality and patient involvement lead the the award by Hospitals & Health Networks of their “Most Wired ” status in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Most Wired Survey. Additionally, under Frank’s leadership, MUSC Hospitals were recognized in 2012 by US News and World report as 0ne of 118 most connected hospital systems in the US. These 118 hospitals met twin standards of solid medicine and early adoption of information technology to achieve this award.
Frank is a charter member of CHIME and long term HIMSS and HISEA participant. Frank is also heavily involved in regional and national forums including board service, committee membership, speaking, publications, and industry-wide collaboration.
Frank Clark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics as well as a Master of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Georgia. Frank earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics/Applied Computational Analysis from the University of Georgia.
Greg Walton has spent his entire career in health information technology. His specialty focuses on emerging health care strategies and technologies, with a special emphasis on population and telehealth, and technologies for the aging. Additionally, he works with venture and accelerator organizations in support of healthcare IT start-ups. For the last nine years he served with El Camino Hospital in Mountain View California as its Chief Information Officer.
During his service at El Camino he led efforts to insource the Information Service Division, open a new data center and a two-hospital campus with state-of-the-art solutions. He is a dynamic leader directing teams producing award-winning results with operational and single-project budgets between $45 million and $135 million. Greg is an accomplished CIO with Epic, Siemens, and Allscripts. He most recently led a successful Epic implementation at El Camino transforming their technology and changing from best-of-breed to a single EMR solution.
Greg’s career includes working for an international healthcare software company, a “Big 6” consulting partnership, a university medical center, a health sector professional association and as CIO for one of America’s top east coast integrated delivery systems.
Over his career, Greg has been a HIMSS member and has served as the Board Chair. He was recognized in 2004 with the HIMSS Healthcare Leadership award, and named in 2005 by HIMSS and CHIME as CIO of the Year. Greg is presently the President of the Board for Pathways Home Health & Hospice, the second largest home health in Northern California. He also serves on the Board of Momentum for Mental Health, the largest behavioral health provider in the greater San Jose area. Most recently Greg was recognized as the Silicon Valley 2016 CIO Community Champion CIO.
Paula Anthony-McMann, FACHE, has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare information technology space. She began her career working for a decision support systems vendor, spent 10 years with EY’s healthcare technology consulting practice, and for the past 23 years, served as the Vice President and CIO for East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) Regional Health System, a $2 billion integrated healthcare delivery system in Texas. While CIO, she oversaw M&A activities for numerous hospital and physician practice acquisitions and divestitures. She also managed the implementation of Cerner’s EHR in 15 hospitals within 24 months, receiving over $62 million in Meaningful Use incentive funds.
In addition to her CIO role, Paula served as the enterprise’s Privacy Officer and Security Officer, and she served as the President for two of its for-profit operating subsidiaries: a $50 million reference lab serving over 2,000 clients in three states and a third-party administration company serving over 50,000 member lives.
Paula has a BA from Wesleyan University, an MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, and a Ph.D. in organizational/human resource development from The University of Texas at Tyler’s College of Business and Technology.
Paula is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives, serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Hospital Association Foundation, and, in 2017, was appointed to the Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors by Governor Greg Abbott. She has also been an active member in both CHIME and HIMSS. Paula is a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Texas at Tyler’s College of Business and Technology, teaching in both its MBA and doctoral programs.
Skip Hubbard, CHCIO, FCHIME, is a highly accomplished leader in healthcare information with more than 38 years of combined experience in information services, and has worked in all healthcare environments.
Prior to joining The Advisors, Skip served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Bon Secours Health System, Inc. (BSHSI) and as Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. As CIO of BSHSI and Mercy in St Louis, Skip led both multi-state systems in consolidating their IT departments and implementing EMR systems. During Skip’s Tenure, BSHSI received the “Most Wired” award for multiple years, earned the HIMSS EMRAM Stage-7 award for hospitals, and the Ambulatory EMRAM stage-7 for BSHSI Virginia practices. He has served as vice president of operations for MRI/ACS consulting, and held management positions with Tenet Healthcare Corporation (formerly National Medical Enterprises), Kaiser Permanente, and Anaheim Memorial Medical Center. Skip also held information services positions with Avery-Denison and the United States Marine Corps.
Skip is a fellow and lifetime member, former chairman of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), and is a Certified Healthcare Chief Information Officer (CHCIO). He is an active member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a past member of the Joint Healthcare Information Technology Alliance (JHITA) and has also served on the board for the Computerized Patient Record Institute (CPRI).
Skip serves on several boards, including hospital, long term care, homecare and an insurance company. Skip received bachelor’s and masters degrees in business administration from the University of La Verne in La Verne, California.