Yuvo Health exists to support community health centers
Our mission is to ensure every community health center can provide compassionate care to their entire community. Meet our team and the business united behind our shared mission.
Promise
We promise to stand alongside health centers as they extend their reach across their community, while continuing to deliver the highest quality of care. With Yuvo Health, health centers can leverage a dedicated team, access to revenue, and valuable partnerships for a meaningful seat at the table within the value-based care ecosystem.
Our CEO's commitment
Values
Yuvo Health’s values reflect our team’s commitment to health centers and their patients, as well as to the work we put in, together, every day. Everything we do reflects these values.
Perseverance
We approach our work with undaunted dedication and determination to bring about the generational change in health equity that we seek.
Improvement
We continuously recommit to the actions and mindset that will fully realize our mission.
Compassion
We uplift teammates and health centers we partner with by treating them with dignity and respect at every interaction.
Solidarity
We work in partnership with each other by recognizing our shared intentions to better serve our communities.
Self determination
We own our part in making tomorrow better for underserved communities, however challenging it may feel sometimes.
I am so proud to be part of Yuvo, working alongside teammates to uplift and amplify FQHCs' impact. We have an incredible opportunity to not only support these critical safety net providers in becoming more financially sustainable, but also partner with them to improve dignified care for everyone who walks through their doors.
Investors
Our history
2021
First meeting with the founding team
Our 100% BIPOC founding team, inspired by their first-hand experiences as FQHC patients or Medicaid beneficiaries, kicked off their work helping health centers scale their quality care.
2022
Seed raise and entry into first market
We raised a $7.3 million seed round that enabled us to enter Downstate New York and expand our team into quality analytics, care coordination, and risk adjustment.
First company in-person offsite
Our fully remote team of 13 met in person in New York for our first offsite — now a regular tradition. We shared our respective journeys and aspirations for Yuvo Health, and sketched out our initial three-year plan.
Codified mission and company values
After deeply discussing our company values at the offsite, the team outlined and then formalized our shared vision, mission, and values — documenting our North Star that connects us back to our “why.”
Series A raise
In June of 2023, we raised an oversubscribed $20.2 million in Series A funding, empowering expansion from New York to Ohio and beyond.
2023
Reached 150,000 patients through our community health center partners
After partnering with several new community health centers, our collective of health centers grew to reach more than 150,000 patients.
Brought on The Darkest Horse
As a commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, we partnered with The Darkest Horse to guide our team through a process of equity-centered experiences.
Team
Carmelo Cruz Reyes, MPH
Market President (Emerging Markets) and Co-Founder
Carmelo Cruz Reyes is Market President and co-founder at Yuvo Health, an industry-leading healthcare organization that partners with community health centers to help them gain an advantage in value-based care. His career spans 20 years managing health and human services initiatives at organizations such as Public Health Solutions, Healthify, and EmblemHealth, where he led value-based contracting efforts for New York State’s FQHCs. Dedicated to serving the most vulnerable and disenfranchised, Carmelo has served as a mayoral appointee to the HIV Health & Human Services Planning Council of New York, a consultant at La Nueva Esperanza, which provides community-based services to Brooklynites living with HIV/AIDS, and Board member for the Ryan Chelsea-Clinton Community Health Center. He holds an MPH from CUNY Graduate School of Public Health, as well as a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Cesar Herrera
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
With a career in healthcare spanning nearly 20 years, Cesar Herrera is an experienced business leader in leading the convergence between the healthcare, consumer, and technology industries, his background spans business development, marketing, management consulting, client services, operations leadership, and finance. Before Yuvo Health, Cesar was Chief Solutions Officer at Healthify, which provides access to networks of social-service organizations, as well as Head of Existing Business for Zocdoc, a platform that allows patients to book appointments for medical care. Cesar holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a BA from University of Michigan.
Ishaan Jalan
Chief Growth Officer
Ishaan Jalan serves as Chief Growth Officerat Yuvo Health. He has 8 years of prior experience in healthcare delivery, investment, strategy, and public health across DaVita, McKinsey & Co, Arch Venture Partners and Swasth Health Alliance. He is passionate about identifying innovative opportunities for better and more equitable healthcare access and delivery. Ishaan holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, an MS in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a BS with distinction in Molecular Biology from Duke University. Originally from Mumbai, Ishaan now lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife.
Janel Sia
Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder
Dedicating her career to building nonprofit organizations in public and community health, Janel previously served as Director of Network Strategy & Development at Healthify, which provides access to networks of social-service organizations, as well as built partnerships at the International Rescue Committee’s Global Philanthropy and Partnerships unit. Janel earned a BA in psychology from Columbia University, where she also served as a Research Assistant in psychiatric epidemiology, focusing on culture, stigma, and mental illness among the Chinese immigrant population and other demographics.
Jorge Stevenson
Chief Financial Officer
Prior to joining Yuvo Health, Jorge Stevenson was the VP & Head of Strategic Finance at Bestow, a leading end-to-end digital infrastructure startup that powers the life insurance industry. He is also an Adjunct Professor for graduate students at New York University, teaching finance for marketing decisions and competitive strategy. Stevenson is a multilingual professional with over fifteen years of experience in finance, strategy, M&A and business development in the financial and tech industries. He has served as a board member/advisor in multiple organizations. He earned his MBA (with honors) from Duke University, received a certificate in disruptive strategy from Harvard Business School, and earned the bachelor’s in business administration and economics (with honors) from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Selase Dow
Chief Operating Officer
Selase Dow currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Yuvo Health. With a career spanning over 20 years in the managed healthcare industry, he most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Innovista Health Solutions where he established a strong company-wide operational infrastructure to support government and commercial population health programs. His responsibilities included building and leading physician networks in navigating transitions in healthcare delivery, value-based contracts, and strategic alignment to drive up success. Prior to joining Yuvo, Selase also held various leadership roles at Anthem (Elevance) and Universal American’s TexanPlus (WellCare), growing Medicare Advantage and dual population plans by supporting primary care physicians and their patients to thrive in value-based and risk-based payment models. Selase holds an MS degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Maryland, as well as a BS in International Business Administration and Economics from Drake University.
Stephanie Hudson, JD
General Counsel and Co-Founder
With a career spanning nearly two decades, Stephanie is a health law attorney and an adjunct professor at American University. Prior to Yuvo Health, Stephanie worked at boutique health-law firms, served as in-house counsel for small and large health systems, and acted as counsel to various healthcare startups. Stephanie received her JD, as well as her Master of Laws in Health Law from Saint Louis University School of Law. She also holds an MA in International Business from Webster University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Sujata Bajaj
Chief Technology Officer
Su Bajaj, a seasoned executive in value-based healthcare, is the current Chief Technology Officer at Yuvo Health. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated leadership in steering technology solutions for MA and Medicaid health plans, ACOs, Provider Groups, and patients. At Episource LLC, she headed the development of a successful SaaS platform and a team to support it, driving significant growth. Her acumen in incorporating public healthcare policy into product features proved crucial at multiple organizations, including Family Health Network (a Medicaid Plan). She is a supporter of women-led start-ups. She lives in Houston, TX with her husband and three sons.
Interested in joining the team?
We’re always looking for excited and ambitious people to help change the way care is provided in all communities. If you’re passionate too get in touch!
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