The West Virginia Department of Health (DH) today announced the formation of the HealthTech Appalachia Investment Advisory Panel, a critical enabling component of the state’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and its HealthTech Appalachia pillar, part of Governor Morrisey’s broader effort to improve healthcare outcomes and strengthen West Virginia’s workforce.
“HealthTech Appalachia is designed to position West Virginia as a national leader in rural health innovation while driving measurable improvements in health outcomes and economic opportunity,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh. “This Investment Advisory Panel brings informed, multidisciplinary perspective to help the Department assess emerging technologies, market readiness, and strategic alignment. Their role is advisory only, but their insight will help validate that public investment is disciplined, outcomes-driven, and aligned with the long-term vision for rural communities.”
The HealthTech Appalachia Investment Advisory Panel will serve in an advisory-only capacity to support the identification, evaluation, and advancement of innovative health technologies with the potential to improve rural health outcomes across West Virginia.
HealthTech Appalachia is one of the RHTP’s seven integrated pillars and is focused on accelerating, piloting, and scaling technology-enabled solutions that address priority rural health challenges, including chronic disease management, behavioral health, access to care, and workforce productivity. The Investment Advisory Panel will help enable this pillar by confirming that funded solutions are responsive to real-world rural needs, commercially viable, and aligned with CMS-approved RHTP objectives. The effort is intended to improve access to care while helping more West Virginians stay healthy and active in the workforce.
The Investment Advisory Panel will support the Department through the following core activities:
- Identifying emerging innovations, tools, and models relevant to improving rural health outcomes
- Providing input on market dynamics and what is needed for vendors to succeed and meet market needs
- Providing feedback on potential vendor capabilities, proposed solutions, and alignment with RHTP strategy
The panel’s work will support a structured, transparent, and data-informed approach to advancing health technology investments, while maintaining strict separation between advisory input and final state decision-making authority.
The HealthTech Appalachia Investment Advisory Panel reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the initiative, bringing together expertise across health care delivery, technology, innovation, finance, workforce, and economic development.
The appointed members include:
- Dr. Carrie Jeffries, Director, WV Department of Health – RHTP
- Dr. Soumya Prasad, Deputy Director, WV Department of Health – RHTP
- Jaren Painter, HealthTech Appalachia Program Manager, WV Department of Health – RHTP (starting June 15)
- Andrew Neely, Chief Information Officer, WV Office of Shared Administration
- Doug Wagoner, Chairman of the Board, LMI
- Jonathan Board, Executive Director, West Virginia First Foundation
- Yacov Crawford, Strategic Innovation and Capital Partnerships Lead, LG Nova
- Erica Steratore, Vice President, WVU Innovation Corporation
- Tadd Haynes, President, Wellpoint West Virginia
- Kevin Fowler, Growth Consultant, Boone Memorial Hospital
- Bill McKenna, Chief Growth Officer, Trilogy Innovations
As HealthTech Appalachia advances, the Investment Advisory Panel will provide ongoing insight as DH releases targeted solicitations, evaluates technology readiness and scalability, and aligns investments with measurable health and economic outcomes approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The panel’s work will help guide investments focused on improving healthcare outcomes and strengthening rural communities across West Virginia. The formation of the HealthTech Appalachia Investment Advisory Panel marks another milestone in the state’s implementation of the RHTP.
This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72 with 100% funded by CMS HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HS, or the U.S. Government.
