Alex Yarijanian

Core Values and Vision

Throughout his career, Alex has championed innovation, equity, collaboration, impact, excellence, compassion, and sustainability, with a consistent focus on improving healthcare systems and outcomes for diverse populations.

Born and raised with a deep appreciation for the transformative power of community and access, Alex Yarijanian’s journey into healthcare leadership was inspired by personal experiences witnessing disparities in care. As the son of immigrants, Alex learned the importance of resilience, advocacy, and the role of equitable access to essential services early on. This foundation ignited his passion for creating sustainable healthcare models that put patients first.

Throughout his career, Alex has seamlessly blended strategic vision with a heart for innovation, championing value-based care initiatives that touch millions of lives. From spearheading national maternity care expansions to pioneering digital health solutions for cognitive diseases, Alex’s work reflects his unwavering belief that healthcare is not just a service but a right. His leadership style is rooted in collaboration, empowering cross-functional teams to achieve groundbreaking results.

Today, as a recognized industry leader with over 15 years of experience, Alex continues to challenge the status quo, integrating nonmedical services into mainstream healthcare and redefining what it means to care for the whole person. Guided by a vision for a more connected, efficient, and equitable healthcare system, Alex’s story is one of purpose, impact, and relentless drive to build a healthier future for all.

From Witness to Changemaker

Alex Yarijanian’s journey into healthcare administration was deeply personal, shaped by a harrowing experience in a crowded Iranian hospital. He was just a boy when he found himself in a chaotic and grim environment, where stretchers lined the lobby and corridors, filled with patients in desperate need of care. The air was heavy with the sound of children wailing and the pervasive scent of despair. Amid this scene, an Afghani mother, clutching her frail child, pleaded with every passing nurse, doctor, and hospital staff member: “Please! Please! Help me! I promise to pay! Save my child in the name of God!”

Hours passed, and as the hospital staff ignored her pleas, an angry mob of patients, themselves sick and weary, began demanding that the child be seen. A nurse finally approached, reluctantly taking the child’s vitals. But moments later, she rushed back to the office, her expression a mix of fear and urgency. Five minutes later, a physician emerged and, without ceremony, announced the child’s death. Alex witnessed the life of this seven-year-old slip away, not due to illness alone but because of a system that placed money before the patient.

This heartbreaking event etched itself into Alex’s memory—the realization that the value of a human life could be weighed against one’s ability to pay. In that hospital, he saw a child die powerless against the hospital’s policies, the government, and a system that enforced payment before care. Locals referred to this practice as “money before patient,” a phrase that encapsulated the harsh reality faced by many.

Alex carried the weight of this experience with him as he grew. He saw parallels in other parts of the world, including the United States, where access to care and quality of treatment often hinge on one’s socioeconomic status. The belief that a checking account balance could determine a person’s health became, to him, a humanitarian crisis.

This defining moment propelled Alex toward his mission: to transform healthcare systems globally, ensuring that care is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy but a right accessible to all. Whether in a crowded Iranian hospital or a complex American healthcare system, Alex’s aim is to bridge the gap and challenge the status quo, making quality care a reality for everyone, regardless of their financial means.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology (Summa Cum Laude), University of California, Riverside

Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration (Summa Cum Laude), California State University, Long Beach

Early Career Highlights

Director of Managed Care

Eldorado Community Service Centers & American Health Services
Improved operational and financial performance, implemented telemedicine programs, and expanded managed Medicare market share.

Regional Network Manager

naviHealth (HCA and Dignity Health)
Managed bundled payment initiatives, generating $1.1M in shared savings in post-acute and acute spend.

Regional Contracting Negotiations & Network Manager

Humana Health Plan
Negotiated contracts, improved network adequacy, and compliance for Medicare Advantage products.

Mid-Career Milestones

2018 Founded Carenodes, a healthcare technology company focused on integrating nonmedical services into mainstream care.

2018 – 2023 Chief Strategy Officer, Value-Based Care Advisory (VBCA)
Led a network of healthcare stakeholders, driving innovation and advancing value-based care.

2019 – 2021 Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Insight Choices
Modernized operations, implemented digital infrastructure, and achieved significant revenue growth.

Recent Leadership Roles

2021 – 2023 Senior Vice President, Neuroglee Therapeutics
Directed strategies for Alzheimer’s care solutions, securing $12.3M in funding and expanding payer relations.

2022 – Present Enterprise Leader, Mahmee
Spearheaded national expansion of maternity care services, saving $58M for a Medicaid plan through innovative payer contracting.

2024 – Present VP, Managed Care, Daybreak Health
Developing strategies for value-based care and payer contracting for youth mental health services.

Community & Advocacy

2010 – 2014 Board Chair, Cardborigami
Integrated shelter provision into population health strategies.

2021 – Present Committee Member, NC Department of Justice
Collaborated on healthcare-related initiatives with North Carolina’s AG.

2022 – Present Committee Member, Florida Department of Health
Advocating for elder care and public health improvements in Miami-Dade County.

2020 – Present, Consumer Participation Program (CPP), CA Department of Managed Health Care

Core Values and Vision

Awards

Alex Yarijanian has received several awards and recognitions for his work in healthcare. These include:

Best Companies Award from Health 2.0 International in April 2022.
Outstanding Leadership Award from Health 2.0 International in April 2022.
Outstanding Leadership Award 2022 from the Health 2.0 Conference in April 2022.
Toyota Innovations Grant from the Toyota USA Foundation in April 2015 for implementing an innovative evidence-based transitional housing model integrating social and healthcare services.
Nonprofit Organizational Capacity Building Grant from the Annenberg Foundation in July 2013 to expand the infrastructure of a nonprofit organization to more effectively serve its mission of healthcare integration and shelter provision services.
Robert and Kathleen Grey Endowed Scholarship from the University of California, Riverside in April 2013, awarded based on academic merit and achievement.
Albert B. Cutter Memorial Scholarship from the University of California, Riverside in March 2013, awarded to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership.