Seattle health exec to run Kaiser Hawaii
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. have named a new president for their Hawaii region.
Janet Liang, most recently executive vice president of the Columbia Region of the Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative, will begin her new role with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii on March 5.
Liang replaces Jan Head, who in November announced her plans to retire, just days after Kaiser notified 54 employees they would be laid off in a statewide restructuring.
Head was with Kaiser, the state's largest health-maintenance organization, for four years.
Liang, who joined Group Health in 1992, held numerous leadership roles in hospital, ambulatory care and health plan operations.
Bernard Tyson, senior vice president of health plan and hospital operations at Kaiser Permanente, praised Liang for her "fresh energy, vision, successful track record, and her ability to work well with others while getting things done."
As executive vice president, Liang oversaw a division with 180,000 enrollees across Washington and Idaho. She also was the board chair for KPS Health Plans Inc., a subsidiary of Group Health, as well as a board member of the Washington State Hospital Association, Washington Health Foundation, Washington Technology Center and Asian Counseling and Referral Services.
"Joining Kaiser Permanente Hawaii brings a renewed professional calling for me," Liang said. "As the Hawaii Region's president, I'll have the responsibility of leading a vision and strategy that fulfills an agenda to thrive, as well as the opportunity to learn and influence national business practices."
Liang will be moving to Hawaii with her husband, Zack, and two young daughters.