Experienced physician-executive joins as company scales its proven value-based model for serious mental illness across payers and states

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 16, 2026 / Vanna Health, a leader in value-based care for people with serious mental illness (SMI), today announced that Dr. Liz Kwo has joined the company as President. In this role, Dr. Kwo will partner closely with Founder and CEO Dr. Giovanni Colella to guide Vanna Health through its next phase of growth, including multi-state expansion, deeper payer partnerships, and continued scaling of its community-based care model and technology platform.

Vanna Health has demonstrated strong traction with leading national and regional health plans, delivering measurable reductions in total cost of care for one of healthcare's most complex and underserved populations. The company's integrated, community-based model for SMI has shown a 33% reduction in total medical and pharmacy costs, driven by significant decreases in emergency department visits, inpatient utilization, and overall medical spend, while maintaining strong engagement among hard-to-reach members

"Liz is exactly the leader Vanna needs at this moment," said Giovanni Colella, MD, Co-Founder and CEO of Vanna Health. "We've proven that our model works, clinically, operationally, and financially. As we move from successful regional execution to national scale, Liz brings the rare combination of clinical credibility, payer fluency, and operating experience required to build a durable, category-defining company."

Vanna Health currently operates in multiple markets, including Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Indiana with live contracts and expansions underway in New York. The company has built a strong foundation, high-margin unit economics, and a clear line of sight to substantial expansion within existing payer relationships, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue opportunity as Vanna scales its care model across new populations, geographies, and lines of business

"Vanna is solving one of the hardest problems in healthcare-how to meaningfully engage people with serious mental illness and improve outcomes at scale," said Dr. Tom Insel, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Vanna Health. "Liz understands both the human and system-level complexity of this work. Her leadership will be instrumental as Vanna expands beyond its initial wedge and brings this model to many more people who urgently need it."

As President, Dr. Kwo will focus on scaling operations, strengthening payer partnerships, expanding into adjacent populations, and advancing Vanna's technology-enabled care platform. She brings deep experience as a physician, healthcare executive, and board member, with a track record of building and commercializing innovative care and diagnostics models across Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial markets.

"Vanna Health is at a powerful inflection point," said Dr. Liz Kwo. "The team has built something truly special-a model that combines community-based care, value-aligned payment, and technology in a way that actually works for people with serious mental illness. I'm honored to join Giovanni, Tom, and the entire Vanna team as we scale this impact nationally and redefine what great behavioral healthcare can look like."

Dr. Kwo's appointment comes as Vanna Health prepares for its next stage of growth, including continued expansion with existing customers, entry into new states, and further development of its AI-enabled care and engagement platform. With a strong leadership team, proven outcomes, and growing demand from payers seeking differentiated behavioral health solutions, Vanna Health is positioned to become a national leader in value-based care for complex behavioral health populations.

CONTACT:

Elisa Kamimoto
elisa.kamimoto@vanna.health
415-302-3148

SOURCE: Vanna Health