The California Endowment’s COO, Kathlyn Mead, Joins ABL Organization

Santa Ana, CA - September 27, 2011 – B. Kathlyn Mead, Executive VP and COO of The California Endowment, has joined the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization (ABL). As part of California’s leading vertical-industry Chief Executives’ Organization, ABL Members provide one another with executive leadership coaching through confidential, professionally-facilitated, peer-CEO Advisory Board Round Tables, executive learning workshops, network of CEO peers, and expert resources.

The California Endowment is a private, statewide health foundation that was created in 1996 as a result of Blue Cross of California's creation of WellPoint Health Networks, a for-profit corporation. Kathlyn, a veteran healthcare industry administrator, was named to her position, in May 2007, to oversee day-to-day operations and management. The California Endowment's mission is to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.

Prior to joining The Endowment, Kathlyn was CEO of the Council of Community Clinics in San Diego. She has also served as VP of the CalPERS sector for Blue Shield of California, and as CEO for Sharp Health Plan, from 1996 to 2005. While at Sharp, she developed and implemented the highly successful FOCUS program, a subsidized premium insurance product designed to expand access to affordable, quality health coverage for employees of small businesses. Kathlyn was also VP of Managed Care at Children’s Hospital San Diego, responsible for the day-to-day management of contracting, marketing, and physician relations. In addition, she was Director of Operations for MetLife Healthcare Network, and Manager of Provider Networks for Blue Cross of California.

Kathlyn’s outstanding commitment to community service has been recognized by San Diego’s KGTV-10 News, which awarded her the Organizational Leadership Award. She is also the recipient of the Twin Award from the YWCA of San Diego. She currently serves as a board member of the Insure the Uninsured Project and on the Board of Trustees for the Alliance Healthcare Foundation in San Diego.

About the Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization
ABL supports the needs of its Member CEOs by providing a place for top-level executives to draw on the experience, knowledge and skill sets of their peers in a vertical industry, personal advisory board – “multi-coach approach” – setting.

The core component of the CEO Membership experience is the group Round Table meeting. Members meet once a month for a half-day with a group of peer CEOs, Presidents, COOs and Division General Managers from non-competing companies, all from the same industry (healthcare, technology or life sciences), in a trusted and confidential board room-like setting, which allows ABL Members to tackle topics and enhance their decision making and business performance. Topics include: developing and honing new business strategies and best practices, new lines of business, “A-players” on the management team, and an effective board of directors, as well as understanding trends in new markets, mergers and acquisitions, compensation, and other “hot” topics brought to the Round Tables by the Members themselves.

ABL Members also gather several times a year at workshops and conferences to exchange ideas and connect with other chief executives beyond their own CEO peer groups. In effect, ABL Members serve as one another’s business coaches within the Round Tables and are encouraged to connect and leverage their co-Member peers’ particular skills and expertise for additional leadership coaching, one-on-one, outside of their monthly group meeting. In addition, each Round Table’s facilitator also serves as an objective business advisor, offering executive and industry insights and advice.

 ABL's Chief Executive Leadership Development Round Table program is currently offered in California's Greater Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco County areas. More information about the ABL Organization can be found at http://www.abl.org .