WASHINGTON D.C. – The Leapfrog Group, a Washington D.C.-based organization aiming to improve health care quality for consumers and purchasers, announced today the election of three new members to its board of directors: John Dyson, director of human resources for FedEx; Sally Welborn, former senior vice president of global benefits at Walmart; and Dolores Mitchell, retired executive director of the Group Insurance Commission in Massachusetts.
“Mr. Dyson, Ms. Welborn and Ms. Mitchell are some of the country’s most innovative leaders among purchasers of health benefits,” said Laurel Pickering, board chair of The Leapfrog Group. “We will benefit from their insights and expertise as we continue our efforts in improving transparency and patient safety for purchasers and all consumers of health care.”
John Dyson, Director of Health Benefits at FedEx
After receiving a B.A. in accounting from College of the Ozarks, Dyson transitioned to health care strategy and currently works as part of a team administering a variety of benefit and disability programs at FedEx. Over the past two decades, his emphasis has been on removing inefficient use and waste from programs. In addition to his work at FedEx, Dyson is a board member of Healthier Tennessee, which strives to increase physical activity, promote a healthy diet and reduce the number of people who use tobacco.
“The Leapfrog Group is a powerful organization advocating for the critical work of improving safety, quality and transparency in health care,” said Dyson. “I am grateful for this opportunity to work with Leapfrog to further these aims for the benefits of employers like FedEx and all purchasers of care.”
Sally Welborn, Former Senior Vice President of Global Benefits at Walmart
Having worked for the world’s largest employer, Welborn has experience in designing and implementing benefit programs for 2.2 million employees world-wide. At Walmart, she created the nationally recognized Centers of Excellence program to provide high-quality care and second opinion services to eligible members. Prior to her role with Walmart, Welborn served as the senior vice president of corporate benefits at Wells Fargo & Co.
“I am honored to join The Leapfrog Group in its pursuit of improving health care in this country,” Welborn shared. “Leapfrog greatly supports employers in their quest to better educate their employees on choosing a hospital and using their collective leverage to drive improved care. I am confident we will continue to see great advancements in the quality and safety of care as a result of Leapfrog’s efforts.”
Dolores Mitchell, Former Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission
Mitchell spent decades overseeing health care benefits for Massachusetts’ 410,000 employees, retirees and their families through her work with the Group Insurance Commission (GIC). Over the course of her career, she made significant contributions to improving the quality of health and benefit plans while maintaining cost-effective program options for enrollees. She has been a member of numerous health care quality organizations, including the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the National Quality Forum (NQF).
“I was pleased to have the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission become the first state agency to join The Leapfrog Group as a Regional Leader shortly after its formation back in 2000, and to work with Leapfrog to fulfill its mission,” said Mitchell. “Massachusetts is justly proud of its hospitals, but continuing evaluation and reporting is critical to maintaining and improving performance for every institution in our health care world. I look forward to continuing that effort as a member of the Leapfrog board.”