Thursday, 25 June 2026 09:00 AM
Company Update
Newly elected leaders will support DirectTrust's work to build trust in healthcare data exchange
WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / June 25, 2026 / DirectTrust®, a non-profit healthcare industry alliance focused on furthering trust in healthcare data exchange through standards, accreditation, and other services, today announced new and returning members of its Board of Directors and updates to its Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC).
New Board members elected to serve three-year terms through June 2029 include:
Dag Jakobsen, CEO, JakobsenID, Inc.
Lenel James, retired, formerly Business Lead, Health Information Exchange & Innovation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Returning Board members re-elected to three-year terms through June 2029 include:
Jessica Varnell, Senior Healthcare IT Consultant, Himformatics
Ryan Howells, Principal, Leavitt Partners
In leadership roles, Vince Albanese remains Board Chair and Katherine Lusk remains Board Secretary, with their terms set to expire in June 2027. Muhammad Chebli was reappointed as Treasurer, and Brian Handspicker was appointed Board Vice Chair, with Jessica Varnell concluding her term as Vice Chair. DirectTrust recognizes Christopher Mack and Stephanie Zaremba for their service and contributions to the organization as they conclude their terms on the Board of Directors.
"DirectTrust's Board plays an important role in helping the organization stay focused on the needs of its community as healthcare data exchange continues to evolve," said Vince Albanese, DirectTrust Board Chair and President and CEO of Red Rock Group Holdings. "We are grateful to the leaders concluding their Board service, and we look forward to the contributions of our new and returning members as DirectTrust continues advancing practical, trusted approaches to secure, interoperable exchange."
A volunteer position, DirectTrust's Board of Directors supports the work of the organization with mission-based leadership and strategic governance. Directors work with the executive leadership team on policy, strategy, industry relationships, technological advances, and the end-user experience, including consumers, healthcare providers, and payers.
DirectTrust also announced updates to the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), including the appointment of two new Commissioners and re-appointment of one returning Commissioner.
New Commissioners set to serve three-year terms through June 2029 include:
Laura McCrary, President and CEO of KONZA Health
Gene Curtis, Vice President of Technology at Centauri Health Solutions
Returning Commissioners set to serve second three-year term through June 2029 include:
Bill Reid, Healthcare and Life Sciences Security Advisor - Office of the CISO, Google
DirectTrust also recognizes Tim Pletcher of Velatura for his service as a Commissioner where he served from 2021 through 2026.
"The strength of DirectTrust has always come from the people willing to contribute their time, expertise, and perspective to the hard work of building trust in healthcare data exchange," said Kelly Gwynn, Chief Operating Officer, DirectTrust. "The perspectives and experience our Board and Commission members bring to these roles help strengthen our programs, inform our decision-making, and ensure we continue meeting the evolving needs of the community we serve."
DirectTrust's EHNAC, also referred to as the Commission, is the organization's accreditation and certification body. Commissioners support DirectTrust related to accreditation matters, representing the healthcare ecosystem and its stakeholders to provide oversight of criteria development, establish governance and evaluation processes, and recommend strategies that align with industry standards.
For more information on the DirectTrust Board of Directors and EHNAC, visit our leadership page.
About DirectTrust®
DirectTrust® is a non-profit, vendor-neutral alliance dedicated to establishing trust in a connected world. The organization serves as a forum for a consensus-driven community focused on health communication and cybersecurity, an ANSI standards development organization, an accreditation and certification body governed by EHNAC, and a developer of technical trust frameworks and supportive services for secure information exchange like Direct Secure Messaging and identity-verified credentials.
The goal of DirectTrust is to develop, promote, and, as necessary, help enforce the rules and best practices necessary to maintain privacy, security, and trust for stakeholders across and beyond healthcare. In addition, DirectTrust is committed to fostering widespread public confidence in the interoperable exchange of health information while promoting quality service, innovation, cooperation, and open competition in healthcare. To learn more, visit: DirectTrust.org.
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Media contact:
Dave Anderson
andersoni.com
[email protected]
SOURCE: DirectTrust