Our Leadership

Led by CEO Rob Gelb, the Vālenz Health® executive leadership team is comprised of experienced, innovative leaders in the healthcare industry. Valenz is governed by a Board of Directors, with experts from across the business, finance and health industries.

Our executive leadership team includes:

Portrait image of Rob Gelb

Rob Gelb

Chief Executive Officer

An accomplished executive leader with a proven record of strategic and tactical success across his 30+ year career, Rob is best known for inspiring and leading the development of the self-insured industry’s first truly integrated clinical advocacy and cost containment ecosystem. Rob is widely regarded in the industry for being a results-driven leader and his commitment to a high-performance, “yes, and” culture, and use of data and analytically driven approaches that simplify the complexities of self-insurance.

Portrait image of Madeline Cashdollar

Madeline Cashdollar, MBA

Chief People Officer

Madeline’s career of more than 25 years has touched on all aspects of human resources, with expertise in global HR strategy, talent management and organizational development. Before running her own consulting company, she served in executive and management positions with Sonoco, Aon Corporation and Hewitt Associates. Madeline holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Portrait image of Chris Harber

Chris Harber

Chief Operating Officer

With a strong foundation in future-ready care platforms, Chris leads the development of scalable systems, the alignment of processes with highly complex industry regulations, and the implementation of operational controls for sustainable business growth. He previously held executive positions with Amwell, among the world’s largest telehealth companies, as well as Availity and TriZetto Provider Solutions.

Portrait image of Nathan Nelson

Nathan Nelson

Chief Revenue Officer

Nathan’s career includes 20+ years of proven success in sales and account management for the healthcare industry, primarily in the managed care segment. He has expertise in claim management, workers’ compensation, underwriting and sales management. Nathan graduated magna cum laude with an MBA in Business from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Erik Nicholson

Erik Nicholson

Chief Information Officer

With 25-plus years leading the development implementation of strategic IT plans, Erik provides deep expertise in building and developing cross-functional teams and overseeing IT operations for major business units. Spearheading enterprise-level technology projects and standardizing development and operational processes, Erik was Chief Information Officer and a founding member of Healthcare Bluebook™. He is a University of Oklahoma graduate.

Bryan Perler, Chief Financial Officer.

Bryan Perler

Chief Financial Officer

Bryan is a seasoned finance executive with nearly 25 years of experience leading high-growth, private equity-backed technology companies in the financial services and healthcare industries. Skilled in strategic accounting and finance and passionate about transforming healthcare, Bryan is dedicated to “bending the cost curve” and simplifying the healthcare journey for consumers. He previously served as the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Icario and at Sapphire Digital. Bryan graduated with honors and a degree in accounting from Lehigh University. 

Heather Wiehe, Chief Legal Officer.

Heather Wiehe

Chief Legal Officer

Heather has more than 15 years of experience navigating complex legal landscapes and providing strategic counsel to businesses in the healthcare and insurance industries. Her strong background in conducting due diligence for mergers, mitigating healthcare regulatory risk, contracting complex business deals, and implementing effective compliance programs has helped her drive positive outcomes for brands including Valenz, Collective Health, and Superior Dental Care, a Medical Mutual Company. She holds a doctorate degree in law from the University of Dayton Law School. 

About Our Investors

Valenz is proud to be a Kelso & Company portfolio company. Kelso & Company is one of the oldest and most established firms specializing in private equity investing. Since 1980, Kelso has invested approximately $19 billion of equity capital in 140 transactions. Kelso was founded by the inventor of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and as a result, the principles of partnership and alignment of interest serve as the foundation of the firm’s investment philosophy. Kelso benefits from a successful investment track record, deep sector expertise, a long-tenured investing team, and a reputation as a preferred partner to management teams and corporates. Kelso has significant experience investing in healthcare and financial services. For more information, please visit kelso.com.