WellSense leadership

Heather Thiltgen
President

Heather leads and directs the overall financial and administrative operations of WellSense. She works closely with state and federal government entities, regulatory groups, healthcare providers and other external agencies to address the medical and social needs of our membership. Previously, Heather served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Markets for Medical Mutual of Ohio, one of the state’s oldest and largest health insurers. In that role, she oversaw all product lines, which drove more than $1.2 billion in annualized premiums. In addition, Heather launched the company’s Medicare Advantage program in 2016, the largest new plan entrant nationwide that year. Previous to that, she held senior leadership positions at CUNA Mutual Group, United Services Automobile Association, and the M/A/R/C® Group. Heather received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University.

Serina Barkley
Chief Legal Officer

Serina joined as Chief Legal Officer for WellSense in March 2023. Serina was previously at Point32Health (previously Tufts Health Plan) where she specialized in government-sponsored managed-health programs, worked with ACO partners and designed and implemented managed care plans. Prior to her time at Point32Health, she represented physicians and other licensed professionals at Collora, LLP. Serina started her career at the New York County District Attorney’s office. 

Diana (Dee) Cruz
Chief Operating Officer

Dee joined WellSense in 2021 as the Chief Operating Officer. Dee is responsible for improving end-to-end operational processes that drive a better member experience. Prior to joining WellSense, Dee initiated the Office of Consumer Obsession at Cambia Health Solutions, where she employed human-centered design/lean methods and sponsored enterprise programs focused on reducing consumer effort and healthcare costs for members. As Vice President of Operations at Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dee oversaw improved automation and data science-enabled payment-integrity programs focused on reducing provider and member abrasion. Dee has also held leadership roles at Cigna, in finance, operations, network architecture, and operating effectiveness. Dee received her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Stanford University and is a Six Sigma Black Belt.

David Muzina
Chief Medical Officer

Dr. David Muzina joined WellSense in July 2024 to provide clinical leadership and oversight to ensure the highest level of care is provided to our members. Dave has more than thirty years of experience as a physician and a leader in the health space, developing innovative solutions to issues facing patients and members. In his career, Dave has held senior-level positions at the Cleveland Clinic, Medco, ExpressScripts and, most recently, as interim Chief Medical Officer at Medical Mutual.  He is the author of more than sixty journal articles and book chapters that have focused on Neuroscience, diagnostic issues, mood disorder treatment, the importance of the Primary Care–Behavioral Health interface, and the connection between medication adherence and total healthcare costs. He holds Board Certification from the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He earned his MD from Case Western Reserve University, BS from the University of Dayton and MBA from Baldwin-Wallace University.

Paul Wingle
Chief Product and Sales Officer

Paul Wingle is responsible for the plan’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) business and its Medicaid growth strategies. Paul joined in January 2023 after serving for more than a decade as vice president of Aetna’s Individual & Family segment, managing their capabilities to participate in ACA marketplaces across the country. Prior to joining Aetna, Paul was a leader on Deloitte’s ACA team, implementing a state-based marketplace solutions for multiple states and advising government agencies on program design. He has been senior leader at the Massachusetts Hospital Association, helped launch the Massachusetts Health Connector, was a senior advisor to Massachusetts Senate President, and as a strategist, program director and executive for leading nonprofits in the environmental conservation and philanthropy sectors.  He holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.