One Community Health (OCH) has hired a new CEO: Max Janasik.
Since the start of 2019, the nonprofit, federally-qualified health center has been engaging in a rigorous search process with its board of directors, leadership team, staff members and the Talence Group recruiting firm, said an OCH press release. From a candidate pool of 150, OCH chose Janasik for his strong background in leadership and innovation, as well as his clear passion for the OCH mission: To advance health and social justice for all members of the community.
“We had a number of highly qualified candidates, but Max stood out as our top pick because of his impressive ability to develop solutions, strengthen people professionally and achieve impactful, measurable results,” said Shanon Saldivar, OCH board president. “He lives and breathes innovation and is passionate about human-centered design principles in whatever he undertakes and creates. He’s an amazing leader, and we are very inspired by what our organization’s potential will be with him as our CEO.”
In joining OCH, Janasik is stepping away from his position as vice president of innovation at Cambia Health Solutions in Portland, where he’s worked for over 10 years. There, Janasik had the opportunity to help transform the organization into a total health solutions company, develop his purpose-driven leadership, and launch consumer-focused health solutions designed to improve the health-related experiences of individuals and their families, said the press release. Most recently as a leader for Cambia’s innovation team, he helped promote a culture of innovation through intrapreneurship and led co-innovation for the 5,000-person health solutions company, enabling over 3,000 employees to engage in bringing ideas to life.
He comes to OCH with significant business, technology and consulting experience, including new business creation, product design and delivery, market entry and business development. He also brings experience coaching and mentoring employees and in management, said a press release. Prior to his role at Cambia, he served as director of eBusiness for Regence BlueCross BlueShield. In addition, Janasik worked in online banking and payments product management for what are now Fiserv companies, and he provided supply chain and business consulting services with Arthur Andersen.
After learning he was hired, Janasik expressed his appreciation to OCH staff in an email, stating, “I am honored to be invited to join your team and community. In my meetings with team members from across the organization, including the board, I was inspired by the commitment to the OCH mission and the dedication and care for the people we serve displayed by everyone I met. It was the heart of the organization that really drew me in.
“I have seen that people with passion committed to purposeful work can overcome almost any obstacle when provided the right environment and support,” he continued. “I’m looking forward to us continuing to build upon the great history of innovation that has defined OCH to date and discovering the pathways that will define the future impact we can make in the communities we serve.”
Janasik will be officially introduced on Aug. 8 to the OCH team at its annual staff appreciation event, a celebration that coincides with National Health Center Week. As part of his CEO responsibilities, Janasik will immediately begin overseeing the ongoing construction of OCH’s replacement building in Hood River, slated to open next summer.
In the meantime, Janasik will be transitioning his family — which includes his wife, Becky, and their three children — from Portland to the Columbia River Gorge.
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