Independence Health Group Announces Leadership Changes and Promotions

Philadelphia — November 11, 2020 — Independence Health Group (Independence) announces the following key organizational changes and promotions. Effective immediately:

• Brian Lobley is now Chief Operating Officer and President of Health Markets. Lobley will continue to lead Independence’s Commercial, Consumer, and Medicare lines of business; Operations; Business Technology Services, Informatics, and Innovation; and its group pharmacy business. He will also retain his responsibility for AmeriHealth Administrators and AmeriHealth New Jersey. Lobley is also a founding member and the board chair of Quil, Independence’s digital health joint venture with Comcast. Lobley, who has been with Independence for 19 years, has been EVP of Health Markets since 2019.
• Stephen Fera is now Executive Vice President, Public Affairs. He continues to lead Government Affairs, Community Affairs, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, and the Independence Blue Cross Political Action Committee. Fera, who celebrated his 30th anniversary at Independence earlier this year, became SVP of Public Affairs in 2011, the same year he led the launch of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation.
• Donna Farrell is now Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications. Farrell leads communications, brand strategy, media relations, and public relations for Independence Health Group, working to enhance the company’s visibility regionally and leading communications for significant community initiatives. Farrell had been VP of Corporate Communications for four years.
• Kimberly Kockler is now Senior Vice President, Government Affairs. Kockler leads state government affairs activity in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and represents the company on several trade and professional associations. Kockler had been VP of Government Affairs for six years.
• Peishan Ang is now Vice President, Sales Enablement. Ang creates and executes sales and marketing systems, processes, and operational strategies to advance sales objectives. Ang had been Director of Sales Enablement for four years.
• Mitch Vidovich is now Vice President, Government Affairs. Vidovich leads all federal and county government affairs activity and has accountability for the Independence Blue Cross Political Action Committee (PAC). Vidovich had been Director of Government Affairs for five years.

“Independence continues to evolve to meet the demands of the health care industry, the needs of members and customers, and – most recently – the challenges posted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, President and CEO of Independence.

Gregory E. Deavens, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Independence, said, “Our success would not be possible without outstanding, experienced leaders like these. My congratulations to each of them on their well-earned promotions.”