Modivcare Announces Executive Leadership Transitions Amid Strategic Business Model Evolution
Modivcare Inc. (Nasdaq: MODV), a leading technology-enabled healthcare services company focused on delivering supportive care solutions that address social determinants of health, today announced the planned departures of two key members of its executive leadership team. The changes are part of the company’s broader initiative to realign its organizational structure and streamline operations as it advances a long-term modernization strategy.
Barb Gutierrez, who has served as Chief Financial Officer, and Jessica Kral, the company’s Chief Information Officer, will be stepping down from their respective roles following a transition period. The departures reflect Modivcare’s ongoing efforts to reshape its leadership model and operational framework to better align with its evolving business priorities and future growth trajectory.
As Modivcare undertakes this next chapter in its transformation journey, CEO Heath Sampson emphasized the pivotal contributions made by both executives during their tenures. “We are grateful to Barb and Jessica for their leadership, dedication, and contributions to Modivcare,” Sampson stated. “Barb played a critical role in strengthening our financial strategy and capital structure amidst ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty. Jessica’s leadership, in parallel, has been instrumental in the continuing modernization of the technology infrastructure that serves as the backbone of our operations.”
Their exits, while marking the end of a significant chapter, come at a moment when Modivcare is poised to accelerate operational integration, cost-efficiency measures, and digital transformation initiatives. The company has affirmed that it will not be seeking immediate replacements for the CFO or CIO roles. Instead, the decision reflects a strategic shift toward a flatter organizational structure and greater internal agility.
Supporting Foundations for Future Growth
The financial and technology foundations laid by Gutierrez and Kral have, according to Modivcare leadership, established a solid platform on which the company plans to build its next phase of innovation and efficiency.
Gutierrez, who joined Modivcare during a period of financial restructuring and market uncertainty, played a central role in enhancing the company’s capital discipline and improving liquidity management. Under her financial leadership, Modivcare made substantial progress in stabilizing its balance sheet, executing long-term financing strategies, and creating more resilient financial models designed to withstand external pressures such as inflationary trends and healthcare policy shifts.
Meanwhile, Kral spearheaded the overhaul of Modivcare’s IT architecture, ensuring that the company’s digital infrastructure could scale with its growing service portfolio. Her tenure was marked by a focus on cybersecurity, systems integration, and the implementation of intelligent technologies that streamlined both internal operations and patient service delivery. These advancements have become increasingly vital as Modivcare continues to expand its role as a nationwide leader in non-emergency medical transportation, remote patient monitoring, and personal care services.
“Jessica’s contributions were instrumental in creating a more interconnected, automated organization,” said Sampson. “Her work has helped us embed intelligent systems into our day-to-day processes and created a technology roadmap that will continue to guide our efforts for years to come.”
Evolving the Organizational Model
Modivcare’s leadership transitions are a part of a broader strategic evolution aimed at transforming the company into a more agile and cost-effective enterprise. The healthcare services industry is undergoing rapid changes, with increasing demand for value-based care, integrated service delivery, and digital-first solutions. To stay ahead of this curve, Modivcare is embracing a leaner organizational model that emphasizes accountability, speed, and cross-functional collaboration.
“This is more than a leadership transition—it’s a signal of how we intend to operate going forward,” added Sampson. “By flattening the organization and empowering our existing teams, we aim to unlock faster decision-making, reduce administrative overhead, and drive more value to the patients, providers, and partners who rely on our services.”
Rather than filling the CFO and CIO positions with external hires or promoting internal successors into those specific titles, Modivcare is redistributing responsibilities across existing leadership teams. The company expressed strong confidence in the capabilities of its current finance and IT departments, noting that both are led by seasoned professionals with deep institutional knowledge and the ability to maintain continuity during this transitional phase.
Continued Focus on Modernization and Cost Optimization
The executive changes come at a time when Modivcare is intensifying its focus on driving efficiency across the enterprise. Over the past year, the company has implemented a series of cost-reduction initiatives, technology upgrades, and service delivery enhancements aimed at increasing operational leverage and improving margins.
By consolidating and simplifying key management layers, Modivcare hopes to reduce redundancies and ensure that strategic goals are more directly aligned with frontline execution. Automation and artificial intelligence will play a larger role in future operations, enabling faster data analysis, real-time decision-making, and proactive risk management.
Sampson noted, “We are embedding automation and intelligent systems across our business, and that’s helping us enhance both speed and financial discipline. These tools are allowing us to be more predictive, more responsive, and more transparent with our stakeholders.”
In recent quarters, Modivcare has reported steady progress on several modernization benchmarks, including system unification across its transportation and personal care divisions, expanded use of telehealth platforms, and data-driven approaches to patient engagement and care coordination. The departure of Gutierrez and Kral, while notable, is not expected to slow these initiatives. On the contrary, the company sees this as a catalyst for further integration and transformation.
Positioned for the Future
Modivcare’s long-term vision is to become the premier provider of integrated supportive care services across the United States. With a mission to improve health outcomes by addressing non-clinical barriers such as transportation, in-home care, and access to remote health monitoring, the company serves millions of individuals each year, many of whom face complex health and socioeconomic challenges.
In the context of an evolving healthcare landscape that prioritizes preventive care and population health management, Modivcare believes that its multi-faceted service model is uniquely positioned to deliver value to managed care organizations, government payers, and patients alike.
“As we continue to execute on our transformation strategy, we remain committed to building a company that is not only operationally efficient but also deeply aligned with our mission to serve vulnerable populations,” said Sampson. “The work that Barb and Jessica did to modernize our financial and technological capabilities has positioned us well for this next phase.”
He concluded by offering sincere appreciation on behalf of the entire organization: “We thank Barb and Jessica for their exceptional service and leadership. They leave behind strong, capable teams and a lasting legacy. We wish them continued success in all future endeavors.”
