Kat Marie Alvarez: Difference between revisions
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Kat Marie Alvarez is a first-generation Haitian American healthcare leader, entrepreneur, and strategist, born in Brooklyn, New York on Thanksgiving Day. Officially named Marie Denise Auguste at birth, her arrival came two weeks early—before a letter from her siblings in Haiti reached her parents. The letter requested that she be named Katia (spelled 'Katy'), a name chosen with love from afar. By the time her parents returned home, the letter had arrived, and from that moment her siblings never called her Marie or Denise. Many in her family still do not know her given name, as she has always been Katia to them, and simply 'Kat' to most others. Today, the name bridges her personal and professional worlds, embodying both her roots and her leadership identity. | |||
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida International University, where she served as Class President, and an MBA from the Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. | |||
Beginning her career as a Registered Nurse in 1995, Alvarez quickly advanced from medical-surgical and critical care nursing into psychiatric care before transitioning to healthcare management. Her early leadership roles at Humana spanned utilization management, quality, and provider appeals, culminating in a Senior Director position. She later advised Catholic Health East on corporate compliance during its Corporate Integrity Agreement and served as National Director of Quality and Compliance for Vitas Healthcare, overseeing operations in more than 20 states and shaping her expertise in value-based care. | |||
In the years that followed, Alvarez held senior leadership roles across both payers and providers. She advanced within Humana and later served as Vice President of Utilization Management for Centene Corporation’s Florida market, overseeing prior authorization and concurrent review operations. On the provider side, she held C-suite and executive positions with WellMed Medical Management (acquired by Optum), Cano Health, IMC Health (now CareMax), and Innovacare Health, serving as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Interim CEO, and Market President. Across these roles, she drove operational transformation, market expansion, value-based care performance, and regulatory alignment. | |||
Over a 25-year career, Alvarez has led initiatives totaling over $5 billion in healthcare value, impacting more than 12 million Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and ACA exchange lives. She is recognized for driving measurable improvements in retention, Stars, HEDIS, and reducing Medical Loss Ratios. Notably, she was selected by NCQA and CMS to contribute to the Hospice Conditions of Participation Regulatory Panel, influencing standards still in place today. | |||
In 2018, she founded Katalyst Health, now part of Katalyst & Co., a growth platform dedicated to transforming healthcare delivery through strategic advisory, operational excellence, and value-based care expertise. She is a member of the Forbes Business Council, a contributing Forbes writer, a member of Chief, and serves on the Nova Southeastern University Alumni Board. Her community work includes fundraising for the Young At Art Museum, bringing art and music programs to underserved children. | |||
Alvarez has been married to her husband, Joseph, for more than 20 years. They have two children, a son and a daughter, and make their home in Palm Beach, Florida. Motivated by the belief that healthcare is a basic human right, Alvarez combines her operational expertise with a deep commitment to equity and system transformation. Outside of her professional endeavors, she is an avid traveler, reader, and history enthusiast. | |||