Our Story

Visana Health co-founder Joe Connolly watched his mother struggle with unbearable menstrual pain for years before she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis. It’s why he left his job to found Visana.

Better care through
all phases of life
On-going support of
women's health conditions

Women
deserve better.

Too many women face a long and frustrating search for care with stigmatized conditions that only impact women. Lack of research, funding, and incentives means that millions of women aren’t guaranteed access to timely and evidence-based medical care.

Visana is staffed by women's health experts dedicated to fixing the broken system that is failing women. We’re creating a new care model and revolutionizing the healthcare experience for women.

What We Believe

Women drive
their own care

Visana provides high-touch, evidence-based care that takes women seriously.

Women deserve better care through all phases of life

Visana provides medical care beyond pregnancy and fertility.

Women are whole
human beings

Patients receive personalized care and ongoing support, covering mental health, diet, and nutrition.

Who We Are

Dr. Barbara Levy
M.D, FACOG, FACS
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Barbara Levy

Barbara Levy, M.D., FACOG, FACS, is a lifelong advocate for advancing the quality of women’s health.   Dr. Levy was in private practice and served as a Medical Director for Women’s and Children’s Services for the Franciscan Health System. She was elected as the first female president of AAGL in 1994-1995. 

In 2012 Dr. Levy joined the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as the first full-time woman physician leader. She built a quality, safety and informatics team dedicated to supporting improvement in health care for women. 

Her research interests span from outcomes research in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery to optimizing care for women with chronic pelvic pain.  Her clinical work focused on evidence-based, equitable, comprehensive care for women throughout their life course.

Dr. Levy graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University. She obtained her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, followed by an internship and residency at the Oregon Health Sciences University.  She currently holds clinical professorships in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and UCSD Health.

Dr. Chardonnay Vance
M.D.
Family & Women's Health Physician
Dr. Chardonnay Vance

Dr. Chardonnay Vance is a board-certified Family Medicine Physician.  She started her career working as a lay midwife, then worked as a research scientist, and now a Primary Care Physician.  She began her medical practice in a small town and shifted into telemedicine over the last few years.  

When the opportunity to be a part of designing and building the next generation of primary care on a national scale through telehealth presented itself, she was excited to play a role in it.  Her mission is to always put the patient first and foremost in every encounter and honor the sacred doctor-patient relationship.  

In her time away from caring for patients and building better medical tools, she enjoys spending time with her family and neighbors, exploring the outdoors, and breeding a flock of chickens that is laying a rainbow of different-colored and delicious eggs.

Obum Calais
Nurse Practitioner
Obum Calais

Obum is a Nurse practitioner who champions women’s wellness and social determinants of health.  She received her Master’s degree with a specialty in Family Medicine from Angelo State University.

She enjoys using motivational interviewing to promote healthy habits and help facilitate the provider patient relationship.  She ascribes to the treatment of the whole patient and evidence-based women’s health care.  

With patient centered care, she is able to individualize a plan of care and adapt to social influences that impact health and care access.

Katrina Rollins
ARNP, CNM, MPH
Nurse Practicioner
Katrina Rollins

Katrina is a Certified Nurse Midwife and Nurse Practitioner dedicated to decreasing disparities in Women's Health. She received a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Midwifery/Women's Health from Emory University. Additionally, she studied public health to better understand the causes, as well as solutions for the frightening inequalities present in health care. Katrina is an advocate for providing education and respect to women so that they feel empowered to take charge of their health and make informed decisions.

As a Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) warrior herself, she has a special interest in helping other women manage their symptoms with a holistic approach that creates true, sustainable results. She understands the value of cultural practices when making health decisions and has worked with women all over the world, including South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Haiti.

Kyra Kilmer
MSN, FNP BC
Nurse Practitioner
Kyra Kilmer

For Kyra, caring for women is more than just treating a demographic, women’s health must be a priority for communities to thrive.  It has been Kyra's honor to advocate for this population throughout her career. Kyra began as a labor and delivery nurse after her undergraduate education. She attended the University of Florida and graduated as a Certified Nurse Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner. This allowed Kyra to have a greater role in the care of patients across the lifespan. Kyra has always said ‘I learn more than I teach’ from my patients. That continues to this day. As a proponent of bringing virtual care to the mainstream, Kyra isgrateful to be a part of the Visana team and hope to broaden her ability to meet the needs of women across the country.

Bobbi Dacus
FNP BC
Nurse Practitioner
Bobbi Dacus

Bobbi is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience in family medicine, women's health and mental health. Her passion for women’s health derives from work in many diverse settings such as Residential and outpatient eating disorders, sexual assault and family medicine. These experiences have contributed to her knowledge and understanding of the stressors affecting us all.

Bobbi believes in treating each person with sensitivity and compassion. She gives her undivided attention in every appointment to create a treatment plan tailored to each person's unique needs.

When not working Bobbi loves spending time with her family, her dogs, baking, hiking and reading.

Alex Maxson
AAMA
Patient Care Coordinator
Alex Maxson

Alex has over a decade of experience as a medical assistant and infusion specialist focusing on patient care. Previously, she has worked at Northwest Urology, Northwest Rheumatology and Ahead.

Alex holds an AAMA from Concorde Career College and a BA from Linfield University.


Nikki Eshleman
Care Coordinator
Nikki Eshleman

Nikki has over 15 years of experience in the medical field, with a strong decade dedicated as a Medical Assistant. With experience in General Practice, Weight Loss, Bariatric and Pediatric Care, Urologic Oncology and  Mental Health. With all these experiences Nikki is truly honored to engage in women's health!

Nikki has a CCMA  from Heald College. She graduated with Honors achieving her Associates of Applied sciences. Nikki is a former Employee of Northwest Urology, Ahead Mental Health, Pacific Medical Group and Monarch Medical Weight Loss Center. She was born in Jamaica, West Indies, So she may have an accent sometimes.

Carla Eckhardt Taracena
Vice President of Clinical Operations
Carla Eckhardt Taracena

Carla L. Eckhardt Taracena, MSc, is a seasoned senior manager with over 30 years of dynamic leadership experience in non-profit, academic, and for-profit healthcare organizations including serving as Chief Operating Officer in a prominent US healthcare system to leading as Country Director for international NGOs. She is recognized for her proficiency in managing executive teams and large multi-site clinical staff, achieving measurable results, and driving positive outcomes. Notably, under her leadership, clinical programs experienced a consistent annual increase in service volume by 10-20%, including the successful establishment of new service lines and innovative business models to generate revenue.

Carla's generalist skills span all organizational functions, including finance, marketing, human resources, clinical protocol development, independent research, and new business development. An accomplished people leader, Carla has successfully developed high-performing teams and instituted creative leadership training initiatives. Her ability to articulate strategic visions and align work efforts with business and social impact goals has been a consistent theme throughout her distinguished career.

Given the evolving landscape of healthcare, Carla recognizes the pivotal role of telemedicine in today's trends. Recently appointed as Vice President of Clinical Operations at Visana Health, a cutting-edge telemedicine startup, Carla is at the forefront of steering the company's focus on providing comprehensive women's health care. In a world where the importance of accessible and patient-centric healthcare is paramount, telemedicine emerges as a transformative force.

At Visana Health, the mission is to address the unique needs of women whose chronic conditions may have gone undiagnosed or treated poorly. This disruptive approach in the medical field sets Visana Health apart—they prioritize listening to women over solely relying on test results. This new role perfectly aligns with Carla's career mission of serving women and empowering them to take control of their health journey.

Having earned an MSc in global management from the Robert Kennedy College business school in Zurich and a BA from Yale University, Carla's educational background equips her with a comprehensive understanding of global dynamics that inform her domestic health care delivery leadership.

With a commitment to women's reproductive health, Carla has been dedicated to ensuring women worldwide have access to safe, high-quality care. She has co-authored publicationssuch as "Implementation of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Program to Reduce Maternal Mortality in Malawi" in Obstetrics & Gynecology (March 2019), & "Obstetrics and Gynecology in Global Health: Lessons Learned for advancing public health to achieve universal health care"; in the American College of Surgeons (May 2018), and an editorial titled "Beyond Education and Training, Making Change Stick" in Contraception (May 2009).

Carla currently residing in Palo Alto with her children and beloved mutt Olive. Looking ahead, she is eager to continue her journey of guiding organizations to reach larger audiences, fostering innovation, and contributing to the positive transformation addressing women’s access to high quality health care.

Sarah Beaulieu
Care Coordinator
Sarah Beaulieu

Sarah has over 20 years experience as a medical assistant and patient navigator in direct patient care as well as remotely. She previously worked at NW Urology working in Urologic Oncology, and The Oregon Clinic as a Float in multispecialty prior to focusing on Neurology and Sleep Disorders. Before that, she worked in Urgent Care.

She went to school in Austria, then returned to the United States and obtained her AAMA from Concorde Career College.

Chelsea Leupold
MA, NBC-HW
Senior Health Coach
Chelsea Leupold

Chelsea is a board-certified health coach through NBC-HW. She previously worked at Noom as a health coach and health coach manager. Prior to that, she worked as a nurse and has always been passionate about wellness and lifestyle medicine.

Chelsea earned her Master’s degree in Health and Wellness Coaching from Maryland University of Integrative Medicine. She is also a certified yoga instructor.

Tom Morley
B.S.
Head of Product
Tom Morley

Tom previously led customer discovery and medical device product development processes at Medtronic.

Tom holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Yale.

Jessica Grayson
MPH
Head of Virtual Care
Jessica Grayson
Dr. Mathew Palmer
DO
Gynecologist
Dr. Mathew Palmer

Dr. Palmer is a gynecologist and, having completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecology and robotic surgery at Henry Ford Health System, is an expert surgeon.

He treats almost exclusively menstrual pain patients.

Amy Diaz
Senior Director, Account Management
Amy Diaz

Amy has over two decades of account management & program management experience with digital health startups, healthcare and life sciences organizations, including Verily - an Alphabet company.

Amy earned her PMP certification and holds a BS in Business from Southern New Hampshire University.

Brianna Low
Senior Manager, Enrollment Marketing
Brianna Low

Brianna is the Senior Manager, Enrollment Marketing. She comes to Visana with a background in literary arts and non-profit management, having worked at Indiana University, the Loft Literary Center, and the MN State Arts Board.

Brianna received a MFA from Indiana University and a BA from DePaul University.

Matt Hodes
Vice President of Employer Sales
Matt Hodes

Matt has over 14 years experience in digital health and healthcare technology working with employers, consultants, and health systems to improve outcomes and access to care.

He has a degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Go Hoosiers!

Amy Quinn Dahlen
Director of Product
Amy Quinn Dahlen

Prior to joining Visana Health, Amy had the privilege of working with several healthcare startups, including NovuHealth (now known as Icario) and Nexben. She is passionate about the transformative power of technology and delivering products that make a real difference in people's lives.

Amy attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Suzana Tabassum
Software Development Engineer, Test
Suzana Tabassum

Suzana is the Software Development Engineer in Test, specialized in designing efficient and reliable test frameworks. Beyond her professional endeavors, she enjoys exploring new technologies and traveling.

Julia Bindler
Senior Software Engineer
Julia Bindler

Julia is a full-stack engineer with experience building web applications across different industries, most recently focusing on creating technology to facilitate new solutions in healthcare. She holds a BA in Computer Science from Carleton College.

Amanda Larrew
Data Analyst
Amanda Larrew

Amanda has experience leading the patient journey in a women’s health medical practice, where she developed a passion for educating and empowering women on their health options. Amanda holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Nevada. She also has formal training in Data Science.

Leah Meyer
Manager, Business Operations & Culture
Leah Meyer

Leah has a diverse background in traditional and classical music, arts administration, team management, and customer service.

She holds a BA in Music with an emphasis on ethnomusicology from Grinnell College.

Jennifer Selpa
Marketing Coordinator, Enrollment
Jennifer Selpa

Jennifer is the Marketing Coordinator, Enrollment at Visana. She brings marketing and communications experience in healthcare IT, non-profits, and higher education.

She received her bachelor's from Villanova University.

Kirk Schloegel
Principal Software Engineer
Kirk Schloegel

Kirk has two decades of experience developing software of all shapes and sizes.  He has worked for giant corporations like Microsoft and Target as well as tiny startups like Smart Social Media and Nexben.

Kirk has a M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Edinburgh and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota.

Scib Ebel
Chief Technology Officer
Scib Ebel

Scib previously served as the CTO/CISO at Nexben, Icario (formerly Revel Health), and has held leadership positions at Optum and Cigna. His experience developing teams and directing technology strategies within the healthcare industry make him an invaluable addition to the Visana team.

Outside of his work at Visana, Scib enjoys spending time with his two boys and staying active. He has a passion for baseball and for the past six years he’s served on the Prior Lake youth travel baseball board and also coaches his sons’ teams.

Scib has his MBA and MS in Software Engineering from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

Casie Mergen
Senior UX Designer and Manager
Casie Mergen

Casie is a passionate designer, learner, and empathizer. She has spent her career creating and managing large scale design projects from inception to completion, primarily within the healthcare industry. Casie holds a BFA with a concentration in Graphic Design from Wisconsin Stout.

Shelly Lanning
President
Shelly Lanning

Shelly has over 20 years of healthcare operating and venture capital experience where she focused on digital health, medical devices and healthcare services.   

Shelly holds a MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of Minnesota.  She is a Kauffman Fellow, Class VI.

Joe Connolly
MEng
Founder & CEO
Joe Connolly

Joe's mom suffered for decades from endometriosis. Previously, he worked at Boston Scientific, creating new medical devices & digital apps.

Joe holds a Masters in Biomedical Engineering from Duke.