Our Story
ABOUT US
Founded in 1998 by the Secretaries and Commissioners of the New England State Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, the New England States Consortium Systems Organization (NESCSO) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting the capacity of state government Health and Human Service agencies to effectively respond to the needs of the people they serve. We deeply believe in the power of state government and its employees to improve the lives of the people they serve.
For over 20 years, we have accomplished this through the use of state-to-state collaboration, investing in state HHS employees, providing them with education and training, connecting them with peers in other states, and promoting the effective use of technology. We envision a publicly-funded health and human services system where the delivery of services begins with a focus on the whole person and not solely on the requirements of single programs.
NESCSO is also the convener of the Medicaid Enterprise Systems (MES) Community. Through year-round working groups and the yearly MES Conference, NESCSO supports Medicaid systems across the country. NESCSO is governed by the New England State Health and Human Services agencies and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
NEW ENGLAND MEMBER STATES LINKS
Explore the state organizations who are represented within NESCSO
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont
Meet Our Core Team
Elena Nicolella joined New England States Consortium Systems Organization as Executive Director in 2016. Elena previously worked for the State of Rhode Island for nine years in several positions, including Director of Policy and Innovation as well as Medicaid Director for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and as a consultant to the Behavioral Health agency. Elena also worked for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for eight years as a Health Insurance Specialist. She received her Master’s in Public Health from Boston University.
David Huffman is the Director of Operations at the New England States Consortium Systems Organization and has been with the organization since 2012. David previously worked in a leadership capacity for a Federally Qualified Community Health Center, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and a regional Health Maintenance Organization. David has two Master’s degrees in Non-profit Management and Health Care Administration, both from Worcester State University.
Michele Allan is an accounting professional with more than 15 years of experience in accounting auditing, and finance. Michele has worked with two regional audit firms is the Founder and Partner at Allpoint Accounting, LLC. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Becker College and a Master of Science in Accounting from Worcester State University.
Elena Nicolella joined New England States Consortium Systems Organization as Executive Director in 2016. Elena previously worked for the State of Rhode Island for nine years in several positions, including Director of Policy and Innovation as well as Medicaid Director for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and as a consultant to the Behavioral Health agency. Elena also worked for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services for eight years as a Health Insurance Specialist. She received her Master’s in Public Health from Boston University.
David Huffman is the Director of Operations at the New England States Consortium Systems Organization and has been with the organization since 2012. David previously worked in a leadership capacity for a Federally Qualified Community Health Center, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and a regional Health Maintenance Organization. David has two Master’s degrees in Non-profit Management and Health Care Administration, both from Worcester State University.
Michele Allan is an accounting professional with more than 15 years of experience in accounting auditing, and finance. Michele has worked with two regional audit firms is the Founder and Partner at Allpoint Accounting, LLC. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Becker College and a Master of Science in Accounting from Worcester State University.
Meet Our Board Members
We are governed by the New England State Health and Human Services agencies and the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School.
Connecticut
Mike Gilbert, Deputy Commissioner
Medical Care Administration
Maine
Molly Slotznick, Chief Operating Officer
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Massachusetts
Amanda Cassel Kraft, Acting Assistant Secretary for MassHealth
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
New Hampshire
Henry Lipman, Medicaid Director
Department of Health and Human Services
Rhode Island
Benjamin Shaffer, Medicaid Director
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
UMASS Chan Medical School
Terry Dougherty, Corporate Strategy Advisor
Commonwealth Medicine
Vermont
Ena Backus, Director of Health Reform
Vermont Agency of Human Services