Ivo Nelson
Founder
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NEXT WAVE CONNECT’s founder is noted healthcare pioneer and investor, Ivo Nelson.
Ivo Nelson began his career in healthcare at Perot Systems and was an early proponent of clinical transformation. The idea that healthcare systems could use technology to improve patient care and outcomes led to the formation of Healthlink Corporation in 1992. Healthlink grew to be the largest privately held, provider-focused, healthcare technology consulting firm in the world when IBM acquired it in 2005. In 2009, Ivo co-founded Encore Health Resources to assist healthcare organizations in mining the business intelligence accrued after decades of process and technology improvements. Since it’s founding, Encore was one of the fastest-growing health IT services companies in the industry, and it has been named one of Modern Healthcare’s “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” five years in a row. Encore was acquired by Quintiles in 2014. Bottom line: This is not Ivo’s first rodeo. He was named to the HIMSS “50 in 50” list, recognizing the top 50 contributors to the healthcare IT industry in the past 50 years. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from CHIME, the HIMSS Leadership Award, and the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. |
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Ivo is a strategic advisor to several healthcare technology companies. He is the founder, board member and investor for Next Wave Connect, Next Wave Health Advisors, and Smart Social Media. He is an investor who currently serves on the board for Global HealthCare Alliance and IMD Soft, and served on the boards of Encore Health Resources, HealthPost, Health Care DataWorks and MedSynergies.
While not dreaming up new solutions for the healthcare industry, Ivo lives in Huntsville, Texas on a small lake in the Sam Houston National Forest surrounded by family – his wife, Sally, his Dad, two sisters and three grown children. He and Sally, are empty-nesters with two dogs, D.J. and Buckley, and one cat, Opie. Ivo and Sally can usually be found spending time and enjoying life with their two grandchildren-Aiden and Dolores.
While not dreaming up new solutions for the healthcare industry, Ivo lives in Huntsville, Texas on a small lake in the Sam Houston National Forest surrounded by family – his wife, Sally, his Dad, two sisters and three grown children. He and Sally, are empty-nesters with two dogs, D.J. and Buckley, and one cat, Opie. Ivo and Sally can usually be found spending time and enjoying life with their two grandchildren-Aiden and Dolores.
Calli Dretke
President & CEO
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Calli stands at the forefront of one of the fastest moving Association Software industry trends: member engagement. Described by her peers as a “unicorn”, Calli exhibits passion, intellect, creativity, and detailed execution in everything she does. She has carried this positive attitude across the entire Next Wave Connect organization to establish a culture of success for her team. A calculated risk-taker with deep healthcare industry knowledge, Calli has championed member engagement programs and tactics to her enterprise customers to help them further achieve success through engagement, retention, growth and new revenue strategies. Under her leadership, Next Wave Connect has developed and delivered the next generation of association software specifically for healthcare industry membership associations, starting with an ecosystem that gives the associations a secure place to collaborate in a more meaningful way.
Calli believes that teamwork and collaboration is the framework for success, and that social networking, with its ability to connect peers across organizations, can enable the healthcare industry to reach common goals more efficiently than ever. Before joining Next Wave Connect (NWC), Dretke spent six years at Huntsville Memorial Hospital where she was director of marketing and community relations with a focus on hospital operations and security. Calli also served as the administrative representative for the hospital’s co-management model, a key initiative to align both primary care physicians and specialists with the hospital’s long-term goals of improved efficiency, quality, and new project development. A member of the hospital’s executive team, Calli managed a variety of different departments. Much of her expertise centers on institutional branding, message development, and implementing key marketing strategies. Dretke has led efforts in coordinating market research studies—specifically market assessments and community needs assessments—as well as strategies for marketing new and existing services to the public. |
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Dretke joined Next Wave Connect in 2014 as a Community Manager and quickly worked her way up the organization ladder as a Senior Director of Vendor Integration, VP of Operations, and now serves as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
Calli holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she attended on academic and athletic scholarships and played Women’s Division I softball. Raised in Texas, she spent much of her youth traveling with her favorite coach – her father - across the U.S., playing tournament softball in 48 states before hanging up her cleats. When she’s not at work, Calli enjoys time with her husband and daughter, training for half marathons, and planning ski trips. Calli often says that of all the titles she may hold in her lifetime, the greatest is being called wife and mom.
Calli holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she attended on academic and athletic scholarships and played Women’s Division I softball. Raised in Texas, she spent much of her youth traveling with her favorite coach – her father - across the U.S., playing tournament softball in 48 states before hanging up her cleats. When she’s not at work, Calli enjoys time with her husband and daughter, training for half marathons, and planning ski trips. Calli often says that of all the titles she may hold in her lifetime, the greatest is being called wife and mom.
H. Stephen Lieber
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Executive Advisor
Longtime association executive, Steve Lieber, joined Next Wave Connect in 2018 as Executive Advisor. Steve draws on his deep experience in association leadership to provide operational insight and to advise on product direction and development for the growing, association-focused organization. Steve brings more than 35 years of experience primarily in healthcare association management. From 2000 through mid-2017, Steve served as President and CEO of the world-renowned Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and its related organizations. Steve was consistently recognized as one of the Top 100 most influential people in US healthcare during his tenure.
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