Javier J. Rodriguez
Chief Executive Officer, DaVita Inc.
Javier Rodriguez is the Chief Executive Officer of DaVita Inc., a global health care provider focused on improving the quality of life for patients through clinical innovation and integrated, personalized care. The company’s global operations include over 3,100 outpatient dialysis centers in 11 countries and 67,000 teammates serving more than 240,000 patients with kidney disease.
Mr. Rodriguez is an experienced leader committed to transforming care delivery for patients with kidney disease—from the earliest stages of the disease through transplantation. He is passionate about accelerating the digital transformation and delivering customized care to each patient while lowering costs for the health care system. In more than 20 years with DaVita, he has continued fostering a powerful sense of inclusivity and community among teammates and patients.
Since joining the company in 1998, Mr. Rodriguez has served in a number of capacities, including leading kidney care operations and payor contracting. Prior to joining DaVita, Mr. Rodriguez worked in finance for Baxter Healthcare Corporation and in operations for CBS Marketing Inc. in Mexico City.
Mr. Rodriguez has been widely recognized for his leadership by Fierce Healthcare, Modern Healthcare and Hispanic Executive, among others. He serves on the board of directors for Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD). Mr. Rodriguez is one of 550 CEOs of the world’s leading organizations to sign the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity & Inclusion.
Mr. Rodriguez earned a master’s degree from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from Boston College.
Michael D. Staffieri
Chief Operating Officer, DaVita Kidney Care
Michael D. Staffieri became our Chief Operating Officer, DaVita Kidney Care, in March 2014. From July 2011 to February 2014, he served as a Senior Vice President, Kidney Care. Mr. Staffieri initially joined us in July 2000 and served in different roles since that time, including as our Vice President of Operations and New Center Development form March 2008 to July 2011. Prior to joining us, Mr. Staffieri worked for Arthur Andersen LLP in Finance from 1999 to 2000.
Robert Lang
President, DaVita International
Robert Lang became our President and Chief Executive Officer of International in April 2017 and has played an integral role in positioning the company for strong international growth of 19% per annum since 2017. DaVita's International business spans 11 countries and provides care for more than 40,000 kidney disease patients outside of the United States. Robert has led the expansion of DaVita International further into Asia and the UK and has overseen the expansion of our clinical services in Europe, South America and Saudi Arabia. Robert has brought a strong commitment to improving outcomes and patient experience in every clinic DaVita operates around the world. Robert is a serving Board member for Bridge of Life (BOL), an independent public charity and international nonprofit organization working to strengthen healthcare globally through sustainable programs that prevent and treat chronic disease. Prior to joining DaVita, Robert has held leadership positions at Bupa, UBS and HSBC. Robert served in the Australian Army from 1991-1998.
Joel Ackerman
Chief Financial Officer, DaVita Inc.
Joel Ackerman became our Chief Financial Officer in February 2017 after serving as our Senior Vice President, Finance from February 2017 to February 2017. Effective April 2019, Mr. Ackerman was also appointed to serve as our Treasurer. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ackerman was the chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of Champions Oncology, Inc., a company engaged in the development of advanced technology solutions and services to personalize the development and use of oncology drugs, since October 2010. Mr. Ackerman is currently the chairman of the board of Champions Oncology. Mr. Ackerman served as a managing director at Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm, where he led the healthcare services team for 10 years from January 1999 to September 2008. He served on the board of directors at Kindred Healthcare, Inc. a post-acute provider in the United States, from December 2008 to July 2018, and served on the board of directors of Coventry Health Care, Inc. a national managed care company, from September 1999 until its acquisition by Aetna Inc. in May 2013. He is also chairman of the board of One Acre Fund, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on smallholder agriculture, and serves subsistence farmers in Africa.
Christopher M. Berry
Chief Accounting Officer, DaVita Inc.
Christopher M. Berry became our Chief Accounting Officer in September 2023. Mr. Berry brings more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience to DaVita. Prior to joining us as Group Vice President, Accounting in August 2023, Mr. Berry was the senior vice president and chief accounting officer at Sonder Holdings Inc. (“Sonder”), a publicly traded hospitality company, from August 2022 to August 2023. He also previously served as Sonder’s interim principal financial officer from January 2023 to March 2023. Prior to joining Sonder, Mr. Berry held various roles at Alaska Air Group, Inc., a publicly traded airline holding company, serving as vice president, corporate controller, and chief accounting officer from February 2017 to April 2022, managing director of accounting, corporate controller and principal accounting officer from February 2014 to February 2017, managing director, investor relations from October 2010 to February 2014, and director, financial reporting and accounting from March 2005 to October 2010. Mr. Berry holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Louisiana Monroe and a CPA license in the State of Washington.
Jeffrey A. Giullian
Chief Medical Officer, DaVita Kidney Care
Jeffrey Giullian, MD, serves as chief medical officer of DaVita Kidney Care. Dr. Giullian leads the transformation of kidney care through his commitment to providing holistic, integrated care that addresses the clinical and psychosocial needs of patients. Dr. Giullian is focused on pushing the boundaries on exemplary clinical care through innovation and expanding what is possible for patients living with kidney disease.
Since joining DaVita in 2016, Dr. Giullian previously served as chief medical officer of hospital services, vice president of medical affairs and national group medical director at DaVita Kidney Care. Dr. Giullian relies on his past experiences in private practice and hospital leadership to advocate for patients, physicians and medical directors. He is active with the Renal Physicians Association (RPA) as a member of the Board of Directors, chairman of the Healthcare Payment Committee and member of the RPA’s team of advisors to the American Medical Association Relative Value Units Utilization Committee. Dr. Giullian trained in nephrology and transplantation at Vanderbilt University and received his MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver.
Kathleen A. Waters
Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer
Kathleen A. Waters became our Chief Legal Officer in May 2016, overseeing all legal and regulatory functions for the enterprise. In February 2021, Ms. Waters became our Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer as she also took over responsibility for government affairs. Prior to joining us, Ms. Waters was senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Health Net, Inc., a publicly traded managed care organization, from April 2015 to March 2016. Prior to Health Net, Inc., she was a partner in Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP's litigation practice from 2003 to 2015, where she was co-chair of the healthcare group. Before that, Ms. Waters was a partner at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP in Los Angeles.
James O. Hearty
Chief Compliance Officer, DaVita Inc.
James O. Hearty became our Chief Compliance Officer in March 2018. From September 2015 to March 2018, he served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, DaVita Kidney Care, and, prior to that, from February 2012 to August 2015, he served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel. Prior to joining us, he was a prosecutor and trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for 14 years. He started in the Civil Division of the DOJ in Washington D.C. and four years later became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Mr. Hearty held several leadership positions at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including deputy chief of the criminal division. Mr. Hearty also serves on the board of Urban Peak, a Denver non-profit that serves homeless youth.
Tina Livaudais
Chief Nursing Officer, DaVita Inc.
Tina Livaudais is the chief nursing officer for DaVita Kidney Care, where she focuses on clinical experience and patient safety. Tina is an established leader in the nursing field, with over 28 years in clinical leadership roles at every level of the organization.
She started her DaVita tenure in 1995 as a patient care technician (PCT) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her passion for personalized, high-touch care deepened, and Tina went on to serve as a facility administrator, regional operations director, division vice president of Hospital Services and vice president of Clinical Services for a multi-state region before her latest role as chief nursing officer.
Tina is passionate about continuous education and development, often advocating through guest lectures and presentations to nursing groups across the U.S. In 2017, Tina was honored with the Chairman’s Award for her inspirational leadership style and strong advocacy for nurses and PCTs, and in 2023, Tina was named one of Fierce Healthcare’s Women of Influence.
