Leadership
Get to know our leadership team and their commitment to our mission, values, and the success of our collective journey.
Laura McCrary, Ed.D
President & CEO
Laura McCrary, Ed.D. is a seasoned healthcare executive with 25 years of experience in the industry. With a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes through innovative solutions, Dr. McCrary has successfully led KONZA Health through tremendous change and growth over the years.
Dr. McCrary is widely recognized in the industry for her achievements in establishing a successful and financially sustainable Health Information Exchange. She is the founding Executive Director/CEO of the Kansas Health Information Network, now known as KONZA Health. During her tenure, KONZA Health has expanded into 11 states and now provides a vast array of analytic and health information exchange solutions to providers, patients and health plans.
Dr. McCrary is passionate about health information technology that improves health outcomes and reduces provider and patient burden. To this end, Dr. McCrary is leading KONZA Health in the development of new products that focus on improving health access, evaluating healthcare quality and transforming into formats necessary to support value-based payment models, medical research and clinical trials.
Dr. McCrary attended Kansas State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on history and political science, two master's degrees in learning disabilities and severe emotional disturbance and a doctorate in education administration. She completed post-doctoral work in administration from the University of Kansas. In addition, Dr. McCrary has served as an adjunct professor at Kansas State University and Rockhurst University-Helzberg School of Management, teaching courses in health information technology and quality.
Jody Denson, MPA, PMP
Chief Technology Officer / Vice President of Technology Solutions
Jody Denson, MPA, PMP is a well-recognized technology executive with over 15 years of experience in the field. She joined KONZA Health in 2013 and has held several leadership positions, including Director of Technology Solutions, Vice President of Technology Solutions and now Chief Technology Officer.
Denson’s expertise and contributions to the healthcare technology industry are widely recognized. She has a successful track record at delivering innovative healthcare technology products that have improved health care coordination, clinical data quality and patient care safety. As the VP of Technology Solutions and CTO of KONZA Health, Denson is responsible for the development and implementation of KONZA Health's healthcare information technology products and services, system-wide technology standards and budgets. She leads the work of implementation and development teams, as well as help desk staff, to ensure operational efficiency and the successful delivery of healthcare technology solutions. Additionally, Denson oversees the direct delivery of Kansas Health Information Network products and services related to data integration into the data warehouse and health information exchange.
Denson holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Missouri - Kansas City and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Jeff Messer
Chief Financial Officer
Jeff Messer joined KONZA Health as Chief Financial Officer in 2021. With over 35 years of experience in business and finance, including 11 years in the HIE/Healthcare IT industry, Messer brings broad expertise to his role in business administration and finance.
Prior to joining KONZA Health, Messer served as Chief Financial Officer at Toolwatch, a Software as a Service platform company serving the construction industry. Responsible for finance, accounting and strategic growth planning, he was instrumental in leading the company through a private equity transaction, which included spearheading the search for an investment banking firm and leading the company-side discovery, due diligence and closing process. As the Vice President of Market Development at DispatchHealth, a mobile in-home healthcare provider, he was essential in helping the company as it matured, developing new markets and growth opportunities. Messer also led outreach, marketing and practice transformation efforts for CORHIO, a Colorado-based health information exchange, as their Chief Development Officer.
Messer holds a degree in business administration. He has served on numerous boards, including his current role as Treasurer for the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center.
Eric Thompson
Chief Information Officer / Chief Information Security Officer / Vice President of Business Intelligence and Analytics
Eric Thompson, MBA has been with KONZA Health since 2015. He has held several leadership positions for the organization, including Director and Vice President of Business Intelligence and Analytics, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer.
With over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry, Thompson has been successful at developing high-quality, data-driven business intelligence to drive better health outcomes. Instrumental in creating the earliest reports from Health Information Exchange data for the Kansas Health Information Network, he implemented the first dashboards for the provider user base. Prior to KONZA Health, Thompson worked on the population health team for Cerner Corporation where he led client data delivery strategy. Using disparate data sources and various coding languages, he was pivotal in turning healthcare big data into actionable clinical intelligence.
Thompson holds a master’s degree in business administration and management and a certificate in healthcare leadership from Rockhurst University. He studied clinical research at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he authored “Value-Based Benefit Design to Improve Medication Adherence for Employees with Anxiety or Depression”.
David Dooley
Vice President of Software Solutions and Data Engineering
David Dooley, MBA is a healthcare technology executive with extensive experience in software solutions, data engineering, and business intelligence. With nearly a decade at KONZA Health, Dooley has advanced through multiple leadership roles and now serves as Vice President of Software Solutions and Data Engineering, where he oversees the design, development, and delivery of scalable data and analytics platforms.
Dooley is recognized for his ability to bridge the gap between IT, business users, and executives, ensuring that technical solutions align with strategic priorities. He has led teams of developers and analysts to create and maintain comprehensive business intelligence tools, data integrations, and reporting systems that directly support KONZA Health’s mission to improve healthcare outcomes through trusted, high-quality data exchange. His work emphasizes data integrity, performance optimization, and practical applications that enable providers, payers, and public health organizations to act on meaningful insights.
Before assuming his current role, Dooley served as Director of Information Software and Senior Business Analyst at KONZA Health, where he was instrumental in developing dashboards, predictive analytics, and custom reporting solutions. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Business Analyst in Population Health at Cerner Corporation, as well as in marketing and analytics roles that strengthened his expertise in data-driven decision-making.
Dooley earned a Master of Business Administration from Baker University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Kansas State University. His combination of business acumen, technical expertise, and leadership experience positions him to continue driving innovative solutions that support value-based care and nationwide health data interoperability.
Joshua Mosier
Vice President of Operations
Josh Mosier rejoined KONZA Health as Vice President of Operations, bringing more than a decade of experience in healthcare technology, client success leadership, and operational strategy. He has a strong record of driving organizational growth, client retention, and measurable outcomes for healthcare organizations nationwide.
Mosier previously spent four years at KONZA Health, where he simultaneously led client success, sales, and marketing functions, strengthening provider relationships and advancing strategic initiatives across the organization. He later held leadership roles at Marathon Health, where he expanded national client partnerships and consistently exceeded growth targets, and at Bamboo Health, where he managed high-value healthcare accounts and supported prescription drug monitoring programs.
Throughout his career, Mosier has specialized in aligning healthcare technology solutions with evolving business needs, delivering exceptional client experiences, and partnering with diverse stakeholders to improve patient outcomes. His expertise spans value-based care, health information exchange, employee wellness, and prescription drug monitoring.
Melissa Talley
Vice President of Clinical Data Quality
Melissa Talley joined KONZA Health in 2020 and brings more than twenty five years in healthcare across quality, practice management, and information technology. She leads clinical quality services with a clear focus on making data reliable and usable at the point of care.
Talley specializes in healthcare IT and data quality programs, with deep experience in workflow management, quality improvement, and LEAN methodologies. She has expanded KONZA Health’s quality work by leading the NCQA Data Aggregator Validation program and establishing standardized data quality practices across the organization. Her priority is closing the gap between technology and clinical practice so clinicians can trust the data and use it to improve outcomes.
She holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has dedicated her career to advancing healthcare efficiency and quality.
Sara Warnock
Vice President of Health Information Technology
Sara Warnock, BA, AS is a healthcare technology leader with more than a decade of experience advancing health information exchange and data interoperability. With a strong background in communications and health information technology, Warnock has played a key role in expanding KONZA Health’s capabilities and strengthening the quality and reach of data sharing across healthcare organizations.
Warnock currently serves as Director of Technology Solutions and Senior Project Manager for KONZA Health, where she leads a team of project managers dedicated to connecting hospitals, ambulatory clinics, and behavioral health centers to the Health Information Exchange. Under her leadership, KONZA has enhanced the completeness, accuracy, and value of the data available to providers and patients throughout Kansas and beyond.
She is recognized for her expertise in national health information networks, including eHealth Exchange and Qualified Health Information Networks (QHIN), as well as her focus on data conformance, data quality, and effective integration strategies. Her leadership ensures that healthcare providers and IT professionals have the tools and support needed to deliver high-quality, interoperable care.
Warnock earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas and an Associate of Science in Health Information Technology from Washburn University. Her combination of technical knowledge and communications expertise positions her to continue advancing innovative, efficient, and impactful solutions in health information exchange.