Meet the Management Staff

President of Managed Care
David Lavely is the President of OptiCare Managed Vision. His experience as an insurance executive and healthcare provider grants him unique perspective in health insurance administration. He promotes informatics as a means to increase efficiencies. He has earned degrees from the University of Pittsburgh (M.B.A.), Pennsylvania College of Optometry (B.S. & O.D.), and Pennsylvania State University (B.S.). He is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters, American Optometric Association, and the South Carolina Captive Insurance Association. He serves on the Board of Directors of Centene Corporation subsidiary companies OptiCare Vision Company, Inc., Total Vision, Inc., AECC Total Vision Health Plan of Texas, Inc., OptiCare IPA of New York, Inc., Ocucare Systems, Inc., and OptiCare Vision Insurance Company.

Senior Vice President of Finance
Mr. Verrastro serves as the Senior Vice President of OptiCare Managed Vision. Since joining OptiCare in 1995, Mr. Verrastro has held various positions within the company including Vice President of Finance and Director of Financial Analysis.  Prior to OptiCare, Mr. Verrastro worked 13 years for the State of Connecticut most recently as a Principal Cost Analyst with the Department of Social Services (DSS).   Mr. Verrastro, a Certified Public Accountant, obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Assumption College and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Account Services
Mr. Larry Keeley brings more than 25 years of managed care experience to his position as SVP of Regulatory Affairs & Account Services for OptiCare Managed Vision. His experience includes all areas of operations, with concentration in product development/implementation of commercial and government programs, customer service and provider affairs, as well as contracting and regulatory compliance. Currently, Mr. Keeley's primary responsibilities include regulatory compliance, contract development and maintenance, and planned implementation. He is also responsible for account services: troubleshooting high-level client issues, managing benefit changes with Operations, and oversee responses for request for proposals (RFPs) with marketing. He earned his B.A. degree in Political Science at Virginia Wesleyan College and has furthered his education in Administration and Health Services in addition to Health Care Compliance.

Senior Vice President of Information Systems
Mr. Marrero oversees systems operations for OptiCare Managed Vision. He brings more than twenty years of experience in information systems technology, including seventeen years in the managed care industry. Working for over a decade for OptiCare, some of Mr. Marrero’s accomplishments include the conversion of legacy systems; implementation of EDI, OCR, and IVR systems; and multiple web applications for the eyecare industry. Prior to his tenure at OptiCare, he worked for United Health Care of Florida as a manager of Information Systems where he was instrumental in supporting Commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare business for the Central Florida market. Mr. Marrero has successfully redesigned, implemented, and integrated applications to support the managed care, home health care, and long-term care businesses. He graduated cum laude from Inter American University with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science in 1986.

Senior Vice President of Quality Management
Tara Price joined the OptiCare team in April of 2007. As the Senior Vice President of Quality Management, Tara is responsible for all aspects of quality management.  Prior to working with OptiCare, Tara was the Vice President of Centralized Operations for the largest independent title insurance agency in Florida. Her expertise includes project management, process improvement and implementation of large scale operational strategies.  Tara is a licensed North Carolina Life and Health Insurance Agent and a North Carolina Notary. She graduated cum laude from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree via East Carolina University’s distance education program.

Vice President, Member & Provider Services
Shaheen Chaudhry joined OptiCare in November 2010. As Vice President, Member & Provider Services, Shaheen is responsible for overseeing the Operations of Provider Affairs, Customer Relations and Provider Maintenance. He is a graduate of Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Certificate in Markets and Management. Shaheen is an accomplished Operations leader with over 10 years of Operational management experience including specialties in best practice development, process improvement and customer service. Prior to OptiCare, he worked as the Head of Operational Support at The Number UK, Ltd.; a leading provider of retail directory assistance services throughout the United Kingdom. He also held other various operational roles including Head of Customer Experience Operations & Call Center Manager.

Manager of Provider Affairs
Jay Myers is the Manager of Provider Affairs, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of Network Management, Customer Solutions and Credentialing. Jay is also the OptiCare liaison for state optometry associations and other state professional associations. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry with expertise in customer service, provider relations, network development, contract negotiations, credentialing and compliance. Jay joined the OptiCare team in 1997 after gaining healthcare experience in the home health equipment field and emergency department physician staffing and billing. Jay is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Policy and Administration.

Senior Business Analyst
Ms. Cook brings over 23 years of healthcare management experience to OptiCare Managed Vision. Prior to joining the team at OptiCare Managed Vision in 1997, she managed a full service Third Party Claims Administrator in Southern California and has expertise in all areas of claims administration and management. At OptiCare, Ms. Cook's responsibilities have included multi-department leadership, analytics, policy development, reporting, and project management. She has participated in and led various team projects including a claim system conversion, organization policy and procedure review, and two re-engineering projects for the Claim and Customer Relations Departments. Ms. Cook earned a Bachelor's Degree in Information Management from California State University at San Bernardino and a Masters in Business Administration from Campbell University, North Carolina.

Communications Specialist
Annie Mayo joined the OptiCare team in January 2012. Annie is responsible for developing and maintaining various company communications, including marketing materials, website content, and provider communications. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Virginia Tech and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from North Carolina State University. Prior to OptiCare, Annie wrote and managed grants for Nash Community College and The University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She has years of experience in technical writing, marketing and communications.

National Medical Director
Dr. Mark Ruchman, a board certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained ophthalmic plastic surgeon, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Williams College. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Dr. Ruchman received his medical degree from Yale University in 1976. He completed his residency in Ophthalmology and fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. He is the National Medical Director for OptiCare Managed Vision and has over 20 years experience in quality improvement, outcomes analysis and protocol development. Dr. Ruchman is a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He specializes in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and has written and lectured extensively on various areas of ophthalmology. Dr. Ruchman has been presented the Honor Award by the American
Academy of Ophthalmology in recognition of his contributions to the profession.

Medical Director
Dr. Haas serves as a Medical Director for OptiCare Managed Vision providing guidance and input on matters concerning quality of care, clinical criteria and provider networks. Dr. Haas obtained his Doctor of Medicine from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, his residency and flexible internship were completed at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. Dr. Haas is Board Certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Haas has professional interests in Comprehensive Ophthalmic Medical Photography and Sports Ophthalmology.

Medical Director
As a Medical Director for OptiCare Managed Vision, Dr. Putman provides guidance and input on matters concerning quality of care, clinical criteria, and provider networks as they pertain to eye care. He obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine and interned at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, with a residency of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University's Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Putman is board certified through the American Board of Ophthalmology. In addition, he is professionally affiliated with a number of medical and ophthalmological associations including, North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Milan R Genge
Medical Director
Dr. Milan R. Genge, DO is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist committed to providing comprehensive quality eye care.  Dr. Genge received his osteopathic medical degree from Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa. He went on to pursue his internship and residency training at the Chicago College of Osteopathic medicine in Olympia Fields, Illinois. As a Medical Director for OptiCare Managed Vision, Dr. Genge offers a broad spectrum of evaluation and treatment and is dedicated to excellence in care. He welcomes patients for general eye exams and for glasses or contacts. Dr. Genge also offers laser and surgical care for diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, pterygium removal, minor eyelid problems and no-stitch cataract surgery. Dr. Genge has experience managing dry eye syndrome, macular degeneration, corneal disease, and eye infections.