Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan Appoints Meg Porfido to Its Board of Directors

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Meg Porfido, former chief human resources officer for Level 3 Communications, has been named to the Board of Directors for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

"The addition of Meg Porfido to our Board will further diversify the outstanding talents and wide-ranging experience among our Board of Directors," said George C. Halvorson, chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. "Meg Porfido is a widely respected and deeply experienced business leader, and she will provide our management team with new insight and perspectives."

Most recently, Ms. Porfido was part of the management team at Level 3 Communications, a global company based in Broomfield, Colo., that provides communications services over one of the world's largest fiber-based networks. In her last role there, she served as the chief human resources officer where she was responsible for compensation, benefits, human resource systems, recruiting, talent management and development, engagement, an employee call center and internal communications.

Before joining Level 3 Communications, Ms. Porfido served as chief of staff to former Colorado Governor Roy Romer. In that role, she managed the governor's 16-person cabinet, which oversaw all state government operations and services. She advised the governor and senior managers on legal, budget, operations, personnel, and policy issues and served as liaison to the business community. She also supervised the governor's office staff. Prior to that position, she served as the governor's general counsel, where she worked with the Attorney General to provide legal support to the governor and cabinet, and as legislative liaison, where she served as the lead lobbyist with the state legislature.

Ms. Porfido, who is from Colorado, was named one of the "top 40 business leaders under 40 years of age" by the Denver Business Journal, and has participated in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.

"I believe in Kaiser Permanente's mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of their members and the communities they serve," Porfido said.  "And, I am impressed by the innovative ways they are addressing today's challenges in health care. I feel fortunate to be joining this talented team at such an important and rewarding time in Kaiser Permanente's history."

Prior to joining the governor's office, Ms. Porfido practiced law at the private law firms of Brownstein, Hyatt in Denver, and Skadden, Arps in Washington, D.C. She began her career as a legislative assistant to Oklahoma Congressman Mike Synar in the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the last two years, Ms. Porfido was appointed to serve on two statewide boards in Colorado, the State Board for Community College Colleges and Occupational Education, and the Higher Education Strategic Planning Steering Committee. She also serves as chair of the board of directors of Global Education Fund, a non-profit based in Boulder, Colo., whose mission is to improve the lives of children living in poverty around the world through education.

Ms. Porfido earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Delaware in Newark, Del., and a law degree from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.8 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

For more information, contact:
Laura Dunn, 510.267-2818, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente