Dr. Richard Zenn is a seasoned health care executive and accomplished physician with a distinguished career in clinical leadership and administration. As Chief Medical Officer for Vaya Health, Dr. Zenn directly oversees the Medical Division, which includes the Medical Operations, Pharmacy Operations, and Quality Management departments. He also serves as the organization’s senior clinical leader, providing psychiatric and medical oversight for all care management, utilization management, member and recipient services, pharmacy services, and quality management functions. He chairs Vaya’s Quality Improvement Committee, Clinical Advisory Committee, and Critical Incident Review Committee and serves as the Executive Leadership Team representative to the Human Rights Committee.
Prior to joining Vaya, Dr. Zenn served as Medical Director of Behavioral Health Services for HCA/Mission Health, where he provided clinical leadership for acute inpatient services, oversaw outpatient programs, and played a pivotal role in strategic planning for a new psychiatric facility. His commitment to medical education was evident in his role as a site director for the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Psychiatry Residency program.
Throughout his career, Dr. Zenn has advanced mental health service delivery, promoted clinical excellence and performance improvement, and contributed significantly to psychiatric education. Before moving to North Carolina, Dr. Zenn served in behavioral health and medical leadership roles at Northwell Health, including Chair of Psychiatry and Chair of the Medical Board at Glen Cove Hospital, and chair of the Behavioral Health Performance Improvement Coordinating Group for Northwell Health. He was an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Hofstra University/Northwell Health Zucker School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and twice won the Outstanding Teacher award given by graduating residents of the Zucker-Hillside Hospital Psychiatry Residency program. In addition, Dr. Zenn maintained an active outpatient psychiatry practice.
Dr. Zenn earned both his M.D. and undergraduate degrees from Boston University. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a psychiatrist and received the Meritorious Service Medal. He was named a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2009 and, through his role at MAHEC, was designated an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina.