PayForward Welcomes Sandy Spitale as Chief Innovation Officer to Advance Member-Centric Healthcare Innovation

Industry veteran brings deep clinical and business expertise to expand product offerings and enhance outcomes across health plans

VALENCIA, Calif., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PayForward, a leader in healthcare solutions for health plans, is pleased to announce Sandy Spitale is joining the company as Chief Innovation Officer. With more than two decades of experience spanning clinical and business leadership, Sandy will lead the development of customized, member-focused products designed to improve health outcomes and support the evolving needs of health plans.

Sandy brings a distinguished background in healthcare, including 15 years at Humana, where she led clinical operations nationwide. Her expertise spans utilization management, care management, quality improvement initiatives such as Star and HEDIS ratings, and home health solutions. Most recently, Sandy served as the Chief Clinical Officer at Ochsner Health System, overseeing clinical operations, pharmacy, appeals and grievances, and quality improvement, while advancing value-based care.

As a clinical and executive business leader, Sandy believes that healthcare innovation should improve access, outcomes, and quality. This philosophy shapes her approach to developing solutions that deliver meaningful impact for health plans and members. Sandy's clinical background as a registered nurse, combined with her MBA, uniquely positions her to bridge clinical expertise with business strategy, ensuring PayForward's solutions meet the needs of health plans.

"I consider myself a patient advocate first," said Spitale. "My goal is to build on PayForward's strong foundation by delivering solutions that align with each health plan's regional needs and business strategy, ultimately improving outcomes, enhancing member experience, and providing data insights that help plans succeed."

In her role as CIO, Sandy will focus on expanding PayForward's product offerings, including rewards and incentives programs designed to drive healthy member behaviors and close care gaps. She will also prioritize enhanced reporting capabilities to deliver actionable, data-forward insights to health plans.

"Bringing Sandy on board is a major milestone for PayForward," said Dan Chambers, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer. "Her deep health plan expertise and passion for member advocacy strengthens our ability to deliver flexible, high-impact solutions."

For more information, visit https://www.payforward.com/.

About PayForward:
PayForward is a benefits platform built for health plans, offering a white-glove experience tailored to each plan and its members. With flexible funding, enterprise-grade security, and hands-on leadership, PayForward helps health plans drive engagement, streamline operations, and deliver measurable ROI.

SOURCE PayForward