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 expertise in telepsychiatry and commitment to medical education were 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 demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing mental health services, promoting clinical excellence, and contributing significantly to the field of psychiatry. Before moving to North Carolina, he maintained an outpatient practice, served in behavioral health leadership roles at Northwell Health, and was an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Hofstra University/Northwell Health Zucker School of Medicine and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
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.