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Horizon Foundation Welcomes New CEO

The Horizon Foundation announces Nicolette Highsmith Vernick as President and Chief Executive Officer, beginning March 1. Highsmith Vernick, a nationally recognized expert on publicly financed healthcare, succeeds founding President and CEO Richard M. Krieg, who is retiring after 13 years at the helm of the philanthropy, which seeks to improve the health and wellness of people living and working in Howard County.

Highsmith Vernick has been serving as Senior Vice President for Program at the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc., in Hamilton, NJ, which she joined in 1999. At the Center , Highsmsith  Vernick guided states and communities across the country to develop innovative solutions for improving healthcare quality and reducing disparities  in publicly-financed care. During her tenure, she oversaw multimillion-dollar programs for major healthcare philanthropies, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  She has published widely and spoken at national conferences, primarily on issues related to health care delivery, quality and equity.

"We are very excited to have Nikki lead The Horizon Foundation," said Shirley D. Collier, Chair of the Board of Trustees.  "She has the right attitude and intellectual energy to help us assess community needs, develop evidence-based strategies and implement measurable initiatives to improve health and wellness in Howard County," Collier added. 

"Nikki is particularly accomplished in collaborating with a broad spectrum of regional and national stakeholders to affect positive change.  We are confident that she will be able to lead our efforts to leverage the Foundation's resources with those of others to tackle increasingly complex health and wellness issues in our community," Collier noted.

A graduate of the University of Texas with a Bachelor's in History, Highsmith Vernick has a Master's in Public Administration from American University.

Highsmith Vernick and her family are moving from Pennsylvania to Ellicott City. She begins work at the Foundation on March 1.