Executive Team

Adam V. Russo, Esq. - CEO

Adam V. Russo, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
ARusso@phiagroup.com

Adam V. Russo, Esq. is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Phia Group, LLC, an experienced provider of healthcare cost containment techniques offering comprehensive claims recovery, plan document, and consulting services designed to control healthcare costs and protect plan assets. The Phia Group’s overall mission is to reduce the cost of healthcare through its recovery strategies, innovative technologies, and legal expertise.

Attorney Russo is also the founder and managing partner of The Law Offices of Russo & Minchoff, a full-service law firm with offices in Boston and Canton, MA. Attorney Russo’s practice is devoted to representing employers, plan fiduciaries, third-party administrators, and carriers in employee benefit matters throughout the United States. He is a published author and frequent speaker on employee benefit topics at webinars, conferences, and seminars across the country.

Attorney Russo obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School and a Master’s Degree in Finance from the Frank Sawyer School of Management at Suffolk University in Boston. He also earned an undergraduate degree from Suffolk University, where he double majored in Political Science and Public Relations. He was recognized by Suffolk University with the 2005 Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award.

Attorney Russo was the 2019 Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Self-Insurance Institute of America, Inc. (SIIA). He currently sits on the Board of Directors for SIIA and on the Board of Directors at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South, Massachusetts.  Attorney Russo is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Adam enjoys spending time with his wife Kelly and their four wonderful children, Soli, Maeve, Shae, and Samuel, and rooting for his beloved Cleveland Guardians baseball team.

Ron E. Peck, Esq.

Ron E. Peck, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer
RPeck@phiagroup.com

Ron E. Peck has been a member of The Phia Group’s team since 2006.  As the Chief Legal Officer at The Phia Group, Ron has been an innovative force in the drafting of improved benefit plan provisions, handled complex subrogation and third-party recovery disputes, healthcare direct contracting, and spearheaded efforts to combat the steadily increasing costs of healthcare.

Considered to be not only one of the nation’s top ERISA lawyers, Attorney Peck is also viewed as one of the nation’s premier self-funded health plan consultants and health benefits attorneys; lecturing at and participating in many industry gatherings including but not limited to The National Association of Subrogation Professionals (“NASP”) Litigation Skills Conference, Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (“SPBA”), the Health Care Administrator’s Association (“HCAA”), The Health Plan Alliance, the Self-Insurance Institute of America (“SIIA”) and SIIA's Government Relations Committee.  Ron is also frequently called upon to educate plan administrators and stop-loss carriers regarding changing laws and best practices.  Ron’s theories regarding benefit plan administration and healthcare have been published in many industry periodicals and have received much acclaim.  Prior to joining The Phia Group, Ron was a member of a major pharmaceutical company’s in-house legal team, a general practitioner’s law office, and served as a judicial clerk.  Ron is also currently of counsel with The Law Offices of Russo & Minchoff.

Attorney Peck obtained his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University.  Attorney Peck now serves as The Phia Group’s Chief Legal Officer.

 

Joseph Montalto - Chief Operating Officer

Joseph Montalto
Chief Operating Officer
JMontalto@phiagroup.com

Since joining The Phia Group as its Chief Operating Officer in 2015, Joseph Montalto has been a driving force in maximizing client value satisfaction by spearheading enhancements to the company’s technical and operational infrastructure. Behind Mr. Montalto’s efforts to optimize core technical functions including, but not limited to, IT applications delivery, data analytics, and data quality programs, the company has streamlined processes while not compromising quality productivity. In managing The Phia Group’s Operations, HR, IT, and Security departments, Mr. Montalto has overseen improvements to the company’s PMO, Data Center, Data Science and Business Intelligence, and Product Delivery functions as well as the ISO 27000:13 certification of its Information Security Management System. An expert in leveraging innovative techniques to develop new products and ensure product maturity, Mr. Montalto has been instrumental in cultivating an environment of continuous improvement throughout The Phia Group.

Before coming to The Phia Group, Mr. Montalto served as the Vice President of Business and Technology Solutions for Valassis, a publicly traded multibillion-dollar advertising company, whereby he guided senior executives through the execution of transformative projects amid complex changes. At Valassis, Mr. Montalto notably leveraged Lean Six Sigma towards driving process efficiency and higher quality output across multiple platforms of the organization. His earlier professional experiences included serving as Regional Delivery Director at Sierra Atlantic (Hitachi Consulting) and the Managing Principal Consultant at Oracle Consulting, the latter of which involved implementing Oracle E-Business Suite in professional services, high-tech manufacturing, insurance, healthcare, and engineering procurement construction industries. Additionally, Mr. Montalto has a strong background in the healthcare field, having served in numerous roles at Stamford Health Systems and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, all of which lends itself well to The Phia Group’s mission to contain healthcare costs for hardworking Americans.

Mr. Montalto received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut and Bachelor of Science in Systems from Providence College. Additionally, he is Six Sigma Black Belt trained and a certified Agile Scrum Master.

An avid golfer, Mr. Montalto has a decade’s worth of experience volunteering at youth golf programs under the leadership of Suzy Whaley, the first female President of the PGA of America. Mr. Montalto resides in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, with his wife and two daughters, both of whom also play golf, one at the NCAA level.

Peter Kotsifas, CPA

Peter Kotsifas, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
PKotsifas@phiagroup.com

Peter Kotsifas joined The Phia Group as its Chief Financial Officer in 2021.  Peter has over 20 years of experience leading accounting and finance teams and helping high-growth companies scale and optimize enterprise value.

Before joining The Phia Group, Peter worked in the IT services industry, public accounting, and the golf industry.  Peter credits his work in the golf industry as the spark that lit the fire of his passion for outstanding customer service – which he believes is critical to delivering a world-class, customer-focused approach at The Phia Group.  Peter’s work in the IT services industry enabled him to hone many technical skills, including numerous software system implementations, system integrations, as well as mergers and acquisitions.  Peter has a passion for excellence in everything he does and brings that winning attitude to his work for The Phia Group.

Peter received his Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts.  Besides working at The Phia Group, Peter also serves as the Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for Aceing Autism, a non-profit on a mission to help children with autism grow, develop and benefit from social connections and fitness through affordable tennis programming.

When Peter is not spending time with his wife, Megan, and two children, Colin and Halle, he enjoys playing golf, guitar, and recording music.

 

Jason Davis - Senior Vice-President at The Phia Group, LLC.

Jason Davis
Chief Revenue Officer
JDavis@phiagroup.com

Jason C. Davis is the Chief Revenue Officer at The Phia Group, LLC. Mr. Davis joined The Phia Group in 2014; prior to this, he was Vice President U.S. Markets for another cost-containment company, where for nearly 10 years, he contributed at various levels of claim settlement, dispute resolution, R&D, product development, sales, and leadership.

Mr. Davis also founded JCDC in 2014, which is a cost-containment company that catered to international payers with exposure in the U.S.  In order to expand its reach into international markets, The Phia Group acquired JCDC in 2020.  As such, Mr. Davis’ network of industry partners, contacts, and clients is spread all over the world.

Jason or “Jay” (as he is so often called) is a self-professed and proud “nerd.”  He is a consistent contributor to industry periodicals and a regular speaker at conferences that address medical cost-containment issues for multiple insurance industries. Jason loves to work hard, play hard, travel, and spend time with his wife, Kim, and their four children – Aleithea, Kairus, Xeidan, and Mohzen.

Jennifer M. McCormick, Esq.

Jennifer M. McCormick, Esq.
Senior Vice President, Consulting
JMcCormick@phiagroup.com

Jennifer M. McCormick joined The Phia Group, LLC in 2008. As the Senior Vice President of Phia Group Consulting, Attorney McCormick concentrates on a variety of healthcare and regulatory issues facing employee benefit plans and their administrators while also focusing on health benefit plan regulatory compliance services, including but not limited to self-funded health plan consultation, health plan exclusions, health plan limitations, health plan revisions, definitions of key items such as usual and customary fees, and the entire health plan summary plan description and summary of benefits and coverage. She is a constant contributor to The Phia Group’s webinars and other educational media.

Attorney McCormick earned her J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law, with certificates in Estate Planning and Family Law, and her B.A. in both Psychology and Criminal Justice from Indiana University, graduating with distinction as a National Dean’s List Scholar. While attending Syracuse, Attorney McCormick served as an Intercollegiate Director of the Moot Court Honor Society and as a Student Attorney in the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic where she counseled clients on state and federal tax matters and the U.S. Tax Court appeals process.

Julie Martin - Senior Vice President, Recovery Services

Julie Martin
Senior Vice President, Recovery Services
JMartin@phiagroup.com

Julie Martin began her career with The Phia Group, LLC as a Claims Recovery Specialist. Ms. Martin’s primary responsibilities at the time were investigating potential subrogation opportunities, obtaining accident details, and pursuing reimbursement from plan members, insurance carriers, and their attorneys.

In 2005, Ms. Martin proved her mastery of subrogation by earning her Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional (“CSRP”) certification. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to a Case Manager, and subsequently to her current role as Senior Vice President of Recovery Services, in which she supervises all of The Phia Group’s Claim Recovery Specialists. Ms. Martin handles complex cases, such as those involving a class action recovery lawyer or class action recovery firm, third party liability attorneys, Medicare coordination of benefits, third party reimbursement and third party subrogation collection. Julie is an extremely valuable resource for clients and The Phia Group’s team members alike. Ms. Martin has always demonstrated an interest in law, graduating from Bridgewater State College with a degree in Criminal Justice.


Tim Callender, Esq.

Scott Bennett, Esq.
Senior Vice President, Provider Relations
SBennett@phiagroup.com

Scott is an attorney, data analyst, software developer, and a Certified Professional Coder through the American Academy of Professional Coders. Prior to joining The Phia Group, he worked at a national third-party administrator as Vice President of Access Innovation.  Prior to his TPA work, Scott was an Associate General Counsel, Director of Dispute Resolution, and designated company witness at a nationwide medical bill review company focused on commercial payor reimbursement and workers’ compensation fee schedules and disputes.


Tim Callender, Esq.

Tim Callender, Esq.
Vice President, Strategic Accounts and Business Development
TCallender@phiagroup.com

Tim serves as the Vice President of the Client Solutions Group for The Phia Group, LLC. Prior to his current role, Tim served as a health care lawyer, staff attorney, and lead PACE counsel for The Phia Group.

Before joining The Phia Group, Tim spent years working as in-house legal counsel for a third- party administrator. Tim is well-versed in complex appeals, direct provider negotiations, plan document interpretation, and stop-loss conflict resolution, and keeps abreast of regulatory demands, vendor contract disputes, and many other issues unique to the self-funded industry.

Tim has spoken on a variety of industry topics in front of respected organizations such as the Self-Insurance Institute of America (“SIIA”), the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (“SPBA”), the Health Care Administrator’s Association (“HCAA”), and the National Association of Health Underwriters (“NAHU”). Tim currently sits on the Board of Directors for HCAA as well. Prior to his time as a TPA’s in-house counsel, Tim spent many years in private practice, successfully litigating many cases through full adjudication or to resolution through mediation or arbitration.

Tim holds a prominent role with The Phia Group’s executive leadership team while continuing to assist on many general consulting and industry projects. Tim also employs his experience to focus on the development of new services and the enrichment of The Phia Group’s existing services.

Tim received his Bachelor’s Degree from The College of Idaho, prior to obtaining his Law Degree from The University of San Diego School of Law.  Tim operates out of The Phia Group’s office in Boise, Idaho.

Hemant Dua - Vice President, Technology

Hemant Dua
Vice President, Technology
HDua@phiagroup.com

Hemant Dua joined The Phia Group as a Director of Applications & Business Intelligence in 2015. Mr. Dua has over 20 years’ experience implementing enterprise-wide technologies. He is skilled in business process, requirements analysis, databases, enterprise software, and enterprise architecture.

Mr. Dua has implemented numerous technologies for The Phia Group such as Tableau Reporting, Hyperconverged Infrastructure, and Advanced Analytics. Mr. Dua received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science from Pune University (INDIA). He is certified in Data Analytics from Cornell University and a certified Agile Scrum Master from Scrum Alliance.

 

 

Kelly E. Dempsey, Esq.

Kelly E. Dempsey, Esq.
Vice President, Consulting
KDempsey@phiagroup.com
 

Kelly E. Dempsey joined The Phia Group’s team in early 2014.  She is the Vice President of Phia Group Consulting, specializing in plan document drafting and review, as well as a myriad of compliance matters. Through working for a TPA and an insurance carrier, Kelly has gained experience with balance billing and other provider disputes, COB for Medicare, reference-based pricing, usual & reasonable fees, as well as the other issues TPAs face on a daily basis.  Kelly brings a unique perspective to The Phia Group and is a valuable asset to its team of consultants and health benefits attorneys.

Kelly is admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio and the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Kelly earned her Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Business from Muskingum University (formerly Muskingum College), graduating magna cum laude. Kelly is a board member for Project: LEARN of Medina County (Ohio), serving as President of the Board of Trustees in 2020.

 

Rebekah McGuire Dye, J.D. - Vice President, Client Solutions and Account Management

Rebekah McGuire-Dye, Esq.
Vice President, Client Solutions and Account Management
Rebekah.McGuire-Dye@phiagroup.com

Rebekah McGuire Dye is the Vice President of Client Solutions and Account Management with The Phia Group. Ms. Dye is leading The Phia Group’s client care service to the highest level of concierge client service ever established in the cost containment industry. As a partner to clients’ senior leadership, Ms. Dye and her accomplished team provide authentic customer care to ensure every aspect of the Phia – client relationship is positive, productive, and genuine.

Ms. Dye comes from a 25-year career in the cost containment industry. During her extensive career she has served over 150 health benefit providers in roles ranging from front line file handler to Group Vice President overseeing all commercial subrogation operations for over 20 million benefit recipient lives. Her lengthy cost containment career, while focused on the healthcare line of business, also includes experience in both disability and property & casualty subrogation matters.

Ms. Dye is an active member of both IDS and NASP.  You can find several published articles by Ms. Dye in the NASP Subrogator magazine, and she is a frequent subject matter expert speaker on recovery matters.

While not pursuing cost containment endeavors, she is an avid reader, nature lover and family-oriented person residing in rural Kentucky.  Her favorite stewardship is serving as an elected member of the Nelson County Kentucky School Board.  Her passion for education and children makes her an invaluable member of the Board.

Kori Watkins - Vice President, Enterprise Project Management Office

Scott Byerley, Esq. 
Vice President, Business Development, Subrogation Recovery Services
SByerley@phiagroup.com

Scott brings 20 plus years of experience in healthcare subrogation to The Phia Group. As Vice President of Business Development, Subrogation Recovery Services, Scott is responsible for The Phia Group’s subrogation sales to health plans across the U.S. Previously, Scott worked for another large subrogation company.

Prior to his career in sales, Scott earned his law degree from The University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and served many years as an attorney and Director of Litigation for Gibson and Sharps, PSC, a nationwide subrogation law firm. With his background, Scott is well-versed in applicable laws and regulations that govern the healthcare industry, and specifically, subrogation, including but not limited to ERISA, FEHBA, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Scott has spent many years working closely with large health plans across the country, where he has developed a unique understanding of the value that subrogation has on the payer industry and in the overall U.S. healthcare system. Scott has published several articles on various subrogation related topics, both with NASP (the “National Association of Subrogation Professionals”) and other industry publications.

 

 

 

Rebekah McGuire Dye, J.D. - Vice President, Client Solutions and Account Management

Ujwal Shrestha
Vice President, Business Analytics and Data Services
UShrestha@phiagroup.com

Ujwal Shrestha is the Vice President of Business Analytics and Data Services at The Phia Group. In this role, he leads the implementation of scalable tools, technologies, and business processes in the data operations as well as creation of new business opportunities using modern data analytics.

Ujwal worked for the first nine years of his career at D2Hawkeye, a data-driven company focused on improving population health and hence reducing costs in the self-funded industry. At D2Hakeye, he led data operations as well as the analytics work. He brings to Phia intimate knowledge and understanding of the self-funded ecosystem as well as the various data systems prevalent in the industry.

For the last decade before joining Phia, Ujwal worked as a Management Consultant at Deloitte and AlixPartners focusing on data strategy and analytics to improve business outcomes. While working as a consultant at AlixPartners, he led a digital transformation effort in a healthcare payment integrity company to achieve significant impact on the bottom line. Ujwal is also well-versed in project management and change management techniques. He is a PMP certified Project Manager.

Ujwal got his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He lives in the Boston area with his wife, Sebi, and two kids, Saanvi and Advay. He enjoys traveling and sports.