NovaWell Expands Leadership Team to Drive Next Phase of Growth and Innovation, Appoints Joe Burton as CEO

As NovaWell Gains Momentum in the Market, the Organization Welcomes New President & CEO, Chief Medical Officer, and VP, Growth & Client Success to Lead Next Phase of Evolution.

NEWARK, NJ – NovaWell, a leading innovator in behavioral health solutions, is accelerating its mission to expand access to high-quality behavioral healthcare with key leadership appointments.

Joe Burton, most recently the Founder & CEO of Whil (now RethinkCare) and President of Headspace, has joined NovaWell as President and CEO, bringing extensive industry expertise in scaling digital health platforms, driving innovation in mental health, and leading high-growth SaaS and clinical services businesses focused on transforming behavioral healthcare delivery.

As part of this transition, Suzanne Kunis, founding President and CEO of NovaWell, will be retiring and will move into a strategic advisor role. Over the past 8 years, Suzanne has been critical in driving Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s approach to behavioral health, including leading the creation of NovaWell in 2022.

“This is an exciting time for NovaWell as we continue to expand our impact and advance our integrated care model,” said Joe Burton, President and CEO, NovaWell. “Suzanne Kunis’s leadership and the entire dedicated team have placed NovaWell at the forefront of behavioral health transformation. Their deep clinical and health plan administrative expertise and holistic approach ensures that our solutions are not just innovative, but truly integrated across mental, physical and pharmacy needs. I am honored to join such a talented mission-driven team, and excited about building on NovaWell’s industry leadership in behavioral health to serve our five health plans and their more than 12 million members.”

NovaWell also named Dr. Ayo Gathing as Chief Medical Officer, and Adam Weliver as VP, Growth & Client Success. This expansion reinforces NovaWell’s commitment to investing in clinical excellence, innovation, improving behavioral health outcomes, and strengthening partnerships with health plans and systems nationwide.

As NovaWell continues to evolve, the company remains grounded in its mission to integrate behavioral health, physical health, and pharmacy solutions, while enhancing access to high-quality care. This infusion of leadership brings fresh perspectives to further accelerate NovaWell’s impact.

“Building and leading NovaWell has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said retiring CEO, Suzanne Kunis. “I’m excited for Joe’s arrival and incredibly proud of what we’ve built. I retire with confidence knowing that NovaWell is poised for continued innovation, growth, and meaningful impact in the behavioral healthcare space.”

About NovaWell

NovaWell delivers integrated behavioral health solutions that focus on the whole person. Created by one of the largest health insurers in the country, our evidence-based model addresses holistic health needs through an intentionally different approach. We drive cultural change with focused, member-centric strategies blended with innovative technology - improving access, reducing total cost of care and tackling barriers that are often associated with behavioral healthcare.