Karen A. Daley takes over from Ludwig Spinelli
at southwest Connecticut’s largest provider of primary health services

Bridgeport, CT: Karen Daley, RN, JD, MBA, has been appointed the new chief executive officer at OPTIMUS Health Care, Inc. She previously served as the interim CEO.

“The importance of OPTMUS Health Care has never been greater,” said Board Chairperson Jessica McCauley, “and Karen is the right person to lead the next phase of our evolution as a mission-driven health care provider and as a business. Her deep clinical, legal, and management experience makes her the ideal leader for OPTIMUS.”

Daley was selected after a six-month search to find a permanent replacement for Ludwig Spinelli, who retired after serving as CEO for 38 years.

Before she served as interim CEO, Daley was the chief operating officer and general counsel for OPTIMUS Health Care. As interim CEO, she led the development of a three-year strategic plan to standardize and strengthen administrative and clinical operations, set financial goals and objectives, and establish a plan for growth and expansion.

“I am honored and excited to lead OPTIMUS into the future. I am very passionate about its mission, committed to the communities it serves, and greatly believe in and appreciate the staff who bring it to life every day. Community health centers are at the forefront of health care in this country, so the challenges are as significant as the opportunities. We are prepared for both.”

Karen Daley’s professional background includes 10 years of nursing experience at the Harvard teaching hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She spent nine years practicing regulatory and corporate health care law and medical malpractice, and four years in risk management in teaching hospitals.

Daley is licensed as a registered nurse in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and licensed to practice law in the State of Connecticut and the State of New York.

She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School and an MBA from Boston College, where she also obtained her Bachelor of Science degree as a registered nurse.

Her professional associations and memberships include the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, membership on the University of New Haven Advisory Board for the School of Health Sciences, and membership in the American College of Healthcare Executives. She has also served as chairperson of the OPTIMUS Health Care Foundation, Inc.

For more information, contact Linda Ugarte at [email protected]