Venkat Suresh joined the California Health and Human Services Agency as a FUSE Corps executive fellow on Oct. 3.
Suresh is chief operations officer for software developer Codewerks in San Jose, and for more than two decades he has worked in leadership positions around the world with product engineering and technology companies such as Innominds and Sanofi Technologies.
"His focus will be on utilizing data-driven strategies to improve client outcomes and engaging on internal data efforts across CHHS departments," the agency wrote in an email Thursday.
Suresh will receive a $90,000 stipend for his one-year engagement, working with Undersecretary Michael Wilkening and the agency's Health Innovation Office, which was created in 2015.
Suresh has an MBA in Corporate Finance and International Marketing from Duke University, a master's degree in computer science from Arizona State and a degree in computer science and engineering from the University of Mysore in India.
CHHS is again partnering with FUSE Corps for the data fellowship. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization recruits entrepreneurial, mid-career professionals to serve in executive-level fellowships across state and local government.
Suresh is the second data fellow brought in to work at CHHS. The first was Niles Friedman, a former adviser with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Friedman helped CHHS launch its innovation office last year.
