Baltimore, MD (October 13, 2025) – RELI Group is proud to announce the appointment of Merri-Ellen James as Client Relationship Executive. James is a senior healthcare leader with more than two decades of experience at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where she oversaw major initiatives in health informatics, program integrity and Medicare and Medicaid operations. Her leadership has consistently focused on driving innovation that reduces administrative burden, improves data sharing and enhances outcomes for patients nationwide
In her new role, James will collaborate with federal health agencies to strengthen partnerships, support modernization initiatives and guide solutions that align with agency priorities. She brings extensive experience leading cross-agency collaborations, advancing interoperability and implementing fraud prevention strategies that have shaped CMS operations at the national level.
“Merri-Ellen’s proven leadership in federal healthcare will be key as we strengthen RELI’s partnerships with agencies and deliver solutions that drive modernization,” said Vishal Tulsian, President and COO of RELI Group. “Her experience shaping national initiatives at CMS will help our clients improve outcomes, reduce burden and advance their missions.”
James most recently served as Director of the Division of Implementation and Innovation in CMS’s Office of Health Informatics and Interoperability. She previously held senior leadership positions in CMS’s Office of Burden Reduction and Health Informatics and the Center for Program Integrity, and she has additional private sector experience in pharmaceutical contracting, global health intelligence and product licensing. She holds a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Science from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
