Cotiviti Taps Optum Veteran Erin Schmuker as COO to Drive AI-Native Scaling — Cotiviti, Inc.

Event summary

Cotiviti appointed Erin Schmuker as Chief Operating Officer on September 14, 2026, reporting to CEO Ric Sinclair.
Schmuker joins from Optum, where she most recently served as President of Integrated Pharmacies at OptumRx.
She will focus on scaling Cotiviti’s operating model, strengthening execution, and driving operational excellence.
Cotiviti works with over 200 healthcare organizations, including all 25 of the largest U.S. health plans.

The big picture

Cotiviti’s appointment of Erin Schmuker as COO underscores its strategic focus on operational scaling and AI integration within the healthcare infrastructure sector. With over 200 healthcare organizations as clients, including all top 25 U.S. health plans, Cotiviti is positioning itself as a critical player in connecting data, intelligence, and workflows across the healthcare ecosystem. Schmuker’s extensive experience in healthcare leadership and operational excellence is expected to enhance Cotiviti’s ability to deliver faster execution and greater value for clients.

What we're watching

AI Integration: How Cotiviti will leverage Schmuker’s expertise to accelerate its AI-native transformation and operational scaling.
Execution Risk: Whether Schmuker can simplify Cotiviti’s operations and translate technology investments into measurable client outcomes.
Market Positioning: The pace at which Cotiviti can differentiate itself in the healthcare data and analytics space amid increasing AI adoption.