Dr. Lawrence served as CEO and Chairman of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals until his retirement in 2002. He was appointed CEO in 1991 and Chairman the next year. He currently pursues interests in new business development, teaching, public policy, and writing. He is an Advisor to Artiman Ventures and Gryphon Investors, and a member of the boards of McKesson Corporation, Proteus Biomed, Aditazz Corp (Chairman)., and CellWorks. He is a member of the Health Advisory Boards of the RAND Corporation; an advisor to the CEO’s of SomaLogic, Inc., and MedExpert, Inc.; and a guest faculty member with the Estes Park Institute. He consults with selected health care systems that pursue advanced integration strategies.
Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente in 1981, Dr. Lawrence worked in Public Health and Human Services in Multnomah County, OR; on the faculty of the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine and the School of Medicine; as an advisor to the Ministry of Health of Chile; and as a Peace Corps Physician.
Dr. Lawrence is a founding board member of the Lucian Leape Institute of the National Patient Safety Foundation and a Distinguished Advisor to the NPSF. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine and the AOA physician honor society. He is the author of From Chaos to Care: The Promise of Team-Based Medicine (Perseus, 2002), and Best Care, Best Future: A Guide for Healthcare Leaders (Second River Publishing, 2014).
Dr. Lawrence received his Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College (1962), his MD from the University of Kentucky (1966), his Masters of Public Health from the University of Washington (1973). He completed his Residency in General Preventive Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington, and is Board Certified in General Preventive Medicine (1974). He has received honorary degrees from Amherst College, University of Kentucky, and Cornell University, and is a member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Hall of Fame and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health Hall of Fame.
He is married to the former Stephanie Ann Poche. They have four children and eight grandchildren, and divide their time between Geyserville, CA, and Black Butte Ranch, OR.
