Our Team

At Novo Benefits, we are committed to bringing you the best self-funded employee benefit plan available. That commitment begins with our team. Our expert guidance and years of experience deliver world-class health benefits that will change the way you think about health insurance. Every member of our team is empowered to put our client’s first and think outside of the box to provide creative solutions that better fit your needs.

Michael Poelman

President

Michael E. Poelman is the founder and president of Novo Connection. With over 24 years’ experience, Poelman has a comprehensive understanding of health insurance benefits.

Serving as the President, Michael is responsible for the strategic direction and overall growth, as well as the development and operational execution of business strategy. He continues to be a market leader helping brokers and employers of all sizes custom design, build, implement, and manage employee health benefits and wellness solutions.

Melissa Saturnino

Chief Operating Officer

Melissa Saturnino is responsible for the global operations of the organization. She brings more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and business administration to Novo Connection.

Since Novo’s foundation, Melissa has focused on delivering inspirational leadership, developing culture, and building people systems to produce cohesive business structures, process improvements, and profitable revenue growth. Under her leadership, the organization has consistently achieved year-over-year revenue increases, improved client retention, and expanded brand recognition.

Stephen Simmons

Chief Financial Officer

Stephen Simmons joined Apta Health in 2018. He has more than 35 years of broad-based financial management experience. He has served as CFO of two software development and data science companies. He was previously a vice president of finance and division controller for a multi-billion-dollar federal defense contractor.

Stephen is responsible for Apta’s accounting operations, strategic business and financial planning and analysis, fund raising, tax matters, and risk management. He directs efforts to implement excellent financial and accounting control processes and systems.