Newsroom Release
Parity Plus Welcomes Nationally Recognized Pediatric Leader Dr. Colleen Kraft to Its Clinical and Advisory Team
Former American Academy of Pediatrics president brings deep expertise in developmental disabilities, behavioral health, Medicaid and pediatric care to Parity Plus
Atlanta, GA — September 8, 2026 — Parity Plus today announced that Colleen A. Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP, a nationally recognized pediatrician, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and expert in the care of children with developmental disabilities, has joined the company’s growing clinical and advisory team.
Dr. Kraft is Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She served as President of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2018 and has built a distinguished career advancing the integration of developmental, behavioral and primary pediatric care.
Her addition further strengthens the world-class team Parity Plus is assembling to bring care, clarity and trust to autism claims management.
“Autism claims are among the most clinically complex claims in healthcare, and you cannot evaluate them effectively with data and technology alone,” said David Essary, CEO of Parity Plus. “You need experienced clinicians who understand children, families, developmental care and the realities of the healthcare system. Dr. Kraft brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge to that work, and we are honored to have her as part of our team.”
Parity Plus was founded to address a growing challenge for families and the organizations responsible for financing care: bringing greater intelligence, clinical context and transparency to autism-related claims while protecting access to appropriate treatment.
The company combines purpose-built artificial intelligence, specialized claims expertise, clinical review and family advocacy to help identify billing errors, inconsistencies and other areas requiring deeper review.
Parity Plus works to distinguish appropriate, necessary care from problems within the claims process so families, providers, employers, health plans and other stakeholders can make better-informed decisions.
Dr. Kraft’s experience spans both the clinical and payer sides of healthcare. She previously served as Medical Director of the Health Network at Cincinnati Children’s and as a Virginia Medicaid Managed Care Medical Director. She is widely recognized for her work integrating care for children with developmental disabilities and behavioral health conditions into primary care pediatrics and frequently lectures on pediatric topics at international conferences.
“I am excited to work with Parity Plus on solutions for children with developmental disabilities,” said Dr. Colleen Kraft. “Families navigating complex developmental and behavioral healthcare need systems that understand both the clinical needs of the child and the challenges families face in accessing and coordinating care.”
Dr. Kraft earned her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech, her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and her MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She completed her pediatric residency at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Her appointment is part of Parity’s continued investment in building a multidisciplinary clinical and advisory team capable of examining autism claims through multiple lenses — clinical appropriateness, claims accuracy, payment integrity and, most importantly, the needs of the child and family.
“We believe the future of autism claims management requires more than another claims audit,” Essary said. “It requires technology informed by clinical expertise, an understanding of families and a commitment to solving problems without creating new ones. That is the standard we are building at Parity Plus.”
About Parity Plus
Parity Plus is the first autism-specific, single-point healthcare claims management company, helping health plans, employers, TPAs, brokers, stop-loss carriers and providers bring more care, clarity and trust to autism-related claims. Through AI-powered claims intelligence, specialized review, provider insight and family-centered support, Parity Plus helps identify questionable billing patterns, improve visibility across the care system and protect access to appropriate care for autistic children and young adults.
Media Contact
Nicole Hawthorne
Chief Marketing Officer,Parity Plus
nicole.hawthorne@parityplus.com