Thomas n. pappas
Thomas Pappas is an accomplished executive and strategist known for leading large-scale organizational transformations and building cultures that sustain performance. As CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania, he guided a comprehensive turnaround that elevated the health plan from last in national rankings to a top-five competitor—redefining its financial structure, workforce alignment, and strategic focus.
His earlier leadership at Johnson & Higgins and Xerox established a career-long reputation for driving growth through disciplined execution and executive development.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Tom is deeply engaged in Philadelphia’s civic and cultural life. A longtime member and past president of the Union League of Philadelphia, he has also served on the boards of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur.
At Pappas Houston, he brings a seasoned perspective on organizational renewal and executive alignment—helping leaders translate ambition into lasting institutional strength.
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william houston
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William is a financial and organizational strategist whose career bridges sales leadership, operational design, and capital stewardship. With more than twenty years of experience guiding high-growth and transitional companies, he brings a practiced understanding of how financial structure and executive alignment shape enduring performance.
As Chief Financial Officer for multiple venture-backed and growth-stage organizations—including Keriton, Impactable, and Hatch Biofund—William has overseen revenue cycles, forecasting, investor relations, and contract governance, often serving as a steadying operational partner to founders and boards. His experience also extends to advisory and investment roles with the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund and Broad Street Angels, where he leads the group’s Blockchain and Emerging Technologies division, helping entrepreneurs translate complex innovation into commercial opportunity.
At Pappas Houston, William leads engagements focused on financial architecture, strategic partnerships, and executive development—ensuring that vision and execution move in lockstep.
William approaches leadership as both architecture and craft, combining financial precision with a deep respect for the people and structures that sustain performance.
Victoria Rothwell
Victoria Rothwell is a communications strategist who enables organizations to communicate with precision and purpose—internally, externally, and across leadership. As a founding partner of Pappas Houston, she leads the firm’s work in organizational communications and culture, examining how information moves through companies, where habits or processes create friction, and how message, tone, and timing influence performance. Her approach ensures that internal structure and market presentation operate in alignment with a company’s strategy and audience.
Victoria advises clients on communication systems, brand integrity, and executive visibility, strengthening cohesion across departments and customer touchpoints. Her entrepreneurial experience—combined with her background in social and behavioral psychology—has made her a trusted advisor to executives, scientists, and creative leaders alike, translating vision into systems of communication that elevate both brand and behavior.
Active in the Philadelphia arts an non-profit community, Victoria serves on multiple boards and regional cultural preservation initiatives. Her work embodies Pappas Houston’s central philosophy: that effective growth begins with alignment—between what an organization does, what it says, and how it’s perceived.