Emerging Leaders Program Participants

2024-2025

Heather Bagnall
State Representative, Maryland
Delegate Heather Bagnall, a lifelong resident of Anne Arundel County, has represented District 33C in the Maryland General Assembly for six years. She currently serves as Chair of both the Anne Arundel County Delegation and the Health and Government Operation Committee’s Public Health and Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee. Heather is one of the General Assembly’s most […] More
Liz Boldon
State Senator, Minnesota
Senator Liz Boldon was elected to represent District 25 (Rochester) in the Minnesota State Senate in 2022. She serves as an Assistant Majority Leader and Vice Chair of the Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee. She is also Co-Chair of the Inclusive Democracy Caucus, the Minnesota Health Plan Caucus, and the Minnesota Values Project. Prior to […] More
Maria Cervania
State Representative, North Carolina
Representative Maria Cervania was sworn in as North Carolina State Representative for District 41 in January 2023. She became one of two first-ever Asian American women elected to the North Carolina General Assembly and the first Filipino American elected in the state. Maria serves on the House Oversight and Reform, Appropriations, Appropriations—Health & Human Services, […] More
Renee Williams Clark
Pharmacy Director, TennCare
Renee Williams-Clark is a distinguished healthcare professional with a robust background in pharmacy benefits management, currently serving as a leader within the Tennessee Medicaid program. With a strong foundation in drug information and a passion for innovative healthcare solutions, Renee has been instrumental in enhancing member and provider experiences through strategic project implementation. Her expertise […] More
Ken Clouston
State Representative, Wyoming
Representative Ken Clouston, House District 32, is currently serving on the Legislative Joint Education Committee and the Joint Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee. He was selected as the Wyoming Representative for the National Education Commission of the States and the National Conference of State Legislatures. He is a previous president and vice president of […] More
Sydney Davis
State Senator, South Dakota
Sydney Davis is South Dakota’s District 17 Senator. Raised in rural South Dakota as a fourth- generation cattle producer, she pursued a career in health care as a certified registered nurse anesthetist to give back to her community. In her two terms in the state Senate, she has been an advocate for rural health care […] More
Kristen Dubay
Chief of Population Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Kristen Dubay is a health policy leader focused on meeting the needs of medically underserved populations. She serves as NC Medicaid’s Chief of Population Health. In this role, she oversees Medicaid care management programs, value-based initiatives, and the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, which connects beneficiaries to non-medical services. Prior to her work with Medicaid, Kristen was […] More
Rueben Hampton
Director of the Office of Health Equity, New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
Reuben Hampton is the Director of the Office of Health Equity at the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). His work focuses on identifying and addressing health disparities for marginalized populations across the state, and ensuring equitable access to effective, quality DHHS programs and services for all clients. The Office administers the […] More
Khalil Hassam
Director, DC Primary Care Office, District of Columbia Department of Health
Khalil Hassam, Director of the DC Primary Care Office, Community Health Administration, at DC Health, works to advance health equity by improving access to primary care in the District. In his role in the health department, Khalil is focused on lifting up residents’ voices in public health and designing programs and policies around patients’ experiences. […] More
Sarah Hatton
Deputy of Administration and Coverage, Virginia Medicaid
Sarah Hatton is the Deputy of Administration and Coverage at Virginia’s Medicaid agency, which serves 2 million individuals with a $24.7 billion annual budget. Prior to assuming her role in March 2021, Sarah served as the Senior Advisor for Administration. Her previous experience includes over 15 years of experience in the areas of policy, operations, […] More
Taban Herrington
Chief of Staff, Kentucky Department of Public Health
Taban Herrington is the Chief of Staff for the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH). Taban earned her master’s degree from the University of Kentucky where she studied risk and crisis communications and taught courses in public relations and communications. Taban has experience working in emergency management and has developed inclusive emergency preparedness communications campaigns. […] More
Bonnie Kwok
Medical Consultant, California Department of Health Care Services
Dr. Kwok is a Medical Consultant for the Population Health Management Division of the California Department of Health Care Services. She is Board-certified in Family Medicine. Prior to joining DHCS, Dr. Kwok served as a primary care provider, diabetes and Centering Pregnancy group visits facilitator, the Physician Lead for Group Medical Visits, and Assistant Division […] More
Vanessa Caston LaFleur
State Representative, Louisiana
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Vanessa Caston LaFleur currently represents District 101 in the Louisiana House of Representatives. She is Vice Chair of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and serves on the Appropriations Committee, Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and Judiciary Committee. Vanessa is the former Director of Policy and Legislative Services […] More
Katye Magee
Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health
Katye Magee serves as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary at the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). She supports policy development, communications, and daily operations for the department’s major program areas, including public health, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports. She currently spearheading several of the department’s priority initiatives such as development of a CMS 1115 […] More
Kaylee McGuire
Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services
Kaylee McGuire is the Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services at the New Jersey Department of Human Services. With a background in disability services and community programs for individuals with disabilities and complex medical needs, Kaylee was inspired by personal caregiving experiences to enter public service. She previously served as Senior Policy Advisor to […] More
Elisa Neira-Hamada
Senior Director of Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health, Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy
Elisa Neira-Hamada serves as Senior Director of Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health at Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy (OHS) advancing policy initiatives to reduce health disparities and improve equitable access to quality healthcare for at-risk and vulnerable communities. Neira also served as Deputy Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Human Services leading […] More
Cynthia Parsons
Director of Behavioral Health and Long-Term Care Services, West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services
Cynthia Parsons, MA is the Director of Behavioral Health and Long-Term Care Services for the West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services (Medicaid) within the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources where she is responsible for the supervision of the following programs and services. Behavioral Health including but not limited to all inpatient, outpatient, […] More
Stacey Pietropaolo
Director of Policy and Project Management in the Vendor Drug Program, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Stacey Pietropaolo serves as the Director of Policy and Project Management in the Vendor Drug Program at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). The Vendor Drug Program manages the outpatient drug benefit for the Medicaid program in Texas. Stacey has over 13 years of experience at HHSC in Medicaid policy development and implementation, […] More
Malinda Southard
Deputy Administrator, Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy
Dr. Malinda Southard brings practical clinical experience from her former Carson City chiropractic practice, as well as a heart for helping others, collaboration, and team building. Her state service career began in 2014. She joined the State Public Health Preparedness (PHP) Program, later promoted to Manager, where she led an amazing team and fostered collaboration […] More
Emma Spencer
Director for the Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management, Florida Department of Health
Emma Spencer, PhD, serves as the Director for the Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management at the Florida Department of Health. She provides oversight for the state’s Vital Statistics program, non-infectious disease epidemiology programs, Public Health Accreditation Board activities, state and community health improvement planning, public health research activities, data modernization, and workforce […] More
Melanie Stinnett
State Representative, Missouri
Representative Melanie Stinnett, a Republican, represents Greene County (District 133) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November 2022. In addition to her legislative duties, Stinnett is a health care executive and speech-language pathologist. While the majority of her career has been spent as a small business […] More
Zakiya Summers-Harlee
State Representative, Mississippi
Zakiya Summers is a servant leader, civil rights advocate, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of three sons. She was re-elected in 2023 to her second term as State Representative for House District 68. She is a member of the following committees: County Affairs, Drug Policy, Technology, Tourism, and Workforce Development. Her proudest achievement thus far is […] More
Michelle Taylor
Director-Health Officer, Shelby County Health Department, Tennessee
Michelle Taylor, MD, is Director-Health Officer of the Shelby County Health Department, in Memphis Tenn. She is also a Lt Col and Residency-Trained Flight Surgeon in the Tennessee Air National Guard. She is licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee and the District of Columbia. Michelle received her undergraduate degree from Howard University in 1997 and […] More
Kina White
Director of the Office of Community Health Improvement, Mississippi State Department of Health
Kina White, DrPH, has over 20 years of combined experience in public health, health care administration, patient safety and quality, and health policy. She is currently the Director of the Office of Community Health Improvement at the Mississippi State Department of Health. In this role, she oversees the Bureaus of Healthy Aging, Community and School […] More
Ben Wormser
Medical Director, Maternal & Child Health Bureau at Maryland Department of Health
Ben Wormser is a pediatrician and public health leader who currently serves as the Medical Director of the Maternal & Child Health Bureau at Maryland Department of Health. In this role, Dr. Wormser directs statewide public health programs that range from the School-Based Health Center Program to the state’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative to substance use […] More
Rachael Zukus
Director of Strategy, MassHealth
Rachael Mazzella Zukus is the Director of Strategy at MassHealth, Massachusetts’ $20 billion Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program serving over 2 million residents. At MassHealth, Rachael leads a team working on cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives for the agency, including new policy development, value-based care, and program implementation. Prior to MassHealth, Rachael was a […] More

2023-2024

Asad Bandealy
Bureau Chief, District of Columbia Department of Health
Dr. Bandealy works to advance health equity and ensure access to and utilization of high– quality, person-centered health care, including immunization coverage for residents of the District of Columbia. He prioritizes working with Black and brown communities and newly arrived immigrants. As an active pediatrician and medical director for DC Health’s homebound vaccination program, Dr. […] More
Bethany Blackson
Director of Legislative and Governmental Relations, Louisiana Department of Health
Ms. Blackson serves as a liaison between the Louisiana Department of Health, the governor’s office, and the Louisiana Legislature on key health care matters for the state. An active member of the community, she is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Junior League Baton Rouge, New Schools Changemakers, The Louisiana Bar Association, the […] More
Nichole Brathwaite-Dingle
Deputy Medical Director, Fort Bend County Health and Human Services
Dr. Brathwaite-Dingle is the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services’ medical subject matter expert. She has oversight of public health programs and is a member of the health department’s executive team. Dr. Brathwaite-Dingle is an experienced board-certified pediatrician and public health professional with expertise in primary care, disease prevention, health promotion, health policy, and […] More
Sean Cleary
State Senator, North Dakota
Senator Cleary was elected to the North Dakota State Senate in November 2022 to represent District 35 in the center of Bismarck. He serves as the vice chair of the Senate Human Services committee and spent his first session focusing on health care and workforce issues. He serves as chair of the North Dakota Committee […] More
Charlie Conrad
State Representative, Oregon
Representative Conrad has been a public employee for the past 23 years. Prior to his election to state legislature, he worked as a research coordinator for the League of Oregon Cities and served 14 years as a police officer and detective at the Springfield Police Department. Rep. Conrad is a volunteer member of various public […] More
Michael Echols
State Representative, Louisiana
Representative Echols was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in August 2019. He was the sole freshman to join the House Republican Executive Committee as secretary and serve in an executive role in the Joint House and Senate Republican PAC. Mr. Echols is a member of the Health and Welfare, Labor and Industrial Relations, […] More
Martha Farlow
Policy Director, Office of Payment & Care Delivery Innovation, MassHealth
Ms. Farlow is the director of policy for the Office of Payment and Care Delivery Innovation at MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid and CHIP program. She leads policy development and contracting for MassHealth’s Accountable Care Organizations and Managed Care Organizations, which collectively serve 1.5 million members. Ms. Farlow also leads policy and implementation for MassHealth’s primary care […] More
Maria Finnell
Chief Medical Officer, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Dr. Finnell’s role includes leading the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s medical directors, as well as overseeing cross-divisional and interagency work. She previously served as director of clinical operations and associate medical director for FSSA’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning. Dr. Finnell continues to serve clinically as a pediatrician in the Riley Early […] More
Pamelya Herndon
State Representative, New Mexico
Representative Herndon currently serves in the New Mexico House of Representative for House District 28 in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. She also serves as the President/CEO of the KWH Law Center for Social Justice and Change, a nonprofit law center focused on providing access to justice for low and medium-income individuals, with an emphasis on advocating […] More
Jason Hughes
State Representative, Louisiana
Representative Hughes serves as a member Louisiana House of Representatives representing House District 100 in New Orleans. As a first-term legislator, Rep. Hughes was appointed to several committees, including Ways and Means, Health and Welfare, Judiciary, the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay, and the Select Committee on Homeland Security. In addition, he was unanimously […] More
Evan Klein
Special Assistant, Legislative & Policy Affairs, Washington State Health Care Authority
Mr. Klein manages the Washington State Health Care Authority’s legislative relations and supports development of various policies and programs. His current work includes a focus on affordability policy, immigrant health coverage expansion, and behavioral health access across the state’s Medicaid and Employee Benefits programs. More
Jakenna Lebsock
Assistant Director, Division of Health Care Services, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
Ms. Lebsock oversees all clinical and operational aspects of Medicaid managed care in Arizona while also serving as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Health Equity Committee chairperson. She has almost 17 years of health care delivery and policy development and implementation experience across several populations, including those living with serious mental illness and […] More
Echohawk Lefthand
Administrator, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Mr. Lefthand is an enrolled member of the Dine’ (Navajo) Nation and has been a public health champion for over 10 years. His knowledge of public health is intertwined with his understandings of Indigenous ways of being. He currently serves as an administrator for the Office of Health Disparity and Health Equity in the Nebraska […] More
Bianca Lopez
Chief Operating Officer for Office of Children and Family Services, New York City Administration for Children's Services
Dr. Lopez has 20 years of experience working in the field of public health with a focus on child and adolescent health. In her previous position as the director of health policy and planning, she worked on developing evidence–informed health policies for children and youth in foster care.  More
South Moore
Assistant General Counsel, Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina
Mr. Moore’s responsibilities include assisting with the attorney general in efforts to increase affordability and accessibility in health care by promoting competition; advising the attorney general on health care policy; and representing the state’s and attorney general’s interests in health care litigation. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, he clerked for two federal judges. More
Pavel Payano
State Senator, Massachusetts
Senator Payano represents the First Essex District which includes the communities of Methuen, Lawrence, and parts of Haverhill. Senator Payano is committed to advancing policies that support education reform, public health, and community development. Prior to his election to the State Senate, Senator Payano served the city of Lawrence for over a decade, first as […] More
JW Randolph
Director, Office of Strategic Initiatives, Tennessee Department of Health
Mr. Randolph works with cross-sector community groups called County Health Councils to implement community-informed projects and policies for the next generation of public health infrastructure in the Southeast. His office is working with local and regional colleagues to build statewide support for broad, inclusive community engagement, equitable local capacity building, strategic performance improvements, and bringing […] More
Liz Reyer
State Representative, Minnesota
Representative Reyer is in her second term in the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 52A (Eagan and Burnsville). She serves on the Health and Human Services Committee and is vice chair of Capital Investment Committee. She has spent many years working in the health system, including in research and operations roles at Blue Cross […] More
Emily Shetty
State Delegate, Maryland
Ms. Shetty has spent her career in public service and advocacy. She is serving in her second term in the Maryland General Assembly, where she is the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Social Services, and vice chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation. Her focus is […] More
Kirsten Siegenthaler
Director, Division of Family Health, New York State Department of Health
Dr. Siegenthaler has a PhD in Epidemiology and over 20 years of experience at the NYS Department of Health. She is currently the Director of the Division of Family Health, with a staff of 200 and a portfolio of $300M in funding for public health programs that support people from birth through reproductive age. The […] More
Sara Stolt
Interim Commissioner, North Dakota Health and Human Services
Interim Commissioner Stolt coordinates the strategic planning process across the agency, including the priorities for each programmatic division within North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS). She and her team facilitate key projects, bringing change management and process improvement to all major HHS efforts. Ms. Stolt also oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency and […] More
Liz Taing
Deputy Director, Integrated Planning Team, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency
Ms. Taing is developing a new team of planners and project managers to support, coordinate, and facilitate cross-agency systems transformation projects, such as climate action planning, homelessness prevention, cross-sector data exchange, and the implementation of California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). More
Jenna Takenouchi
State Representative, Hawaii
Representative Takenouchi was elected in 2022 to serve House District 27. She is the vice chair of the House Committee on Health & Homelessness, working toward expanding mental health and substance abuse treatment initiatives, addressing health care workforce shortages, and supporting Hawaii’s aging population of seniors. Rep. Takenouchi also sits on the House Committee on […] More
Jessie Tenenbaum
Chief Data Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Tenenbaum oversees data strategy across the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, enabling the use of information to inform and evaluate policy and improve the health and well-being of residents of North Carolina. She was a founding faculty member of the Division of Translational Biomedical Informatics within Duke University’s Department of Biostatistics […] More
Justin Turner
Chief Medical Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health
Dr. Turner was appointed chief medical officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health in August 2021. He currently serves on the Public Health Task Force for Mississippi State Medical Association and served on the Covid Task Force for the City of Jackson. Dr. Turner is an active member of the community and participates in […] More
Martijn van Beek
Quality Director, Division of Medicaid, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Mr. van Beek oversees the Bureau of Population Health, which is responsible for developing Idaho Medicaid’s population health strategy, implementing the state’s value care program, and the implementation of various quality–related projects. Prior to joining Medicaid, he led various public health programs in the Netherlands and at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, including […] More
Arvind Venkat
State Representative, Pennsylvania
Representative Venkat, an emergency physician, was elected to serve his first term in the state House of Representatives in November 2022. He is the first Indian American to be elected to the state House and the first physician to serve in the General Assembly in nearly 60 years. Dr. Venkat serves as state representative for […] More

2022-2023

Markay Adams
Assistant Director, Division of Fee-for-Service Management, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
Ms. Adams, who has more than 16 years of experience in Arizona’s Medicaid system, oversees a variety of programs including providing health care coverage for a variety of populations, including the American Indian Health Program, Federal Emergency Services, and Medicaid in School-Based Claiming program. More
Elizabeth Adkins
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Aging and Adult Services, Louisiana Department of Health
Ms. Adkins manages the Louisiana Department of Health’s Medicaid Long Term Home and Community Based Services programs. In her 10-year tenure with the department, she has consistently demonstrated a dedication to older adults and persons living with adult-onset disabilities. More
Jennifer Avegno
Director, New Orleans Health Department
Dr. Avegno manages a dedicated team of public health professionals addressing critical health needs for the community. As an academic faculty member at Louisiana State University, she established the Division of Social Emergency Medicine to facilitate innovative programming, interdisciplinary partnerships, and improved population health outcomes. More
Grant Beebe
Project Manager, Mississippi Division of Medicaid
Mr. Beebe leverages big data to understand personnel challenges and identify patterns in claims data and utilization metrics. His primary areas of academic and research interest include wellness promotion, non-communicable disease prevention, and the social determinants of health. He is licensed as a nursing home administrator in the State of Mississippi. More
Jamie Carmichael
Chief Health Opportunity Advisor, Ohio Department of Health
Ms. Carmicheal’s role focuses on the elimination of population level health disparities by aligning and channeling strategic resources on communities with the highest levels of need. Her experience includes nearly a decade of service at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, where she worked on poverty reduction and workforce development policy and programs, […] More
Machaela Cavanaugh
State Senator, Nebraska
Senator Cavanaugh, an Omaha native with nearly 20 years’ experience in community engagement and public affairs represents Legislative District 6 in the Nebraska Legislature including Omaha. She serves on the Health and Human Services Committee and Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. She made history in 2019 as the first lawmaker to breastfeed her baby on the […] More
Kimberly Chen
Assistant Secretary, Office of Programs and Fiscal Affairs, California Health and Human Services Agency
Ms. Chen is responsible for formulating, analyzing, revising, and evaluating the program and fiscal impacts of major health and human services policies. This includes assessment of all policy, legislative, fiscal, and other issues affecting the Department of Health Care Services (California’s State Medicaid Agency), Department of Community Services and Development, and other related state departments […] More
Ava Crawford
Director, Office of Health Equity, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Ms. Crawford addresses priorities for community outreach, engagement, policy and equity within the department of health. She previously served as the co-chair for the North Carolina Chronic Disease and Injury Section’s Health Equity Community of Practice Committee, where she created a health equity framework, standard language for agreement addendums, and more. She also served as […] More
Meghan Elledge-LeVota
Policy Team Manager and Equity, Inclusion and Justice Senior Advisor, County of San Diego, California
Ms. Elledge-LeVota is committed to improving the lives of others by leading organizations and governmental agencies on their journey toward structural changes centered on equity, inclusion, and justice. Her background is a unique blend of law, policy, health equity, and social justice. In 2021, received the Legal Innovator Award for targeting health disparities with the […] More
Eva Forrest
Nurse Consultant, Connecticut Department of Social Services
One of Ms. Forrest’s primary roles as a nurse consultant is advocacy, which is vital in promoting health equity and enhancing population health. Her goal is to improve her leadership skills so that she can continuously and effectively advocate for the health and social needs of Connecticut’s Medicaid members and those of other residents. Ms. […] More
DaShawn Groves
Special Projects Officer, Office of State Medicaid Director, DC Department of Health Care Finance
Mr. Groves works to implement four strategic priorities: 1) Building a health system that provides whole-person care; 2) Ensuring value and accountability; 3) Strengthening internal operational infrastructure, and 4) Responsibly unwinding the flexibilities of the Public Health Emergency. He as previously the Community Partnerships Director at Cityblock Health in the DC market. More
Emily Gruber
Health Equity Manager, Maryland Primary Care Program (MDPCP)
Ms. Gruber role at the MDPCP includes leading the team strategy around health equity; managing technical assistance for Maryland primary care practices on social needs screening and referrals; leading a CDC-grant-funded project to identify disparities in clinical quality data; and other special projects. Prior to joining the MDPCP, she worked in health care technology and […] More
Diamond D. Williams (Hanson)
Outreach Program Manager, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Team, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Dr. Williams oversees the connection of stakeholders and manages vaccine equity grants totaling $30M. She recently awarded 146 organizations $13.8M to advance vaccination health equity. She has a particular interest in community engagement. More
Erin Healy
Representative, South Dakota
Representative Healy is currently serving her second term in the South Dakota State House. She serves as a Minority Whip, sits on the House Health and Human Services, Education, and Legislative Rules Committees, has been a member of two mental health taskforce committees, and is a commissioner for the Midwest Higher Education Compact. She focuses […] More
Martin Hickey
State Senator, New Mexico
Senator Hickey has been a physician executive, as well as clinician, for most of his career. He started in the Indian Health Service on the Navajo Nation practicing population health and continues in this role today. He is fortunate to be at the innovative forefront of care management in almost all health venues: multispecialty medical […] More
Mark Martin
Acting Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Maryland Department of Health
Senator Martin brings over 25 years of combined professional experience in public health, hospital operations, financial services, and community and faith-based organizations. His combined academic and professional experience continues to fuel his efforts to research and develop innovations to improve patient-centered care and the patient experience. More
Tade Mengesha
Manager, Integrated Fiscal Strategy, MassHealth
Ms. Mengesha supported and now leads the value-based payment strategy and implementation for Massachusetts Medicaid accountable care organizations and Medicaid managed care organizations. Previously, Tade worked at Guidehouse Consulting Services (formerly known as Navigant Consulting) as a senior consultant in their revenue cycle management sector. She has a strong interest in using innovative financial mechanisms […] More
Genevieve Mina
Ms. Mina (she/her) is a lifelong Alaskan, community advocate, and second-generation Filipino-American with a background in Alaska campaigns, government, and health policy. She has worked as a nonprofit communications professional supporting community health centers, and as a political aide for elected officials in the Anchorage Assembly and the Alaska Legislature. Most recently, Ms. Mina carried […] More
Ruth Richardson
Chair, Education Policy Committee, Minnesota House of Representatives
Representative Richardson made history in 2018 as the first Black woman elected to represent her district in the Minnesota House of Representatives. She represents House District 52B, which includes Inver Grove Heights, Sunfish Lake, and parts of Eagan and Mendota Heights. More
Shawn Smith
Managed Care Oversight Director, TennCare
Mr. Smith is responsible for the contract oversight of the Division of TennCare’s three contracted managed care organizations. He also serves as a board member for the National Alliance for Medicaid in Education; teaches social welfare policy as an adjunct faculty; and serves as a member of Middle Tennessee State University’s Social Work Advisory Board. More
Michelle Strinden
State Representative, North Dakota
Representative Strinden is an educator, small business owner, and life-long North Dakotan. She has lived in south Fargo’s District 41 for 26 years with her husband, Tom, and their four children, Jacob, Joe, Ben, and Sarah. First elected in 2018, she serves on the House Appropriations Committee, Human Resources Division, where she works every day […] More
David Ward
Long-Term Services and Supports Director, Oklahoma Health Care Authority
In 2011, Mr. Ward began his public service career with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority as a research analyst and now directs the Long-Term Services and Supports unit that administers six 1915(c) Home and Community Based Waiver Programs, State Plan Personal Care, and the Money Follows the Person program (Oklahoma’s Living Choice). More
Janeana White
Chief Physician, Deputy Health Authority, Houston Health Department
Dr. White oversees community-based programs and monitors trends in infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. She is honored to serve as a physician not only because it helps make the community better as a whole, but also makes her better as an individual. More

2021-2022

Jen Dailey-Provost
Jen Dailey-Provost lives in the Avenues neighborhood in Salt Lake City with her husband Scott and three daughters. She received her bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business, and her MBA from Westminster College’s Gore School of Business. She began her career as the Director of Human Resources […] More
Anthony Daniels Jr.
House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels Jr. is in his second term in the Alabama House of Representatives. He represents Alabama’s 53rd District, which is located in the Huntsville area. Representative Daniels has served as minority leader since 2017, the youngest and first African American to hold the position. Under his leadership, House Democrats successfully fought […] More
Amanda Dumas
Amanda Dumas attended Loyola University New Orleans and received a medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During her medical training she spent a year in Zambia with the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia helping to scale-up pediatric clinical services. She then completed residency training at the Brown Pediatric Residency Program […] More
Daniel Edney
Daniel Edney is a board-certified general Internist with subspecialty board certification in Addiction Medicine. He is a summa cum laude graduate of William Carey University and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine Class of 1988. He then completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia. He has practiced general […] More
Kate Harris
Kate Harris has spent her career working at the intersection of public health and public policy, primarily on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Washington State and Colorado. In 2019 she joined the Colorado Division of Insurance as the Chief Deputy Commissioner for Life & Health Policy, where she oversees much of the […] More
Kendra Johnson
Kendra Johnson has dedicated her entire career to serving individuals living with disadvantages and life challenges. Having been born and raised in the city of Chester in an extended family environment, it was through that experience where she learned the value of service to others. Those experiences were a catalyst that continue to drive her […] More
Anna Kelles
Anna Kelles represents the 125th District of New York State, including Tompkins County and the southwest of Cortland County. This district includes the metropolitan areas of Ithaca and Cortland as well as 17 smaller municipal towns and villages in both counties. Before becoming a state Assembly member, Anna served in the Tompkins County Legislature from […] More
Molly Lester
Molly Lester currently serves as Policy Director for the Chief Program and Services Office of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. In this role, she leads policy development, daily operations and legislative coordination for the office overseeing HHSC client services programs—including Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, behavioral health, maternal and child health, and long-term services and […] More
Catrina Lucero
Catrina Lucero is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the Washington State Health Care Authority where she provides oversight of the agency’s financial operations, including external relations, quality assurance, and staff development. Prior to joining the Health Care Authority, Catrina worked as a non-partisan senior fiscal analyst for the Washington State House of Representatives providing […] More
Josh Moore
Josh Moore is the Director of Pharmacy for MO HealthNet Division. Josh graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Most recently he served as the Director of Operations for the Clinical Management Services & System for Pharmacy and Prior Authorization at Conduent. As the Director of Pharmacy for MO HealthNet, Josh leads the operations of […] More
Eileen Ng
Eileen Ng is the Policy Director of the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, which includes the Departments of Behavioral Health, Environmental Health, Public Health, and the Office of the Agency Director. The Agency has an annual budget of $1 billion and more than 1,500 employees. Eileen joined the Health Care Services Agency in June […] More
Robin (Diggs) Perdue
Robin (Diggs) Perdue, MPH has over 18 years of experience as a public health professional in the Nation’s Capital. Currently, as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Programs and Policy for the District of Columbia Department of Health’s Community Health Administration. She oversees population health strategies for improving health outcomes across five broad areas: chronic disease prevention […] More
Jessica Perez-Rossello
Jessica Perez-Rossello is a Deputy Chief Operations Officer at the MassHealth Department of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. She has over 25 years of experience in project management, large scale systems integration, and business process improvement, working under tight budgets and timelines while building trusting relationships with staff, colleagues, and vendors. […] More
Vincent Pinkney
Vincent Pinkney currently serves as the Deputy Director of Managed Care Operations for Tennessee’s state Medicaid agency known as TennCare. Managed Care Operations involves Tennessee’s state Medicaid agency contracting with three health insurance plans to maintain a network of providers of medical services, mental health services, and long-term services and supports the delivery of healthcare […] More
Kristin Roers
Kristin Roers was elected in 2018 to represent District 27, located in Fargo, ND. She has been a Registered Nurse since 2004 and works in Nursing Administration when not in the legislature. Ms. Roers serves as the Vice Chair of the Human Services committee and as a member on the Government and Veterans Affairs Committee. […] More
Dylan Rose Schneider
Dylan Rose Schneider has over 12 years of professional experience in external affairs, policy and planning and communications in the public and private sector. Ms. Schneider has served as the Manager of Policy and Legislative Affairs for the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) since 2018 where she oversees government relations, public […] More
Lisa Subeck
Lisa Subeck has represented the 78th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly since January, 2015. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, and is the ranking member on the Assembly Committee on Health and the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules. She also serves on the Assembly Committees on Campaigns […] More
Fatmata Williams
Fatmata Williams is an immigrant from Sierra Leone, West Africa, who has lived in the United States for thirty years and has been a registered nurse for twenty-three years. She is a Supervising Registered Nurse Consultant and currently works at the Connecticut Department of Social Services Division of Health Services, Connecticut’s single state Medicaid agency. […] More
Carla Willis
Carla Willis serves as the Director of the Performance, Quality, and Outcomes within the Performance and Care Management Office of the Georgia Medicaid program. She oversees multi-disciplinary teams that focus on predictive analytics, quality measurement, and performance improvement. She works to define the populations of interest to the Georgia Medicaid program and captures key outcomes […] More

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