Fostering the Next Generation of Medicaid Leaders
Hamilton, NJ, October 29, 2024 — Today, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) announced that 20 rising Medicaid agency leaders from across the country were competitively selected to participate in the fourth class of the Medicaid Pathways Program. Made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by CHCS, this executive training initiative supports a diverse group of Medicaid agency staff who are new to leadership roles or aspire to advance to a more senior position in the future.
Supporting the leadership development of senior Medicaid staff, especially those with diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences, is critical to creating a successful pipeline of future program leaders. When Medicaid leaders mirror the identities of Medicaid members, they may better relate to the strengths, needs, and challenges of members.
“A diverse pipeline of leaders can help Medicaid programs across the country to more readily address the structural barriers to health that far too many people experience,” said Aingyea Fraser, MPA, program officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Our investment in cultivating collective leadership among talented state officials helps advance change and greater health equity for Medicaid members across the country.”
The Medicaid Pathways Program aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills to effectively serve in complex leadership roles. Individuals chosen to participate in the Class of 2025 represent 17 states and the District of Columbia, and bring a wide range of professional and lived experience to their work. The program is open to all but has a particular interest in leaders with marginalized identities.
The new cohort includes:
- Ensy Atarod, Dental Director, Medicaid and CHIP Services Division, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Alanna Dancis, Chief Medical Officer, New Mexico Healthcare Authority
- Benjamin Ebeigbe, Acting Director, Long-Term Care, District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance
- Emily Eibl, Director, Behavioral Health Strategy and Policy, MassHealth
- Katie Evans, Chief, Long-Term Services and Supports, TennCare
- Gene Hermanson, Medicaid Chief Financial Manager, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
- Oksana Hill, Chief, Third Party Liability and Recovery Division, California Department of Health Care Services
- Ann Jensen, Innovation Officer/Agency Manager, Nevada Department of Health Care Financing and Policy
- David Jorgenson, Director, Data Analytics and Rate Setting, MaineCare
- Eve Lickers, Director, Bureau Policy, Analysis and Planning, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
- Samantha Moore, Assistant Director, Office of Medicaid Operations, Division of Integrated Health, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
- Kolynda Parker, Deputy Director, Program Operations and Compliance, Quality Improvement, and Pharmacy Divisions, Louisiana Department of Health
- Sara Rogers, Benefits Management Administrator, Division of Healthcare Financing, Wyoming Department of Health
- Melanie Schoenberg, Deputy Director, Executive Director’s Office, Health First Colorado, Colorado Department of Health Care Financing and Policy
- Leslie Short, Deputy Assistant Director, Division of Fee-for-Service Management, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
- Angela Smith, Director, Pharmacy and Ancillary Services, Division of Health Benefits, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- Lisa Price Stevens, Chief Medical Officer, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services
- Priscilla Thode, Administrator, Contract Monitor and Compliance Section, Med-QUEST, Hawaii Department of Human Services
- Victorio “Vic” R. Tolentino, Jr., Administrator, Quality and Member Relations Improvement Section, Med-QUEST, Hawaii Department of Human Services
- Greg Trollan, Director, Office of Managed Healthcare, Division of Integrated Health, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
“It is important that we invest in the development of Medicaid leaders across the country,” said Mark Larson, senior vice president at CHCS, former Vermont Medicaid director, and lead faculty for the program. “We are excited to welcome and support this diverse group of Medicaid leaders, strengthening their efforts to deliver accessible and dignified care to communities across the nation.”
During the nine-month program, participants will gain skills by following a competency-based leadership framework, engaging in individual coaching and mentoring sessions, exploring best practices in Medicaid leadership, and networking with peers from across the country. With this fourth class, 80 senior Medicaid agency leaders — representing 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — have participated in this leadership training program since its launch in 2021. For more information about the Medicaid Pathways Program, visit https://www.chcs.org/project/medicaid-pathways-programs.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE STRATEGIES
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is a policy design and implementation partner devoted to improving outcomes for people enrolled in Medicaid. CHCS supports partners across sectors and disciplines to make more effective, efficient, and equitable care possible for millions of people across the nation. For more information, visit www.chcs.org.
ABOUT THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION
RWJF is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. To get there, we must work to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to achieve health equity faster and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.
