For some Medicaid leaders, Medicaid and CHIP are not only programs they oversee — they are systems they have experienced firsthand. This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores how leaders in Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Oregon draw on their personal experiences to expand access, make services easier to navigate, and keep people at the center of policy and program decisions.
The conversation features perspectives from:
- Nicole Harris, executive director, Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program
- Martijn van Beek, quality director, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
- Rachel Calloway, chief of staff, Oregon Health Authority
The episode is hosted by Mark Larson, senior vice president, Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), and former Vermont Medicaid director, and Kate McEvoy, executive director, National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD), and former Connecticut Medicaid director. The Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, an initiative of CHCS’ National Medicaid Leadership Center, explores priority topics for Medicaid leaders. It is jointly developed by NAMD and CHCS. The 2026 season is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Featured in this episode:
 | Mark Larson, senior vice president, Leadership and Capacity Building, CHCS, and former Vermont Medicaid director |  | Kate McEvoy, executive director, NAMD, and former Connecticut Medicaid director |
 | Nicole Harris, executive director, Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program |  | Martijn van Beek, quality director, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare |
 | Rachel Calloway, chief of staff, Oregon Health Authority |
Visit the series page for additional episodes, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you subscribe to podcasts.
Support for this podcast was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.
