Health insurance executive moves | 2024

Payer executive moves reported by Becker's in 2024:

Editor's Note: This webpage was updated Dec. 10 and will continue to be updated. To submit a health plan executive move, contact jemerson@beckershealthcare.com

December

• Humana CFO Susan Diamond will step down after 18 years with the insurer. Celeste Mellet will be Humana's next CFO.
  
  
• CVS Health named Len Shankman president of pharmacy and consumer wellness, and Lucille Accetta as chief pharmacy officer.
  
  
• L.A. Care Health Plan has named Martha Santana-Chin as its next CEO.
  
  
• McLaren Health Care named Jessica Cromer as president and CEO of the McLaren Integrated HMO Group, the subsidiary that oversees the health system's insurance arm.
  
  
• Sutter Health Plan named Aparna Abburi as CEO and senior vice president of population health and health plan services.
  
  
• Community Health Plan of Washington named Betsy Jones chief strategy officer.
  
  

November

• CVS Health named Prem Shah as group president, Steve Nelson as president of Aetna, and Sreekanth Chaguturu, MD, president of healthcare delivery.

• Medical Mutual named its CFO Tony Helton as interim CEO.

• Centene president Ken Fasola plans to retire in July 2025. The company's Florida subsidiary, Sunshine Health Plan, named Charlene Zein plan president and CEO.
  
  
• UnitedHealth Group named Tim McKnight as chief information security officer and Steven Martin as chief restoration officer.
  
  
• Aspirus Health Plan named Steve Cindrich as president.
  
  
• Humana named Michelle O'Hara as chief human resources officer.
  
  
• Health Alliance Plan named Margaret Anderson as interim president.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross named Reetika Kumar, MD, as SVP, chief customer product, clinical solutions & pharmacy services.
  
  
• Elevance Health named Nathan Rich as vice president of investor relations and Susan Fanciullo as regional vice president of national account sales.
  
  
• WellSense Health Plan named Mark Zuccaro as chief of staff and director of operations.
  
  
• Cigna Healthcare promoted Tony Doyle to general manager of its group employer business for Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
  
  
• Oscar named Will Johnson vice president of ICHRA growth.
  
  
• CareSource named Joe Moser as VP of development.
  
  

October

• UPMC Health Plan named Mary Beth Jenkins president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.
  
  
• Consortium Health Plans named Lori Schoonmaker as CEO.
  
  
• Humana named Calder Lynch vice president and Texas Medicaid market president.
  
  
• BCBS Illinois named Alvia Siddiqi, MD, as chief medical officer.
  
  
• Blue Shield of California named Deneen Vojta, MD, executive vice president for health solutions.
  
  
• Point32Health named Dan Currie as senior vice president of operations.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross named Alexandra Jorgensen senior vice president of human resources.
  
  
• Molina Healthcare named Mark Margiotta as senior vice president of marketplace.
  
  
• Centene named Lisa Cattani as vice president of claims operations.
  
  
• SCAN tapped former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek as a senior advisor.
  
  

September

• Essence Healthcare named Jordan Reigel as president and Dr. Saria Saccocio as chief medical officer.
  
  
• CareSource named Cameual Wright, MD, as president of its Indiana market.
  
  
• Medica named Tom Lindquist as chief growth and strategy officer and Keith Tanski as CIO.

• Molina Healthcare expanded SVP and CFO Mark Keim's role to include leadership of the company's Medicaid plans and marketplace business.

• Point32Health president and CEO Cain Hayes left the company after three years in his role. The company named Jake Biscoglio as president of commercial markets and specialty products.
  
  
• AHIP selected Pat Geraghty, president and CEO of Florida Blue and parent company Guidewell, to serve a second year as chair.
  
  
• CareFirst BCBS named Crystal Calloway Mitchell as VP of communications.
  
  
• Quartz named Siva Balu as SVP and chief information and digital officer.
  
  
• Clover Health named Joseph Brand as COO of its Medicare Advantage plan.
  
  
• Clever Care Health Plan promoted Nancy Clark to VP of technology and Sabrina Coleman to SVP of legal & regulatory affairs and chief compliance officer.
  
  
• Brendan Generelli was named director of Medicare stars & quality at Johns Hopkins Health Plans.
  
  

August

• Anthem BCBS Indiana named Lynn Scott as Medicaid president.
  
  
• Cigna named Erin Lenox as president of national accounts for its U.S. employer business, Andrea Nelson as chief legal officer, and promoted Marlene Matsuoka to general manager for its group employer business in Northern California. 
  
  
• Premera Blue Cross named Talha Ashraf as executive vice president and CFO.
  
  
• BCBS Massachusetts named Krista Bowers as senior vice president of government programs.
  
  
• BCBS Tennessee promoted Michael Eiselstein to VP of product strategy & individual markets.
  
  
• Aetna named Lisa Gifford as CEO of its Oklahoma business, and Jocelyn Keegan as VP of interoperability.
  
  
• BCBS Association named Robin Sanders as vice president of litigation & risk.
  
  
• Excellus BCBS promoted Susie Hume to chief risk officer and senior VP of corporate development and strategy.
  
  
• CareSource named Minh Nguyen, MD, as chief medical officer for its Georgia business.
  
  
• Centene named Dee Kohler as senior director of member and provider services, and Candice McGee as staff vice president for business operations ICS.
  
  
• Louisiana Blue promoted Kia Price‑Fields to vice president of customer service and named Larry Simon, MD, as senior medical director.
  
  
• BCBS Rhode Island named Kaitlyn Falcone as director of value-based care strategy.
  
  

July

• Humana named Eric Doeh as CEO and plan president in Michigan.
  
  
• Anthem BCBS Nevada named Joy Thomas president of its Medicaid division.
  
  
• Highmark promoted Michael Edbauer, DO, to senior vice president of markets and named Jessica Cox as market president for Highmark Western and Northeastern New York. 
  
  
• Centene named Nathan Landsbaum as its next CEO of markets and Medicaid.
  
  
• UnitedHealth Group named Ed Kaleta as senior vice president of external affairs.
  
  
• SCAN Group appointed five new executives, including a chief technology officer and chief marketing officer, to grow its Medicare Advantage business.
  
  
• BCBS Louisiana promoted four employees to executive positions, including a new chief growth officer, CIO and chief people officer.
  
  
• CareFirst BCBS named Randolph Sergent EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary.
  
  
• PacificSource Health Plans named Shawn Akavan, MD, as EVP and chief medical officer.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross promoted Mark Dianno to VP, deputy general counsel, and assistant corporate secretary.
  
  
• CareSource named David Herndon as president of its North Carolina market.
  
  
• UPMC Health Plan named Mike Reilly as VP of community and home-based services.
  
  
• WellSense Health Plan named Darren Bennett as CFO.
  
  
• Cigna Healthcare named Samir Mistry, PharmD, as VP of client and broker strategy.
  
  
• Horizon BCBS promoted Carrie Parikh to deputy general counsel, information governance and privacy.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross promoted Mike Lentz to vice president of customer service and Tracy Mueller to vice president of enrollment and billing.
  
  

June

• Carelon Health, the health services arm of Elevance Health, named Bryony Winn as president.
  
  
• Capital District Physicians' Health Plan named Brian O'Grady as president and CEO.
  
  
• Cigna Group promoted Jamie Kates to chief accounting officer.
  
  
• Aetna promoted Erich Twachtman to vice president, head of commercial regions.
  
  
• CareSource named Edward Stubbers chief legal officer and Michael Braham as president of its military and veterans division.
  
  
• CVS Health named Keith Shah, PhD, as COO of Caremark Health Plans.

• St. Luke's Health Plan named Hillary Galyean chief growth officer.

• Medica named Alicia Reuter as SVP and chief legal officer.
  
  
• Horizon BCBS named Heather Staples Lavoie as SVP and CIO for enterprise business and technology solutions.
  
  
• Elevance Health named Catherine Gaffigan, MD, as president of health solutions, and Alessandra Simkin as staff vice president, strategic planning and delivery office, health solutions operations.
  
  
• Excellus BCBS named Tony Vitagliano as the regional president of its Utica market.
  
  
• BCBS Tennessee named Michael Eiselstein as vice president of product strategy and individual markets.
  
  
• Blue Cross of Idaho named Peter Perez as vice president of business operations.
  
  
• CareFirst BCBS named Kimberly Robinson as vice president of state government affairs.
  
  
• Excellus BCBS appointed Tony Vitagliano as regional president of the payer's Utica market.
  
  
• Quartz named Asif Mujahid as chief data officer.
  
  
• Regence BCBS of Utah named Kim Frost its public affairs and government relations director.
   

May

• BCBS Michigan named Tricia Keith as its next president and CEO, effective in 2025.
  
  
• BCBS Louisiana named Bryan Camerlinck as its next CEO. 
  
  
• UnitedHealth Group named its chief legal officer, Rupert Bondy, senior counsel and executive vice president of governance, compliance and security. Chris Zaetta, chief legal officer at Optum, was named UnitedHealth's chief legal officer and corporate secretary.
  
  
• Blue Shield of California named Lois Quam as president, Susan Mullaney as executive vice president of strategic initiatives, and Kassie Maroney as senior vice president and chief actuary.
  
  
• AHIP named Chris Bond senior VP of communications.
  
  
• Alignment Health named Neil Patel as VP of provider operations.

• Highmark named Hazem Alsahlani as director of government business growth.

• Priority Health named Elif Oker, MD, as senior vice president and chief medical officer.
  
  

April

• Aetna named Ali Khan, MD, as chief medical officer for Medicare and dual-eligible beneficiaries.
  
  
• UnitedHealthcare named Robert (Bobby) Hunter as president of its Medicare business.
  
  
• Optum promoted its president Heather Cianfrocco to CEO.
  
  
• BCBS Association named Monica Auciello as chief legal officer and general counsel.
  
  
• Florida Blue named Phillip Lee as market president for West Florida.
  
  
• BCBS Minnesota named Melissa Flicek as CIO, and Christopher Boles as VP of Medicare and individual government markets.
  
  
• Select Health named Jason Worthen as president of its desert region, overseeing operations in Southern Nevada. 
  
  
• BCBS North Carolina named Arif Khan as SVP of enterprise strategy and performance execution, and chief strategy officer.
  
  
• L.A. Care CEO John Baackes is retiring before the end of 2024.
  
  
• Clover Health named Peter Kuipers as CFO.
  
  
• Security Health Plan of Wisconsin named Renee Smith, MD, associate chief medical officer.
  
  

March

• UnitedHealth Group named CFO John Rex as president of the company, and Danielle Gray as a strategic advisor to the CEO and a member of the executive management team.
  
  
• Highmark Health promoted Craig Riner to executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
  
  
• Elevance Health named its chief strategy officer, Kyle Weber, as interim CMO.
  
  
• Regence BCBS of Utah named Mike Woodruff, MD, as executive medical director.
  
  
• Clover Health named Clay Thornton as CFO of its Medicare Advantage division.
  
  
• California appointed Tyler Sadwith as the state's Medicaid director.
  
  
• BCBS North Dakota promoted Krystal Wheeler Dennis to VP of pharmacy operations.
  
  
• MVP Health Care named Richard Dal Col, MD, as president of health management and provider & network strategy. 
  
  
• Blue Cross of Idaho named Reagan Greene as VP of brand, marketing and communications.
  
  
• Wellpoint Washington, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, named Lisa Bogard president.
  
  
  

February

• UnitedHealth Group president and COO Dirk McMahon plans to retire in April, and Michael Baker was named chief operating officer. 
  
  
• Optum Financial Services named Dhivya Suryadevara as CEO.
  
  
• Medica named Krista Dusil as CFO.
  
  
• Centene promoted its chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Erika McConduit, to chief impact officer.
  
  
• Cigna Healthcare named Mike Cole as general manager for its employer business in North Texas and Oklahoma and Lisa Buckley as general manager for its Midwest group employer business.
  
  
• Providence Health Plan named EVP Alison Santore as chief administrative officer.
  
  
• BCBS Massachusetts named Simmi Singh as chief people officer and executive vice president.
  
  
• Commonwealth Care Alliance named Amanda Cassel Kraft as COO.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross promoted Peishan Ang to vice president of corporate strategy.
  
  
• BCBS Tennessee named Ashleigh Jenkins-Dieckhaus as the company's first-ever vice president of commercial clinical operations.
  
  
• Cambia Health Solutions promoted Stephen Foxley to vice president of state affairs.
  
  

January

• Humana tapped Envision Healthcare president and CEO Jim Rechtin to be its next CEO. He joined Humana as COO in January and will transition to the CEO role later in 2024. The company also named David Dintenfass as president of enterprise growth and promoted Chris Chappelear to chief insurance actuary.
  
  
• Cigna named Brian Evanko president and CEO of its insurance business, in addition to his role as CFO at Cigna Group. U.S. Commercial President Mike Triplett will retire by the end of 2024 and will be succeeded by Bryan Holgerson. Evernorth President and CEO Eric Palmer will take on the additional role of EVP for enterprise strategy at the Cigna Group. Ann Dennison joined the Cigna Group as deputy CFO.
  
  
• Sanford Health Plan named former Bassett Healthcare Network CEO, Tommy Ibrahim, MD, as its new president and CEO.
  
  
• AmeriHealth Caritas named Aetna's former Medicaid president, Kelly Munson, as its next CEO.
  
  
• Centene named Michael Carson as president and CEO of Wellcare, its Medicare Advantage business.
  
  
• Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah has named Jim Guemple market president.
  
  
• Aetna promoted Mike Avotins to president of commercial and specialty markets for its central region. The company's former president, Daniel Finke, was named CEO of health plan services company Convey Health Solutions. 
  
  
• UnitedHealthcare's former CEO, Steve Nelson, was named CEO of senior care provider ChenMed.
  
  
• BCBS Montana named Lisa Kelley as the company's new president, effective Jan. 1.
  
  
• Independence Blue Cross named Joe Geist as senior vice president and president of national markets.
  
  
• Clover Health named Terrence Ronan as interim CFO, effective Jan. 27.
  
  
• BCBS Arizona tapped Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone for a vice president role overseeing the payer's community programs and charitable giving.
  
  
• BCBS Association named Kathy Paro vice president of strategic execution and partnerships. 
  
  
• BCBS Massachusetts promoted Dawn Perry to chief risk and audit officer, senior counsel and vice president.
  
  
• Wellmark BCBS named Paul Hlivko as chief information and digital officer. 
  
  
• Providence Health Plan named Laurel Soot, MD, as chief medical officer.
  
  
• Alignment Health named Sebastian Burzacchi as COO of its management services organization and Andreas Wagner as chief people officer.
  
  
• HealthPartners named Mohammad Suleiman as senior vice president of commercial business.
  
  
• Priority Health named Steve Andrzejewski as VP of sales and distribution.
  
  
• Fallon Health named Manny Lopes as its new president and CEO, effective July 1.
  
  
• SCAN Group tapped Matt Kazan as vice president of policy and government affairs.
  
  
• Commonwealth Care Alliance named three new senior roles to its clinical health plan division: Emily Bailey as SVP of performance, operations and innovation; Josh Ruminski as SVP of health plan clinical care; and Whitney Moyer as vice president of clinical provider integration.