Michele Boggs has been with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) for 31 years and is currently the director of organization and talent development. Her key responsibilities include leadership of organization-wide leader and professional development programming and initiatives, the Office of Change Management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in support of the organization’s strategic plan and mission. She also currently serves as the organization’s chief diversity officer and is a PROSCI-certified Change Practitioner.

Ms. Boggs has overseen the implementation of several successful and ongoing leadership and employee development programs, including mentoring for leaders at all levels, Change Management for People Leaders, the High Potentials development program, Jump Start for Aspiring Leaders program, and Lead and Inspire for newly promoted people leaders. Annually she works with the Executive Leadership team to conduct formal succession planning and talent evaluation activities.

In her role as chief diversity officer, Ms. Boggs leads the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Council, an employee-driven team implementing strategic DEI programming and practices.

Ms. Boggs holds a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational communications from Arizona State University, and numerous professional certifications. She is married with an adult daughter. In her free time she loves to read, travel, shop, and discover new restaurants.

Elizabeth Carpio is the director of strategic development at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), with responsibility for enterprise risk management, strategic intelligence, market research, business continuity, and crisis management. Elizabeth was invaluable in the 2019 acquisition of Health Choice Arizona (HCA), a Medicaid-managed care plan. Elizabeth is also a member of both teams leading the integration of HCA and the company’s tribal strategy.

Before joining BCBSAZ in March 2019, Elizabeth served as the assistant deputy director of business operations for the state Medicaid agency known as the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). She was responsible for leading more than 850 employees and the diverse day-to-day business operations of the agency including finance, member services, Medicaid eligibility, administrative legal services, information technology, facilities, the fee-for-service health plan, and project management office. Elizabeth was instrumental in the state’s successful efforts to restore and expand Medicaid in 2013 and to create integrated physical and behavioral health managed care plans in 2018. Additionally, Elizabeth oversaw the creation and implementation of the medical home model in tribal communities through the fee-for-service health plan known as the American Indian Health Program (AIHP), a cutting-edge initiative that was the first of its kind nationally.

While at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Elizabeth served as the director of senior services and led the effort to transition senior services from a division of the Department of Health and Human Services to a stand-alone department within the tribal government structure. She has also held leadership positions at the Area Agency on Aging, Region One, and Valle Del Sol, Inc. related to program development, management, quality, and compliance.

Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in gerontology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Arizona. Elizabeth is a graduate of the Hispanic Leadership Institute Class of 2003, and Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy Fellow Class of 2013.

Mark Carroll, MD, is the chief medical officer for Health Choice Arizona, a subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. He is a mission-driven physician executive and empathic leader dedicated to evidence-informed healthcare value and health improvement for diverse populations and communities.

A diplomat of the American Board of Pediatrics, and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Carroll received his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. He completed his residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a post-doctoral fellowship training in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at Stanford University. Early in his career, Dr. Carroll worked as staff physician at the Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.

In Arizona, Dr. Carroll served in several leadership roles for the Indian Health Service (IHS), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including: Preventive Medicine Officer, Director of Adolescent Health, and Chief Medical Officer at the Tuba City Indian Medical Center/Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation; Director of the Southwest IHS Native American Cardiology Program; and founding National Director of the IHS Telehealth Program. Following completion of his IHS service, Dr. Carroll directed Population Health Innovation at the Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC), served as Chief Medical Officer at FMC and Vice President at Northern Arizona Healthcare, and was the Physician Program Consultant for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Systems (AHCCCS). Prior to joining Health Choice Arizona in 2020, he was Chief Health Officer, then Chief Science Officer and Vice President for Discovery, for The NARBHA Institute, a not-for-profit public charity advancing well-being in northern Arizona by inspiring hope, energizing coalitions, and amplifying diverse voices.

Dr. Carroll has served on several organizational and community boards, and brings to the Foundation the experience of many years of collaborative work in diverse settings, with numerous leadership roles in national and regional public, philanthropic, payer, and health system organizations. His unique, multi-market and cross-cultural background underscores his goal of facilitating relationship-based, transformational change through outcome-oriented partnerships and collaborations.

Dr. Cara Christ, MD, MS, is the chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ). Prior to joining BCBSAZ, Dr. Christ led the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) as the longest-serving director, also having served as chief medical officer, licensing director, and deputy director of public health since joining the department in 2008.

At BCBSAZ, Dr. Christ oversees the Healthcare Quality Assurance (HQA) department including: Clinical Therapeutics, Provider Partnerships, Clinical Quality, Wellness and Disease Management, Integrated Care Management, Clinical Operations, High-Cost Containment Review, and Medicare Performance (Stars). HQA represents clinical and non-clinical teams aiming to make healthcare sustainable for our marketplace and enhance quality of care. To achieve these goals, Dr. Christ’s teams implement programs that drive improvement in clinical outcomes, enhance the customer experience, and maximize value of the healthcare delivery system. These initiatives fall into several focus areas, including affordability, operational excellence, behavioral health, and value-based care.

Being dedicated to public and population health her entire career, Dr. Christ most recently led the statewide response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona, including the administration of more than 1.6 million doses of vaccine at nationally recognized state mass-vaccination centers and development of a statewide Surge Line to ensure hospital capacity.

She also led the state’s opioid epidemic emergency response, oversaw the state’s Zika prevention activities, and led Arizona’s successful responses to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza, 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak, and 2015 and 2016 measles outbreaks.

Throughout her public health career, Dr. Christ has coordinated Arizona’s public health surveillance systems, implemented public health interventions, provided leadership and public health expertise for the Arizona State Health Improvement Plan, recruited and supported hospitals for certification as “Infectious Disease Treatment Centers of Excellence,” led the implementation of the Maternal Mortality Breakthrough Action Plan, and overseen the development and implementation of 20 articles of rules, allowing for integration of behavioral and physical health while streamlining and decreasing the regulatory burden for Arizona’s health care institutions.

Dr. Christ, an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in Microbiology from Arizona State University. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.

A passionate fan of all things Disney, she also holds a “Ducktorate” from Disney University in Disney-style management. Dr. Christ is a busy mom to three school-age kids and, when she is not busy working, you will find her playing with her family in a Disney Park or training for her next run Disney half-marathon.

Mark El-Tawil joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) in 2018 as chief financial officer, leading areas responsible for pricing of all products, the planning process, and supporting affordability efforts through analysis and data mining. His department oversight includes accounting, actuarial services, analytics, facilities, financial planning, medical economics, procurement, and treasury.

In his role as CFO, Mr. El-Tawil has expanded payment integrity and procurement impact to improve overall competitive cost positioning, driven the creation of a captive insurer that will provide flexibility and financial benefits in managing the organization’s business risks and insurance needs, and negotiated final deal terms for the acquisition of Health Choice Arizona.

Since moving to Arizona from Michigan 32 summers ago, Mr. El-Tawil has been actively engaged in the community. He currently serves on the boards of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix and the Mesa Arts Center Foundation. In his free time, Mr. El-Tawil is an enthusiastic winemaker.

As corporate ombudsman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), Erin represents the organization in assisting members, healthcare providers, and other external clients in facilitating resolution to conflicts, concerns, and complaints that are oftentimes complicated or sensitive in nature. A member of the International Ombudsman Association, Erin is committed to handling each situation with equity and fairness, acting as an advocate for customers in need of solutions.

Beginning her career at BCBSAZ in 2013 as a Membership Services Representative, Erin quickly became passionate about providing caring and thoughtful service to customers, which is a core value of BCBSAZ. Her path led her to work for the ombudsman department, eventually becoming leader of the department in 2019. As corporate ombudsman, Erin is uniquely in tune with customer needs, identifying trends and recommending alternatives or changes to processes in an effort to continually improve the customer experience.

Erin was a recipient of the BCBSAZ C.E.O. (Create, Execute, and Own) Award in 2019, and was recognized for her ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences through a fair and robust customer complaint process. In 2020, Erin became a certified Change Practitioner through Prosci, joining BCBSAZ’s Change Community Council which is responsible for leading the organization through change.

Erin is proud to be a born-and-raised Arizonan, having a deep-rooted devotion to her community. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in 2012 from Northern Arizona University. In addition to her role at BCBSAZ, Erin currently serves as president of the all-volunteer Phoenix Symphony Chorus, furthering her dedication for contributing to her community.

Edmundo Hidalgo currently serves as vice president of outreach and partnerships within Arizona State University’s (ASU) Educational Outreach and Student Services. Hidalgo leads ASU’s efforts to develop a comprehensive approach to outreach to include private- and public-sector partnerships, in an effort to improve individual and collective economic prosperity through education.

Previously, Hidalgo served as president and CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC) from 2008 to 2015. Prior to being appointed CEO, Edmundo had served as CPLC’s COO since 1999. CPLC is a regional community and economic development corporation with almost 50 years of experience serving communities in the areas of education, economic development, housing and health, and human services. CPLC is the third largest Latino non-profit in the United States, serving over 200,000 individuals annually.  

Hidalgo is currently on the Community Advisory Board for Equality Health, and the Advisory Board for Morrison Institute for Public Policy at ASU. He previously served as chair of the Maricopa County Community Colleges Foundation, treasurer of Sonoran Bank, and board member of the Desert Botanical Garden.

Hidalgo was inducted into the Hispanic Leaders Hall of Fame by Valle Del Sol in 2017 and named Man of the Year by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2016. He was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame by ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business in 2015 and named one of 50 Most Influential Hispanics in the Country by Hispanic Business Magazine in 2014.

Edmundo grew up in the southern Arizona town of San Luis. He earned his BA in Economics in 1988 and received his MBA from ASU in 2000.

Dr. James Napoli serves as the chief pharmacy officer (CPO) and Vice President of Clinical Therapeutics for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ). In addition to providing clinical leadership for his division, he oversees the pharmacy strategy and operations. Dr. Napoli is responsible for healthcare innovations in the pharmaceutical arena, including formulating clinical pharmacy policy, maintaining the national pharmacy network, and managing relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers and claims processing vendors. He also develops comprehensive prescription benefit design and utilization programs for managed segments.  

Dr. Napoli is passionate about creating innovations and programs designed to foster and enhance relations between BCBSAZ, its subsidiaries and affiliates, hospitals, and providers. His team is directly responsible for creation of outcome-driven initiatives designed to improve the quality of healthcare services while bringing efficiencies to the delivery of care.

Dr. Napoli plays a vital role in creating outcome-driven quality initiatives and programs designed to improve healthcare services to BCBSAZ members and maximize system efficiencies. He is also the current chairman for BCBS Association National Council of Physician and Pharmacist Executives (NCPE).

Dr. Napoli is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is a Certified Physician Executive in medical management with more than a decade of clinical experience in hospital medicine and physician leadership roles, including Credentials Chair, Quality Assurance Chair, Medicine Chair, and Vice Chief of Staff at Arrowhead Hospital in Glendale, Arizona.  

Dr. Napoli also served as a medical director for OptumHealth in the medical management and quality improvement areas for Medicare Advantage membership. He directed multiple projects that supported care management innovation that led to shared savings models for primary care physicians.

Dr. Napoli holds a Master of Medical Management degree from University of Southern California, a Doctor of Allopathic Medicine degree from Medical College of Ohio, and a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University.

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Diana Policky currently serves as the chief operating officer for Health Choice Arizona, providing guidance and leadership for all company activities. She oversees planning, implementation, and evaluation of administrative and operational activities for the health plan, including project management, claims, encounters, member services, grievance and appeals, plan performance, and network.

Ms. Policky has over twenty years’ experience in healthcare quality systems, government, and managed care programs. During her tenure at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) she was responsible for operational oversight of all AHCCCS Managed Care Organizations (MCO), plan audits, program operations, policies, and participation in requests for proposals. Prior to this, Ms. Policky worked for Maricopa County, overseeing pre-AHCCCS operations, including three multi-million-dollar trials, correctional health claims, risk management functions, public health claims, and office of management and budget operational activities.

Caroline (Cari) Stinchcomb is director of large group client services for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), leading the team that manages over 360,000 members across Arizona and the United States. She has over 25 years of health and employee benefit experience working with large employers on their employee benefit strategies.

Prior to joining BCBSAZ in November of 2011, Ms. Stinchcomb was a large group employer consultant with a national consulting company. Previous experience includes network contracting, provider relations, account management, and national sales.

Rachel Winkler is general manager of the individual segment of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), leading the team dedicated to providing affordable health insurance products and services to individuals and families and overseeing all activities within the segment including product development, plan pricing, sales, marketing, enrollment, claims, and member services.

Ms. Winkler joined BCBSAZ in 1999, and since then has held nine positions within the organization. Her contributions have created top-of-the-line health insurance products and industry-leading customer service while addressing health challenges that impact Arizonans.

Supporting the BCBSAZ culture of giving back to the community, Ms. Winkler has been involved with various organizations in the Valley, including National Charity League, Valley Leadership, and Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development. She has held various leadership roles within these organizations, serving as board member, co-treasurer, finance committee member, and chairman. She has also served as a mentor-leader for many individuals and colleagues during her career at BCBSAZ.

Ms. Winkler graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Canyon University (GCU) where she also minored in music. In January 2021, she was inducted into the GCU Alumni Hall of Fame and honored for her significant contributions to the university. She resides in Phoenix with her husband, two children, and two Miniature Australian Shepherds. The Winkler family enjoys attending the theatre to see musicals locally and when traveling.

Dr. Wiggs leads corporate social responsibility, philanthropic investment, and public health initiatives for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement. Leveraging over two decades of experience in healthcare and public health, Dr. Wiggs spearheads multifaceted strategies that support and elevate the health of customers, members, community organizations, and Arizonans statewide.
 
Prior to joining BCBSAZ in June 2018, Dr. Wiggs held senior leadership roles with Aetna Medicaid, at both the health plan and national level. During her tenure she led the organization’s national health equity and social determinants of health strategy. Dr. Wiggs built her public health-focused career at the University of Arizona where she led community-based applied research and evaluation initiatives, serving vulnerable populations including substance using, HIV/AIDS, as well as youth and adults experiencing homelessness.
 
Dr. Wiggs is highly engaged in the community serving on several boards including the Phoenix Indian Center, Activate Food Arizona – Farm Express, and University of Arizona’s College of Public Health. She was recently recognized as one of AZ Big Media’s Most Influential Women of 2023.
 
Dr. Wiggs received her Bachelor of Science from Gonzaga University, and holds a Master of Public Health, Master of Science, and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. A native Arizonan, Dr. Wiggs is passionate about working closely with communities to build the resources and capacity needed to improve the health of all.

Jenny Aho is corporate giving manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ). In this role, Ms. Aho is inspiring health for Arizonans through corporate giving, community grant programs, and positive community impact. As a member of the Community Health Advancement team at BCBSAZ, Ms. Aho’s responsibilities encompass corporate giving, philanthropy activities, and building relationships within the state to support BCBSAZ community health initiatives across Arizona.

Ms. Aho has more than fifteen years of community relations and corporate giving experience, with a focus on strategic corporate responsibility, grantmaking, and communications. Before joining BCBSAZ, she was regional relationship manager for PetSmart Charities, responsible for strategic grantmaking in support of programs creating healthy communities for people and pets. She was principal of Ruby Slippers, LLC, a corporate communications consultancy based in Scottsdale, as well as a community relations specialist, then community relations manager, for Cox Communications in Phoenix.

Ms. Aho holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and speech communication from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Her activities in the community include serving as a volunteer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and as a board member for Arizona’s Children Association. She is a member of Valley Leadership’s Alumni Class of XXVIII.

As Health Advancement Specialist, Ms. Cosentino creates and manages programs and partnerships that make Arizona a healthier state. Ms. Cosentino is the program lead for grants addressing substance use disorder, mental health, chronic health conditions, and the social drivers of health. She is instrumental in the application, selection, and support process, managing interactions with multiple grantees throughout their grant cycles.

Ms. Cosentino has served as project lead on multiple campaigns that address behavioral health including opioid overdose prevention, stigma reduction, and mental health education. As a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor, she teaches people how to recognize when someone may be experiencing an emerging mental health crisis and how to respond and connect them to care.

Tara Cosentino joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) in 2013 and has served as health advancement specialist since November 2018. Previous roles within the organization include working with employer groups to implement health and wellness programs and working with providers to implement value-based care to improve healthcare quality. Prior to joining BCBSAZ, Ms. Cosentino was an employee wellness coordinator for both Banner Health, Phoenix, and HonorHealth, located in Scottsdale.

Ms. Cosentino graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and wellness. She is passionate about improving both mental and physical health and loves working collaboratively to create programs and campaigns to impact health in Arizona.

Cherie Hoffman joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) as a health advancement specialist in April of 2022. In this role, Ms. Hoffman applies her background in social work to develop and implement programming to promote health equity and serve marginalized communities in our state. With experience in grant management, data collection, and performance metrics, she provides analytical expertise and also builds strategic partnerships with state, federal, and nonprofit organizations, as well as educational institutions, to impact health outcomes for all Arizonans.

Ms. Hoffman brings more than 25 years of experience to her position, many of those years working with children, families, and individuals within the health, behavioral health, and child welfare systems. Prior to joining the community and health advancement team at BCBSAZ, she was a children’s health program specialist for First Things First.

Previous roles include patient care manager for Aurora Behavioral Health Center in Phoenix, and implementation manager for Arizona’s Medicaid agency – Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) – where she also served as a youth grant coordinator, overseeing substance use and mental health block grants.

Ms. Hoffman holds a Master of Social Work degree from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York. In 2013, Ms. Hoffman received her Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) certification from the State of Arizona. She has served on the boards of directors of the Arizona chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Arizona chapter, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, New York.

LeeAnn Moyer is the corporate giving program specialist at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ). A proud third-generation Arizonan, Ms. Moyer’s deep roots inspire her work serving BCBSAZ members and residents of the state, with a focus on corporate giving, community grants and programs, philanthropy activities, and relationship building. 

Ms. Moyer has more than 15 years of project management and customer relations experience in corporate communications and healthcare. Prior to joining the community health advancement team, Ms. Moyer was a marketing specialist for BCBSAZ’s Medicare product, and a traffic specialist for the creative services department.

Previous roles outside of BCBSAZ include 10 years as a Medicare member communications senior consultant for CVS Health, and as a marketing coordinator for Grand Canyon University, Phoenix.

Ms. Moyer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business with a marketing minor from Western International University.

Nicole Neal has served as health advancement specialist at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) sinceNovember 2021. In this role, Ms. Neal is instrumental in health advancement planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of programs addressingArizona’s most critical health issues, including how social determinants of health affect maternal health in our state. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in health and wellness education programming and administration inArizona and has spent most of those years focused on the health of children and mothers.

Prior to joining BCBSAZ, Ms. Neal was a health specialist with the City of Phoenix Birth to Five Head Start program, managing health, nutrition, safety, and childcare programs for children ages birth to five years. Previously, Ms. Neal served the Maricopa County Department of Public Health as a community health worker and HealthyStart health educator working primarily in South Phoenix. In this role, she was instrumental in expanding the Phoenix Union High School District pregnancy and parenting support program and implementing the Healthy Start doula services for the Maricopa County Estrella Women’s Jail facility. She was a domestic violence advocate for the Sojourner Center, Phoenix, and a program services evaluator for the State of Arizona Department of Economic Security Family AssistanceAdministration.

Ms. Neal graduated from theUniversity of Arizona College of Public Health with a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences, focusing on community health education. She holds aMaster of Public Health degree from Grand Canyon University. Her clinical practicum experiences include internships with First Things First children’s health programming and the City of Phoenix employee wellness department.

Ms. Neal has presented at local and national conferences, including First Things First Summit (Phoenix, 2013),the National Healthy Start Conference (Washington, D.C., 2012), and NationalPathways to Adulthood: A Convening on Youth in Transition (Denver, 2011). She is a two-time recipient of the Peak Performance Award given by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (2010, 2013).

A member of Arizona Birth workers of Color, Ms. Neal has been a doula and breastfeeding counselor for more than ten years. In addition to her role at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Ms.Neal is an adjunct professor in the integrated public health program atParadise Valley Community College, Phoenix.

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Paul Penzone joined Blue CrossBlue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) as vice president and chief community relations officer in January of 2024, bringing with him the experience of a distinguished career in public service.

Prior to joining AZ Blue, Paul was elected the 37^th Sheriff of Maricopa County. As Sheriff, he led the fourth largest Sheriff’s Office in the U.S. from 2017 to 2024, responsible for over 9,000 square miles and one of the largest jail systems in the country. His many accomplishments include instituting more comprehensive drug recovery programs for inmates, creating a health and wellness division for Sheriff’s Office employees, and establishing boards to ensure diversity, equality, and inclusion within the organization.  

Paul’s tenure as Sheriff was the conclusion of nearly 30years of service in law enforcement. He served with the Phoenix PoliceDepartment from 1988 to 2009. While with the Phoenix Police Department, Paul wasdirector of the Silent Witness Program. He established a multi-lingual tip line and revamped community outreach efforts, all designed to facilitate critical crime related information with the goal of solving cold cases throughout MaricopaCounty. Under his supervision, Silent Witness played an integral role in solving two serial killer investigations for which Paul was recognized by CrimeStoppers International as Program Coordinator of the Year in 2009.

Woven within an exemplary career in public safety is Paul’s service to non-profit organizations. He has been an executive leader of both Child help and notMYkid, overseeing prevention programs and governmental affairs. Throughout his professional career, and in his personal life, Paul has worked to protect, support, and provide services in the promotion of health, safety, and wellness for children and young adults.

Paul studied Criminal Justice at Glendale Community College and Northern Arizona University. He graduated from the esteemed Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Executive Institute, a development program offered to a select few national and international law enforcement leaders each year.  

Gabrielle (Gabby) Richard has served as senior manager for community and health advancement at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) sinceDecember 2021. In this role, Ms. Richard manages and oversees the goals of the health advancement department, including working with partners and stakeholders to develop, launch, and execute initiatives and partnerships designed to drive measurable impact and make Arizonans healthier.

Prior to joining BCBSAZ, Ms. Richard was a grants manager for theArizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), charged with overseeing federal block and discretionary funds that support mental health and substance use prevention efforts statewide. In this role, she also served as the NationalPrevention Network (NPN) representative for the state of Arizona. During her tenure at AHCCCS, Ms. Richard led efforts to transform the organization’s substance abuse prevention system, including the development of new funding structures.She also instituted a statewide process and outcome evaluation, conducted statewide strategic planning, and standardized the use of evidence-based practices to enhance substance abuse prevention outcomes.

Previously, Ms. Richard worked for the Arizona Department ofHealth Services’ Division of Behavioral Health Services (ADHS/DBHS), assisting with the development and oversight of statewide behavioral health services and projects. She has worked for the states of Texas and Washington, managing federal funding sources for statewide substance abuse and mental health promotion program implementation, and overseeing contracts with community-based organizations, government entities, and substance abuse prevention coalitions. She has served as an expert peer reviewer for federal grant opportunities for theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DOJ/OJJDP),and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Ms. Richard graduated from the University of South Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in addiction studies, with emphasis in both treatment and prevention. She holds a master’s degree in prevention science from theUniversity of Oklahoma and is also a Certified Prevention Professional (CPP)with the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC).