Linda brings extensive human service experience to State Health Partners. She has held leadership roles at the federal, state, and local levels and is dedicated to partnering with clients to improve health care for underserved individuals.
Prior to joining State Health Partners, Linda most recently served as Special Advisor to the Governor supporting Virginia’s implementation of Medicaid Expansion. Linda helped guide inter-agency efforts to change policies and procedures, modify computer systems, and develop communication strategies to enroll eligible Virginians. This collaborative effort resulted in more than 200,000 individuals enrolled and able to receive health services on the first day of coverage.
In 2014, Linda was appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe as Chief Deputy Director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). In this role she reorganized and strengthened the agency’s oversight of eligibility and enrollment processes. In 2017, Linda also became the unofficial state spokesperson on the impact that delay of federal funding for CHIP would have on children and families. Linda testified before Congress and provided national media interviews for outlets such as NPR and MSNBC.
Prior to her appointment by Governor McAuliffe, Linda was a member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ leadership team during implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Much of her work focused on developing and ensuring compliance with extensive new ACA regulations. She also oversaw the 50+ state CHIP programs, serving almost 9 million children.
Previous work in Virginia also includes serving as Virginia’s first CHIP Director, the DMAS Director of Maternal; Child Health, and because of dramatic policy improvements and increases in enrollment achieved during her tenure, an appointment as Commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Aging (VDA) by Governor Tim Kaine. Linda is dedicated to providing access to health care for lower-income children and adults, while maintaining a high degree of program integrity.
Testimony before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee urging members to reauthorize funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on C-SPAN
