BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors is comprised of individuals representing each of Consortium’s 20 Member Plans, as well as the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Joseph J. Albano, Vice President, Commercial & Specialty Markets is an innovative thought leader at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. In his Vice President role, Mr. Albano oversees all large group business segments, which include the State Health Benefits Program, as well as National, Jumbo, Labor, and Gaming Markets. He also has oversight for the Specialty Market, which includes Horizon Casualty Services and Horizon EXPAND, a portfolio of ancillary lines of business. His primary office is located at the Horizon BCBSNJ Corporate Headquarters in Newark, NJ.
Mr. Albano has worked at Horizon for more than 30 years. His background includes leadership positions in sales and account management, physician and hospital contracting/relations, general administration and service operations. Prior to his current role, Mr. Albano served as Vice President of Consumer and Dental Markets, leading the development and execution of the company’s dental organization and the consumer market sales and marketing strategy. He has also held leadership roles in Service Operations and Health Care Management.
Mr. Albano holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland and a Master’s degree in Health Law from Widener University School of Law in Delaware.
Erin Barney serves as President of Commercial Markets at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. In this role, Barney is responsible for the strategy, execution and performance of the Commercial Markets division, which covers multiple market segments including Minnesota-based national employers, large and small businesses, Individual and Family plans, Taft-Hartley (labor union) groups, public sector plans (local government-affiliated employers) and Minnesota residents covered by the Association’s Federal Employee Program (FEP).
Barney has more than 20 years of leadership experience within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield System. She comes to Minnesota following a vice president of network solutions role for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, a national federation of 33 independent and locally operated Blue Cross plans that collectively cover one in three Americans. In this role, Barney led collaborative efforts to develop, deliver and maintain creative and innovative network and clinical programs that fit members’ healthcare needs nationwide.
Before joining the Association, Barney served in a range of leadership roles at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), an independent licensee of the Association and the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer. Over the course of 17 years, Barney’s responsibilities included commercial growth and retention, financial performance, health care analytics, medical policy and human resources.
Barney holds a bachelor’s degree from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and a master’s degree in business from Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota.
Noah has served as Regional Vice President of the Southeast Region within Anthem National Accounts since 2021. Noah is responsible for performance, growth and strategic direction for the Southeast, which comprises over 2 million members.
Noah also serves as Anthem’s representative on the Board of Directors for Consortium Health Plans working in collaboration with other BCBS plans across the country to deploy strategies and help BCBS grow and retain National Account business.
Prior to joining Anthem, Noah led Aon’s large market segment in the East Region working closely with leadership across all key divisions of Aon including Health, Business Risk, Retirement, Compensation, Talent & Rewards.
Noah has over 20 years of experience in strategic business development, account management, and consulting with the last 15+ years focused within health and benefits.
He has been a frequently invited guest lecturer with Duke University’s Executive MBA Healthcare curriculum and has also been a recurring speaker at various Regional and National Client Healthcare Forums.
Previously, Noah led an account management team within Magellan HealthCare’s Health Plan division with specialties in Commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare managed care organizations.
Noah has also served as a National Account Executive with another national carrier directly leading and growing relationships with national employer clients based primarily throughout the Southeast U.S.
As HCSC’s President, HCSC National Accounts, Kevin Cassidy is responsible for driving growth in the employer benefits market including medical, pharmacy, product and other ancillary business. Kevin also oversees National Accounts sales, National Accounts client management, product development, product management and sales operations. With these combined responsibilities, Kevin builds on HCSC’s strong and established value proposition to enable organic growth, diversified growth and new revenue opportunities.
Kevin is an active participant in industry forums and currently serves as Board Chair for Consortium Health Plans and the company’s third-party administrator – Luminare Health. Kevin is the former Board Chair of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the Ambassadors of Mercy.
He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Economics from Illinois State University.
David Corkum is executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the largest private health plan in the state and one of the largest independent, not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country. The company serves nearly 3 million members and more than 20,000 employers and is consistently rated among the nation’s best health plans for overall member satisfaction and quality.
David joined the company in 2023 and is responsible for the strategic direction of the company’s commercial business. He leads all commercial market-facing functions, including sales and product, brand management and marketing, as well as the development of medical, specialty, and health engagement products.
Before joining Blue Cross, David served as the executive vice president of commercial markets and chief growth officer at CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. CareFirst provides health and specialty insurance coverage and administrative services to 3.5 million members in Maryland and Washington D.C. Previously, he was senior vice president, commercial markets for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. David also held a variety of sales leadership roles at Aetna.
David received his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Fairfield University.
Tara DeMoura, who has been with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) for two decades, is recognized as an industry leader advancing bold business strategies for growth and operational excellence. During her tenure, she has held leadership positions in the areas of underwriting, sales, product development, analytics and operations and has been a member of the senior leadership team since 2016.
In her current role, Tara oversees enterprise IT, data and analytics, health plan operations, member experience, commercial markets, and BCBSRI’s strategic project management office. She is responsible for driving the execution of the organization’s strategic priorities with a focus on optimizing operational performance, streamlining processes, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services across the enterprise. Additionally, she leads teams dedicated to ensuring that clients and members receive seamless and convenient service with our plans and manages the administration of member benefits and services.
Tara earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Providence College. She volunteers as an instructional basketball coach in Westport, Massachusetts. Tara has served on the boards of Girls on the Run Rhode Island, Girl Scouts of Southern New England, and the southern New England chapter of the American Heart Association. She is currently a board member of the Izzy Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Providence, Rhode Island.
Rebekah currently serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, where she has been employed since 1994.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is very active in her community and serves on several boards including Oakworth Capital Bank, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, UAB Visual and Performing Arts, the Birmingham Museum of Art Advisory Board and the World Games 2022 Organizing Committee Board.
Rebekah is a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham and recently served on their Board of Directors as VP of Communications. She serves on the University of Alabama’s Campaign Cabinet for the Performing Arts Academic Center and the University’s College of Arts and Science Leadership Board and the Culverhouse College of Business Board of Visitors. She also serves on the Marketing and Sales Advisory Board for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business. She is a sustainer with the Junior League of Birmingham and is an alumnae of Leadership Birmingham, where she recently served a two-year term as President of the Member’s Council. She is a graduate of the Momentum Women’s Leadership program and currently serves on the campaign cabinet for the United Way of Central Alabama. Rebekah previously served as a board member for Birmingham AIDS Outreach and Birmingham Education Foundation, as well as serving on the State of Alabama Ethics Commission from 2010-2012.
Joe Geist is Senior Vice President and Market President, National Accounts, for Independence Blue Cross (IBX). In this role, he leads national sales and account management for the company’s large group clients, including public sector, labor, education, and the Federal Employee Program—serving nearly two million members.
With nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare, Joe is known for advancing solutions that simplify, modernize, and elevate the client and member experience. He partners across the organization to address evolving market dynamics, identify emerging trends, and bring innovative products and strategies to market. His work is focused on delivering measurable value for large employers and improving outcomes for the populations they serve.
Joe is a respected leader in client strategy and healthcare cost management, with a strong track record of driving growth, strengthening partnerships, and navigating complex benefit ecosystems. Prior to joining IBX, he served as Vice President and Chief Client Officer for Anthem National Accounts, where he led client management across the western region, supporting more than four million members. He has also held senior sales leadership roles at Collective Health and Aetna, a CVS Health company.
Joe currently serves on the Board of the Consortium Health Plans and is the Executive Sponsor of the Future Blue Leaders Associate Resource Group at IBX. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration from Shippensburg University.
Jim Guemple joined Regence Blue Cross BlueShield of Utah as its market president in 2024, bringing 25 years of leadership and employee benefits experience to the role. In this role, Jim responsibilities include oversight of commercial business and earnings as well as legislative, regulatory, and government affairs. He also leads engagement with Regence’s community board and oversees the health plan’s community engagement.
Prior to joining Regence, Jim held executive positions with two national carriers. He held a regional vice president position with UnitedHealthcare after serving as a vice president of sales for Cigna Healthcare.
Jim is experienced at building and supporting sales strategy and teams, as well as product and distribution strategy. He has a proven record of achieving membership and earnings growth, a strong background in funding products, and a history of health plan team and talent development across all business sizes.
After earning his finance degree at Florida State University, Jim furthered his career in Florida, Arizona and Utah. He is a proud father of three children, has spent time coaching youth sports and an avid golfer.
Hope Kragh is Senior Vice President at Premera Blue Cross. In her role, she leads long-term market strategy and client success for multiple business segments, as well as for Vivacity, Inc., Premera’s wellness consulting and solutions company.
Prior to joining Premera, Kragh spent over 35 years at both large and start-up healthcare companies, building and scaling client-facing organizations and influencing efforts to drive change in healthcare. She held senior leadership roles in a number of regional and national health plans including Anthem Blue Cross, as well as in healthcare technology companies such as Collective Health and Amwell.
Kragh attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied Legal Studies. She has been an active community volunteer, serving as Board Member for a number of organizations that focus on education, at-risk youth programming, and community service.
Tim Lieb is senior vice president, growth, at Blue Shield of California, a nonprofit health plan with $24 billion in annual revenue serving 4.8 million members in the state’s commercial, individual, and government markets. He leads the company’s commercial markets and consumer markets, including Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan.
Lieb has more than 30 years of experience in health care, founded on an inherent customer focus and a passion for innovation and continuous improvement. He has a proven track record of developing high-performing teams and championing technology-based solutions to advance the member experience. He believes in driving growth and results while working to change the healthcare system for the better by reducing the overall cost of care.
Prior to joining Blue Shield in 2022, Lieb served as president of Regence Blue Shield in Washington State, part of the Cambia Health Solutions family of companies. There, he was responsible for operational and financial performance as well as growth strategy and execution through a shared services operations model. Under Lieb’s leadership, Regence Blue Shield Washington became the top performing Regence health plan as measured by membership growth, retention, and financials. Prior to that, Lieb led employee health and benefits for Mercer, where he was responsible for client retention and growth, and he supported the overall strategy and execution to achieve Mercer’s largest exchange sale in the Pacific Northwest.
Lieb holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, with a minor in business from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He is a co-executive sponsor for Elevating Women, an employee resource group at Blue Shield. He also serves on the board of directors for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Consortium National Accounts, and the California Chamber of Commerce. Lieb enjoys actively serving his community as a volunteer, donor, and board member.
As executive vice president of business development and client solutions, Sean McTaggart is responsible for providing strategic direction for business development and client retention across all segments. He also has oversight and responsibility for Marketing and Corporate Communications, Product Development and Implementation, Market Intelligence and Market Segment strategies.
Prior to joining Wellmark in 2013, Sean was chief of wellness strategy and operations at Principal Wellness and served in various leadership roles at The Principal Financial Group, including strategy development, network contracting and as regional vice president for a 15-state region and plan president. Prior to Principal, he worked for 16 years in various leadership and sales roles in the pharmaceutical industry.
Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in management and economics from Wartburg College.
Karen Moran is an executive vice president and president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Commercial Markets division. In her role, Karen is accountable for $18 billion in annual revenue and the servicing of 4.1 million of Blue Cross’ 5.1 million members nationally. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership and executive accountability for the company’s commercial health insurance business, Blue Care Network HMO, the long-term care and specialty benefits subsidiary LifeSecure, and the company’s affiliation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont.
As president of Commercial Markets, Karen works collaboratively with a team of vice presidents across the division to oversee the following functions: commercial business sales; product development; customer success (including marketing and customer analytics and consulting); segment financials; and sales operations.
Prior to joining Blue Cross, Karen was president and CEO of Humana Military, a wholly owned subsidiary of Humana Inc. She was responsible for all financial and operational elements of the organization under the Department of Defense contract that was valued at approximately $8 billion per year. Her scope included more than 3,100 associates serving six million beneficiaries in 32 states.
Karen’s previous roles included senior vice president, Commercial Business and president of ConnectiCare, and various leadership roles within Aetna, including executive director of federal plans.
Karen currently serves on the Quinnipiac School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council and previously served on the boards of several organizations, including the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, the Metro Hartford Alliance Connecticut and the Special Olympics of New York.
In the past, Karen was an executive committee member of Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services and a member of the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy Healthcare Benchmark Initiative Steering Committee. She also served as chairperson for the EmblemHealth Medical and Dental Services and GHI Article 28 Board of Directors and as a member of Board of Directors for WellSpark Health, Inc. In 2022, Karen was honored by the Hartford Business Journal by being included in their Power 25 in Healthcare.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT and a Master of Business Administration from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT.
Bryan Mulford serves as the Vice President of Commercial Markets at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. In this role Bryan is responsible for driving growth across various business segments, including small group ACA, mid-market, national accounts, public sector, and specialty products.
In addition, Bryan serves on the management committee for Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst. In this role Bryan partners with Healthworx leadership on growth and development initiatives and advises portfolio companies to assist them in building better businesses and advancing their impact.
Bryan is active in the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia communities. Currently Bryan serves as Board Vice President of the Special Olympics of Maryland
Wes Reohr serves as Chief Sales Officer at Capital, where he leads sales strategy and execution across the company’s core commercial markets, retail markets, Avalon Stop Loss, and the Producer space. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Wes brings deep expertise across all employer sizes and funding arrangements, with a recent emphasis on self-funded business.
Since joining Capital in 2003, Wes has held several key leadership roles. Most recently, as Vice President of Small/Mid/Large Group Sales and Producer Relationships, he drove P&L performance across all segments by optimizing revenue opportunities and implementing administrative, medical, and prescription drug, cost-efficient strategies.
A former All-American baseball player at Penn State, Wes earned both his B.S. in Health Policy and Administration and his MBA from The Pennsylvania State University.
Judy Smith is a highly experienced leader with over 27 years in the health insurance industry, specializing in process improvement and consulting for Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. Her expertise spans across Claims, Customer Service, Workforce Management, Operational Excellence and National Sales.
Starting her career at Highmark in 1997, Judy quickly rose through the ranks, holding various leadership roles in Customer Service, Claims, Change Management and National Sales departments. Her strong analytical skills and leadership abilities led her to manage teams responsible for process improvements, overpayment recovery, and operational efficiency.
Judy’s impact extends beyond Highmark, as she has consulted with other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans on best practices and supported new business arrangements. She has a proven track record of driving successful performance, streamlining processes, and fostering strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, she has provided leadership and oversight of multiple implementations for both new processes as well as new business.
Currently, Judy serves as Vice President within National Market Administration, focusing on Operational Excellence. She supports national clients within the Highmark footprint and acts as the Highmark National Account Executive and Inter-Plan Lead for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Judy holds a degree in Health Information Technology and a bachelor’s in business management, further solidifying her expertise in the health insurance industry.
Mark Talluto serves as vice president of market segment performance and intelligence at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of 34 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies. Today, one in three Americans is covered by the Blue System.
Talluto is responsible for BCBSA’s competitive positioning, performance and programmatic needs in key market segments such as government markets, national accounts, individual & small group markets and labor. Additionally, he directs the implementation and ongoing operations of national programs that have direct impact on BCBS companies’ market strategies and success.
Talluto started his career in healthcare more than 20 years ago in strategic consulting services within the BCBS System. He spent nearly a decade working first in strategy, marketing and product development at Horizon BCBS of New Jersey and then as chief marketing and sales executive at Anthem BCBS of Maine. Before joining BCBS, he also served as senior vice president of Matria Healthcare, a population health and disease management company, where he was responsible for sales and account management in health plan and employer markets.
Talluto earned a master’s degree in health services administration from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Lawrence University
Jason Treece is currently the Vice President, Strategic Account Management for Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield where he has served for 16 years. In this role Jason assumes executive responsibility for sales and account management teams. Jason also serves as a board member for Consortium Health Plans as well as multiple committees and workgroups in support of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Prior to his role in Strategic Accounts, he has held positions as Regional Executive and Large Group Marketing Representative. In those roles Jason was responsible for growth and retention, general business oversight, public relations, coordinating outreach as well as support for Arkansas communities, members, customers, and healthcare providers.
Jason holds a degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas.
Current Position Highlights:
- Responsible for overall business development primarily encompassing sales and retention for the National marketplace.
- Responsibility for the sales and account management team that handles the retention of group health, dental, life, disability, and other ancillary policies.
- Facilitates agent partnerships and acts as a liaison with Florida Blue to manage accounts and maintain relationships.
- Overseeing the account management team responsible for resolution of complex issues, coordinates group specific analytic tools to suggest strategies for wellness initiatives and overall cost savings.
- Utilizes influence, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills with internal key stakeholders to innovate, enhance, and implement processes and system capabilities in order to meet the unique needs of assigned accounts.
- Board Member for Consortium Health Plans
- Serves on several Steering committee groups that impact our industry
- Involved with several National Charities assisting with fundraising activities.
Experience:
- Has been with Florida Blue since 2004
- Worked in the insurance industry since 1989
- Over 35 years experience in account management
Education and Training:
- License, Health, Life, and Variable Annuities (FL)
- Bachelor of Science, Business Management, Purdue University
Roy Watson, Jr. is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 34 years of industry experience. As the Head of Sales and Distribution at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, he leads sales, retention, distribution, and sales operations across key markets, including Individual Under 65, Medicare, Group, and Ancillary segments.
In his role, Roy provides strategic leadership, focusing on building and maintaining strong market relationships that drive business outcomes. He works closely with business partners to develop strategies that enhance Blue Cross NC’s market offerings, ensuring products and services meet the diverse needs of customers. Roy also manages the market distribution strategy, overseeing online direct sales, contracting, programs, and compensation for external brokers and consultants.
Known for his expertise, Roy is a trusted resource for customers, employers, and brokers, who rely on his insights for critical healthcare decisions.
Roy holds a B.S. in Health Care Management from the University of Alabama. He actively contributes to his community, serving on the boards of the United Way of North Carolina and the Blue Cross Consortium Health Plan, and is a former chair of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce Board.
In his free time, Roy enjoys family activities, playing games, and watching movies. He is also a passionate fan of football, basketball, and baseball.
Stephanie is an experienced healthcare executive with expertise in public sector strategy, new business development, and national account retention. As Vice President of Growth and Retention at Blue Cross of Idaho, she leads account management and sales operations—driving initiatives that improve customer experience and expand access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for Idaho employers.
Her career spans corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service, offering a unique, multidimensional perspective to strategic decision-making. Before joining Blue Cross of Idaho in 2007, Stephanie managed national accounts for a Fortune 500 owned TPA, ran a successful Idaho-based small business, and worked in the Idaho Legislature—an experience that ignited her passion for healthcare advocacy.
Stephanie currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health and is the prior chair for the Idaho Heart Walk. She is a collaborative, mission-driven leader committed to advancing community health and economic resilience through thoughtful governance and strategic partnerships.
She is an alumna of Boise State University and Northwest Nazarene University and holds industry credentials including GBS and Collective Bargaining certifications. Stephanie lives in Idaho with her husband, Justin, who works as a first responder. Together they love traveling, exploring Idaho’s scenic mountains, and visiting their daughter, Cortlyn, in Arizona.