Nationally recognized healthcare leaders will bring fresh insight to advance NCQA's work in quality and digital transformation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / January 15, 2026 / The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today announced the appointment of two distinguished healthcare leaders to its Board of Directors: Dana Erickson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), and Kate McEvoy, Executive Director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD).
"Dana Erickson and Kate McEvoy bring an extraordinary depth of leadership and experience to the NCQA Board," said NCQA President and CEO, Dr. Vivek Garg. "As I step into my new role, I am deeply grateful for the steady guidance of a talented, dedicated board and energized by the insight, expertise and perspective Dana and Kate will contribute. Their membership arrives at a pivotal moment for NCQA as we enter a new era of advancing quality, modernizing with digital transformation and shaping the future of person-centered care."
Erickson has led Minnesota's largest nonprofit health plan since 2022. Under her leadership, Blue Cross has experienced significant growth and recently surpassed 3 million members for the first time in its 90-year history. A registered nurse and respiratory therapist by training, Erickson has held clinical, operational and executive roles across managed care, population health and care management. Erickson's other board service includes Portico Healthnet, a Minnesota-based charitable organization that helps individuals and families access affordable coverage and care.
"I am honored to join NCQA's board at such a transformative moment for healthcare," said Erickson. "Having spent my career advancing health models that improve outcomes, I see enormous opportunity in NCQA's leadership on quality measurement, digital transformation and person-centered approaches to care. I look forward to contributing my experience to help accelerate innovation and strengthen quality across the country."
McEvoy serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, representing state and territory leaders responsible for providing health coverage and improving the well-being of more than 77 million people served by Medicaid and CHIP nationwide. Before joining NAMD, she led leadership development and policy initiatives related to aging at the Milbank Memorial Fund and previously served as Connecticut's longtime Director of Health Services, overseeing Medicaid, CHIP, long-term services and supports and ACA implementation. Earlier in her career, McEvoy worked with and for older adults and people with disabilities through the Connecticut Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and she is a published attorney specializing in elder law.
"NCQA plays a critical role in driving healthcare quality for the communities served by Medicaid," said McEvoy. "I am excited to bring the perspectives of state and territory Medicaid leaders to this work, especially as new care models, emerging data capabilities and digital quality tools reshape how we support individuals and families. I look forward to partnering with fellow board members and NCQA's leadership to strengthen systems of care nationwide."
NCQA is governed by an independent board of directors representing purchasers, clinicians, public policy experts, consumer advocates and health system leaders. Together, they provide multi-stakeholder guidance to advance NCQA's mission to improve healthcare quality through accreditation, standards, performance measurement and expert support.
About NCQA
NCQA is an independent nonprofit organization that defines and drives healthcare quality through accreditation, standards, performance measurement and expert support.?For more than 35 years, NCQA has advanced transparency accountability, and enabled healthcare organizations to deliver better outcomes for patients.?NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is one of healthcare's most widely used performance improvement tools. Learn more at?ncqa.org. Follow NCQA on X?@ncqa?and on LinkedIn?linkedin.com/company/ncqa.
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SOURCE: NCQA
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/ncqa-appoints-dana-erickson-and-kate-mcevoy-to-board-of-directors-1127081
