California Health Benefit Exchange Announces Senior Leadership Appointment: Yolanda R. Richardson

Yolanda R. Richardson, Deputy Chief Operations Officer.

SACRAMENTO – Executive Director Peter V. Lee announced today the unanimous appointment of Yolanda R. Richardson as Deputy Chief Operations Officer by the California Health Benefit Exchange Board. "Ms. Richardson is a welcomed addition to the executive management team,” said Lee. “With more than 20 years of health care experience, Ms. Richardson will provide critical leadership and oversight of all aspects of the Exchange operations.”

“I look forward to working closely with Ms. Richardson as a key member of the team,” said David Maxwell-Jolly, Chief Operations Officer for the Exchange. “Together we will develop and implement strategic and operational plans for the Exchange and continue to move this critical work forward.”

“This is a great opportunity for our state to provide access to affordable coverage,” said Richardson. “I am honored to be a part of the important work that is being done for Californians.”

As the Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Richardson will assist the Chief Operations Officer with organization and direction of day-to-day operations for the Exchange. She will also provide leadership over the design and management of internal control systems, organizational structure, all business operations, and human resources.

Richardson was most recently the President of Richardson Group Consulting where she supported business owners with the development and implementation of strategic goals. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer for a number of companies in the health care field including San Francisco Health Plan. Richardson also served as Vice President of Operations for Pacific Health Advantage, which ran the Health Insurance Plan for California’s purchasing pool for small businesses. Richardson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento. The salary of this position is $160,000.

About the Exchange

California was the first state to create a Health Benefit Exchange following the passage of federal health care reform. It is charged with creating a new insurance marketplace in which individuals and small businesses will be able to purchase competitively priced health plans using federal tax subsidies and credits beginning in 2014. The Exchange is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the Governor and Legislature; the California Health and Human Services Secretary serves as an ex officio voting member and is its current Chair.

For more information on the Exchange including meeting calendar, visit www.HealthExchange.ca.gov.

Please note, the new California Health Benefit Exchange media number is (916) 205-8403.

Click here to view the original announcement.