Pam Kehaly is president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ). With a mission to improve the quality of life for all Arizonans, she is leading the 1,800-employee company to inspire health through inventive programs, services and health insurance products. Kehaly joined BCBSAZ in 2017 and was quickly recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the state’s “Most Admired Leaders” and made Arizona Business Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Arizona” list.
Prior to joining BCBSAZ, she served as president of Anthem Inc.’s West Region and Specialty business, responsible for $20 billion in annual revenue. Kehaly started her career in 1986 with Blue Cross of California, where her various responsibilities ranged from operations to profit-and-loss management.
With more than 30 years of experience in the health insurance industry, Kehaly has developed an expertise in collaborating with doctors and hospitals to drive results. She was a driving force behind Vivity, a first-in-the-nation joint venture between an insurer and seven hospital systems to align financial incentives behind better outcomes. She was also a leader in Patient Safety First (PSF), a National Health Institute award-winning collaboration with Anthem, the National Health Foundation and California’s regional hospital associations.
Among the many strategies Kehaly is spearheading is Mobilize AZ, which began in 2018 to address substance use disorder, mental health and diabetes in Arizona. Mobilize AZ is cultivating cross-sector, community partnerships to build capacity, increase access to care, and strengthen statewide activities and resources for prevention, treatment, resiliency and recovery in these critical areas of health.
Kehaly earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University, Stanislaus. She serves on the board of directors for the Arizona Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Greater Phoenix Leadership, HealthCorps, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and the Phoenix Police Reserve Foundation. She is a member of CCI Inc. and Greater Phoenix Economic Council.
Additionally, Kehaly is on the advisory board of the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California.
Some of the things I am most proud of at BCBSAZ are centered on our community initiatives and giving back to others. At the recent dedication of a new $100,000 fitness center at Brunson-Lee Elementary School that the students won from BCBSAZ, the excitement and pure joy on the students’ faces inspires me. It’s that passion for giving back and seeing others succeed that motivates me and, I hope, inspires others as well.
Company Name: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Main Office Address: 2444 W. Las Palmaritas Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85021
Phone: (602) 864-4100
Website: azblue.com
No. of Years with Firm: 2
Year Established Locally: 1939
