Karen M Dale is Market President for AmeriHealth Caritas’ Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) in Washington D.C. and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) for the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies. She developed and implemented an enterprise-wide effort to promote a sense of belonging among associates. It is crucial that associates feel safe bringing their lived experiences to work, to better connect to the diverse communities that have experienced discrimination, social inclusion, and reduced access to healthcare. Karen fosters economic security through a 12-week paid internship program in partnership with community-based organizations that provide interns with national-recognized certificates in non-clinical areas like medical billing and customer service.
Karen drives success by adhering to four principles: accelerating progress in the DEI space, setting measurable goals evaluated through qualitative and quantitative data, building inclusive leadership capabilities, and getting buy-in at every leadership level. Karen reports directly to the President and CEO, and DEI goals are tied to the bonuses of senior leaders. She leverages several leadership strengths that are transferable in a local and global context: compassion, inclusion, trust, and humility.