Nashville, TN – Speire Healthcare Strategies announces that former Virginia Medicaid Director Karen Kimsey has joined as a Partner. Karen has more than 27 years of healthcare experience and is a nationally recognized Medicaid expert.  

Prior to joining she served as Director of Virginia’s Medicaid and Child health Insurance Programs. Ms. Kimsey led the program, which serves more than 2.1 million Virginians with a $20 billion annual budget, through the COVID-19 pandemic and Medicaid expansion. In her over 27 years in state government, she held ascending policy and leadership positions. She worked across the agency on a wide range of issues including: behavioral health, managed care, long-term services and supports, addiction and treatment services, and diversity equity and inclusion. In particular, Karen is known for her work on Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports, with an emphasis on dually-eligible individuals.

Karen is credited with bringing more transparency and accountability to agency financial and program operations. In 2020 Karen was recognized with a Spotlight award from the National Association of Medicaid Directors for organizational changes that enhanced staff level satisfaction and work performance, and reduced staff attrition from thirty to three percent.

Ms. Kimsey also held leadership roles in the National Association of Medicaid Directors, serving on the governance committee and as east coast representative. She currently serves as a Member of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Action Group on Health Equity.

“We are excited for Karen to be a part of our team, she brings deep Medicaid policy and program insights that will benefit our firm and our clients” said Darin Gordon.