John Mathewson, Chief Operating Officer, Americas Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)

Age:61

Education: He earned a masters in health services administration fromGeorge Washington University with a concentration in policy, planning and marketing. He has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Howard University.

About him:Mathewson serves as chief of staff, head of business operations, and helps to drive AHIPs strategic planning. Before joining the association in 2018, he held several leadership roles for a variety of healthcare groups including health insurance providers, hospital and home care companies. He also served as executive vice president of strategy and operation for the HSC Foundation & Health Care System, an integrated health system and health plan for young people with disabilities. In addition, he had roles at Cigna and Kaiser Permanente in commercial markets and national accounts.

Today, hes shaping AHIPs focus on equity and diversity, impacting the nearly 1 million employees and millions of patientsserved by AHIP members.Forget incrementalism and try to go legendary by putting on your cape, turning on your superpowers, and those of others, he said.

In the last year, he helped lead AHIPs Project Link, a social determinants of health program that outlines best practices for the health insurance industry. In addition, he expedited turning the annual AHIP Institute & Expo 2020 into a full virtual format due to COVID-19 and expanded association webinar offerings.

First job:After college, I worked in the clinical laboratory as a medical technologist before moving into marketing, and, later,management. I had a great boss and many others who sponsored me along the way.

Accomplishment hes most proud of:First and foremost, being a husband, and the dad of an awesome daughter who is a scholar athlete. Also, he said, he's groomed multiple direct report leaders that later ascended to the C-suite and top leadership roles.

Problem hes most passionate about trying to solve: Generating a vibrant economy based on the social determinants of health in the midst of COVID and major unemployment across the nation. Also, ensuring that there is diverse leadership in healthcare across boards, C-suites, the larger workforce, and suppliers to help create a more equitable healthcare system.

Book he recommends: Authentic Leadershipby Bill George. This book is one of many a leader needs and its even more relevant now as leaders must rely on their deep, personal resolve to successfully address COVID-19 and pervasive health inequities," he said.

Advice he would you give his younger self:Dream bigger. Dreams are 100% free and you can never fail. Find your lifes work and learn to laugh a lot. Try to do something legendary, at least once," he said.

What hed do with his career if it wasnt this:He said hecant imagine a career that didnt follow his desire to impact millions of people in a positive way. Hed like to serve as a venture capitalist that does something industry changing, such as creating a new category or sector that further helps stimulate and grow the social determinants of health economy.Its inclusive and equitable throughout its infrastructure and redefines health as a better resource for living. It reaches urban streets, main streets, cul de sacs, and dirt roads.

Advice hed give to healthcare leaders seeking to make a real impact on the systemic problems of racism:Start with personal courage and resolve. Its impossible to emphasize enough how deeply strong leadership matters for this work. Find your greatest authenticity and use your courage to hear, learn and act decisively. Be brutally honest and act boldly, overcoming your fears.

He also emphasizes that the journey takes everyone in the room, so make allies from every spectrum.We all know its a marathon and wont be fixed today or tomorrow, but start anyway and find the fuel to not stop.

See the original post here:

AHIP's John Mathewson is shaping the association's strategic planning, focus on equity - FierceHealthcare