L.A. Care Health Plan’s Board of Governors unanimously voted to appoint Martha Santana-Chin as its next Chief Executive Officer. This historic appointment makes Santana-Chin the first female and Latina CEO to lead the organization. Santana-Chin previously held several leadership roles at various organizations, including an 11-year tenure at Health Net, a Centene company, where she most recently served as Plan Chief Product President in the California Market.

As a Latina leader, the eldest of nine, and the daughter of immigrants whose family relied on Medi-Cal during her childhood, Santana-Chin takes pride in her first-hand understanding of the struggles faced by low-income communities. She has since become a first-generation college graduate and has dedicated her nearly 30-year career to working with the underserved communities of Los Angeles County and other parts of the state.

Santana-Chin has consistently been at the forefront of healthcare innovation, playing pivotal leadership roles in every stage of California’s managed care journey focused on serving low-income populations. She has been instrumental in transitioning these communities into managed care, as the program evolved its focus to care for individuals with complex healthcare needs and, more recently, to address whole-person care by integrating medical, behavioral, and social services. She remains steadfast in her commitment to advocating for equitable access to high quality care and empowering communities to thrive.

Santana-Chin also serves as Board Chair for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Board Chair for the Integrated Healthcare Association. She graduated with a B.S. in finance from California State University-Long Beach and received an MBA from the University of California, Irvine – Paul Merage School of Business. She will assume her role as CEO of L.A. Care on January 6, 2025.