Debbie I. Chang, MPH is president and chief executive officer at Blue Shield of California Foundation, overseeing some $30 million in annual grantmaking in support of its mission to make California the healthiest state and end domestic violence. The Foundation is a catalyst for large-scale impact through policy and systems change to positively address the root causes of health inequity and domestic violence in California.
Throughout her career, Chang has championed equity and inclusion in health and health care, drawing on a deep personal commitment to building a more just and equitable world. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2020, she served as chief policy and prevention officer for Nemours Children’s Health; as deputy secretary at the Maryland Department of Health, leading Medicaid and other health care programs; and as the first federal director of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For over 35 years, she has established innovative programs and national and regional partnerships with a relentless focus on spreading and scaling impact to promote optimal health and well-being for all, especially the most vulnerable.
Chang is a nationally recognized public health, policy, and health care financing expert. She is actively engaged in a professional appointment with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on population health improvement. Her numerous honors, awards, speeches, and publications – especially in the areas of social drivers of health, systems transformation, Medicaid, CHIP, and prevention – are a testament to her achievements.
Chang holds a Master of Public Health in policy and administration from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.