CAQH Board Elects New Officers: Timothy Kaja Chair, Susan Smith Vice Chair

UnitedHealth Group's Timothy Kaja and Centene's Susan Smith were elected CAQH Board Chair and Vice Chair to advance the nation's most complete healthcare data foundation and power faster, more confident decisions across healthcare.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CAQH, the leader in trusted healthcare data, has elected Tim Kaja as chair of its board of directors and Susan Smith as vice chair.

This leadership transition follows the conclusion of Brian D. Pieninck's service as Chair of the CAQH Board in connection with his departure from his role as President and CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. He served on the CAQH Board for seven years, including three as chair. Pieninck assumed the role of President and CEO of GuideWell and its largest subsidiary, Florida Blue, on October 1, where he will build on his track record of transformative healthcare leadership.

CAQH powers the industry with accurate, authorized data at scale, built on proven provider and health plan processes. As board officers, Kaja and Smith will accelerate adoption of CAQH solutions and strengthen the U.S. data foundation that providers, health plans, and partners rely on.

Tim Kaja, Executive Vice President, Home and Community, has spent 40 years with UnitedHealth Group. His prior roles include president of Optum Health Networks and chief operating officer of UnitedHealthcare Networks, and he led global provider operations, payment integrity, and administrative simplification initiatives supporting healthcare reform for UnitedHealthcare.

Susan Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Centene Corporation, leads Enterprise Operations and Clinical Services. With more than two decades in the payer space—including 19 years at Humana—she has a proven track record of operational excellence, ultimately enhancing member and provider experiences.

"Tim and Susan are committed to the future of CAQH and revolutionizing the healthcare industry," Sarah Ahmad, CEO of CAQH, remarked. "Their leadership and guidance are vital to accelerating CAQH's transformation and positioning us as a central source for provider and member data." 

"The CAQH team owes a great deal of gratitude to Brian for his years of service on our board," Ahmad continued. "His thoughtful partnership and leadership have guided our organization into new territory, and we look forward to building on his success for many years to come." 

"It's been an honor leading the CAQH Board through the evolution and growth of this vital organization," Brian Pieninck said. "I'm confident that under Sarah's leadership and with the new officers, CAQH will enter its next chapter of momentum and impact for patients, providers and payers."

CAQH Board officers are elected to one-year terms and may be re-elected at the Board's discretion.

About CAQH: CAQH is the leader in healthcare data, enabling health plans, providers, and stakeholders to seamlessly exchange and manage the most trusted provider and member data in the U.S. By connecting 1,000+ health plans and other entities with 4+ million provider records and 225+ million member eligibility records, CAQH streamlines operations and improves data accuracy. Through industry-leading solutions, federally mandated CORE Operating Rules, and actionable insights, CAQH makes healthcare work better—so patients can access the care they need, when they need it. Learn more at CAQH.org.

SOURCE CAQH