IEHP Welcomes Lorena Rodriguez Chandler as first Chief Health Equity Officer

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Feb. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is proud to announce Lorena Rodriguez Chandler has joined the health plan as its first chief health equity officer. 

In this role, Chandler will serve the Inland Empire by further developing and implementing policies, procedures and programs aimed at improving health equity.

This will include using race/ethnicity, language, gender identity/sexual orientation, and geographic data to identify disparities in access to care and health outcomes. IEHP will then work with community partners to improve the provision of culturally appropriate services and develop new initiatives to address these disparities.

"Lorena has a heart for the communities we serve and is deeply committed to ensuring access to optimal care and vibrant health for everyone in the Inland Empire," said Dr. Takashi Wada, IEHP's chief medical officer. "We look forward to working with Lorena and learning from the vast experience she brings to IEHP."

Chandler joins IEHP with a strong background in Medicaid, Medicare, non-profit and government sponsored health programs. Prior to IEHP, she served as Blue Shield of California's director of Medicare Growth Strategy and associate vice president of Strategic Planning and Performance and was responsible for the development of a Medicare Advantage Plan for Latino Seniors in Los Angeles County. She was also a lead in the integration of Care 1st Health Plan Medi-Cal line of business into Blue Shield of CA, giving her a broad and deep knowledge of health plan operations.

In addition, Chandler brings experience from her work with Molina Healthcare Inc. as an associate vice president of Business Process Improvement and Member Engagement and LA Care Health Plan, where she worked closely with Latino and African American communities to launch and develop their inaugural community resource centers and programs.

She has also worked for the country's largest Hispanic civil rights organization, Unidos US, as their director for the Center for Latino Community Health, leading and evaluating their community health worker programs, and as a senior project manager for United Healthcare where she developed their Latino Health Solutions Initiative.

Chandler graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Administration and the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a master's in Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health Sciences. 

"Lorena's experience and passion for health equity will help IEHP excel in its mission and will truly make the Inland Empire a healthier place for all," said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer.

About IEHP

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country. In its 26th year, IEHP supports more than 1.6 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medi-Cal or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). IEHP has a growing network of nearly 6,800 Providers and more than 3,000 Team Members. Through dynamic partnerships with Providers and Community Organizations, paired with award-winning service and a tradition of quality care, IEHP is fully committed to their vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health.  For more information, visit iehp.org.

SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)