About me
Valerie Martinez, DrPH(c), MPH, serves as the chief health equity officer for Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan.
Valerie is characterized by her authenticity, fortitude, and commitment to advance health equity. She leads the development and implementation of strategies to improve health equity and reduce health inequities for more than 600,000 of the Blue Shield Promise’s Medi-Cal members.
Valerie completed doctoral and masters’ programs in Public Health and is an innovative leader with 19 years of experience in the public health field. Her extensive knowledge of federal regulatory and reporting requirements has contributed to her proven success in program management, quality management, operations, and quality improvement in both clinical and managed care settings.
Valerie began her professional career in the Federally Quality Health Care setting working with diverse underserved populations in Los Angeles County, before venturing into managed care where she served as Vice President of Clinical Quality for a national health plan. Valerie is inspired by her connections to communities which fuel her passion for advocating for underserved population. Serving as a health plan executive allows her to incorporate the voice of the community into strategic planning and programming to meet vital needs for Californians.
Valerie is a recognized thought leader and key stakeholder with local, state, and national organizations, and serves as an appointed representative with San Diego County’s Live Well San Diego.
Valerie believes that advancing health equity requires an honest examination of pervasive issues plaguing our communities. Valerie champions stakeholder buy-in, works to build capacity and resilience; connects with individuals who share their truth; and cultivates a workforce to translate those lived experiences into action.
