Lisa Lee

Lisa Lee has more than 20 years of experience working with Medicaid and the Children s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), with much of her career dedicated to public service in Kentucky state government. She has held numerous leadership positions within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, including Member Services Representative, Director of Provider Services, Policy Analyst, Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner for the Department for Medicaid Services.

Ms. Lee also served as Program Director for the Kentucky Children s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) for approximately 14 years. In that role, she led a successful statewide outreach initiative that resulted in more than 60,000 additional eligible children gaining coverage through Medicaid and KCHIP. She also played a key role in expanding Medicaid coverage to childless adults in Kentucky and contributed to the development and launch of Kentucky’s state-based health insurance marketplace, kynect.

After retiring from state government in 2016, Ms. Lee worked as a healthcare consultant for three years before returning to serve again as Commissioner for the Department for Medicaid Services. Shortly after her return, the COVID-19 public health emergency was declared. Under her leadership, Kentucky became a national leader in Medicaid enrollment growth during the pandemic, ensuring continued access to coverage for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians.

At the national level, Ms. Lee actively participates in initiatives focused on improving health outcomes for children and families and frequently presents on Medicaid and CHIP policy. She was one of six Medicaid directors selected for the prestigious Medicaid Leadership Institute (MLI) Class of 2022, an executive leadership program for Medicaid leaders across the country.

Ms. Lee currently serves as Chair of the Child and Family Health Steering Committee for the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and is a past President of the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD).