Sasha O’Connell

Sasha O’Connell is the DHW deputy director leading the Division of Medicaid. She has been an integral part of the Medicaid leadership team since joining DHW in early 2024, initially serving as the deputy administrator over managed care, developmental disability services, and long-term care.

Prior to joining Medicaid, her career focused on program evaluation related to health and family financial security. She worked with the Idaho Legislature’s Office of Performance Evaluations where she analyzed issues and developed recommendations for Medicaid and Public Health on contract oversight, hospital rates, long-term care, and other areas.

Sasha has a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, a Master’s degree in Economics and Policy Analysis, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. Her background in labor economics informs her perspective on the importance of a strong healthcare workforce and the role of Medicaid in promoting financial independence. Sasha is happily married with a young daughter. She is grateful every day to be close to her parents and the rest of her tightly knit family in Boise.