Sellers Dorsey announced today that Leesa Allen is joining Sellers Dorsey following a 26-year career in public healthcare in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Ms. Allen became Executive Medicaid Director in 2013 after being in the role of Chief of Staff. In her later roles – Deputy Secretary for Medical Assistance Programs and finally Executive Deputy Secretary for Department of Human Services (DHS) – Ms. Allen maintained oversight and leadership of the Medicaid program while pursuing creative approaches to public policy development and implementation across the Commonwealth’s public healthcare system. She is the most recent former top state Medicaid official to join Sellers Dorsey, a growing organization which has welcomed several such leaders to its ranks in its 19-year history.
“I speak for the entire firm in saying I am delighted to welcome Leesa to Sellers Dorsey,” said Martin Sellers, Founder and CEO of Sellers Dorsey. “She has a tremendous wealth of knowledge about Pennsylvania, which will enrich our work helping entities on all sides of Medicaid across the country.”
Prior to becoming Medicaid Director in Pennsylvania, Ms. Allen developed her career and expertise by working at all levels within DHS (originally the Department of Public Welfare). She worked within the Office of Children, Youth and Families as a Policy Specialist and Program Representative, followed by several years of progressive experience overseeing and helping to transform managed care payments, delivery systems, and eventually strategic planning and policy development. Ms. Allen became Chief of Staff in 2012 before Directing the Medicaid program and ultimately providing executive leadership for the Department. She was a Medicaid Leadership Institute Fellow in 2016, and she served on the National Association of Medicaid Director’s board from 2017 until February of 2019.
“It is an honor to join Sellers Dorsey and share my experience to advance innovations in Medicaid around the country after such a meaningful career with the Commonwealth,” said Ms. Allen. “I will work with my Sellers Dorsey colleagues in support of clients who are focused on positively impacting the way care is delivered through the nation’s vital Medicaid programs, and I greatly appreciate this opportunity to do so.”
When she officially enters her new role as Senior Consultant, Ms. Allen’s experience overseeing DHS’s $30 billion budget will strengthen the firm’s ability to serve a growing number of clients including public entities, providers, payers, and other organizations supporting Medicaid programs nationally. Like others who have joined Sellers Dorsey before her, Ms. Allen will rely on her leadership experience to help clients translate visionary healthcare concepts and opportunities into realistic action plans and results.
