Sellers Dorsey announced today three former senior Medicaid officials from the State of California will join its roster of staff and advisors serving the firm’s clients across the country. Sarah Brooks, Mari Cantwell, and Meredith Wurden offer critical expertise through their work in leading California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which is home to the largest state Medicaid program in the nation, Medi-Cal. These three experts are the most recent additions to Sellers Dorsey, which assists public, private, and nonprofit organizations across the country.
Sarah Brooks recently served as the Deputy Director of Health Care Delivery Systems with the State of California’s DHCS, a role in which she oversaw approximately 500 staff across three divisions: Managed Care Quality and Monitoring, Managed Care Operations, and Integrated Systems of Care. Ms. Brooks managed the entire Medi-Cal managed care delivery system, including six models of managed care and 24 health plans which serve 10.5 million beneficiaries. Prior to her work with DHCS, Sarah also served the California Association of Public Hospitals as Assistant Director of Policy, overseeing healthcare coverage issues with a specific emphasis on Medicaid and the uninsured. Sarah Brooks is joining the Sellers Dorsey staff as a Senior Consultant.
Mari Cantwell, a Senior Strategic Advisor for the firm, is the most recent former Medicaid Director from California DHCS, having served in that position for nearly five years. Previously, she was the Chief Deputy Director of Health Care Programs, where Ms. Cantwell was responsible for the overall management of Health Care Delivery Systems, Health Care Financing, and Health Care Benefits and Eligibility. Earlier in her career, Ms. Cantwell served as the Deputy Director, Health Care Financing, where she was responsible for the development, promotion, and implementation of health care delivery systems serving the beneficiaries of the State’s Medi-Cal program. Ms. Cantwell advises select Sellers Dorsey clients and engagement teams.
Meredith Wurden most recently worked with Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC), where her responsibilities included policy development and fiscal strategy. Prior to her experience at PHC, Ms. Wurden worked for the State of California for nearly ten years. From 2013 to 2015 she served as Assistant Deputy Director of Health Care Financing at California’s DHCS, where she oversaw major financing, policy and ongoing rate development for Medi-Cal health plans, waiver programs, and other providers. Ms. Wurden is a Senior Strategic Advisor with Sellers Dorsey.
Ms. Brooks, Ms. Cantwell, and Ms. Wurden are the latest additions to the team of experts at Sellers Dorsey with experience leading state Medicaid programs. The firm has welcomed several subject matter experts with Medicaid executive experience, including Medicaid Directors from New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
“We welcome Mari, Meredith, and Sarah with sense of excitement on how we can leverage their talents and experience on behalf of our clients and the Medicaid population they serve,” said Martin Sellers, Founder and CEO of Sellers Dorsey. “These three leaders each possess unique and valuable knowledge, and we are delighted and fortunate to attract such talented, experienced leaders who share our enthusiasm for serving people working on all sides of Medicaid across the country.”
