Santa Monica, CA — Today, the Board of Directors of The Children’s Partnership announced that Mayra E. Alvarez has been named the incoming President of the organization. Alvarez will succeed Wendy Lazarus and Laurie Lipper, Founders and Co-Presidents since 1993.
“The Board of Directors is thrilled with the appointment of Mayra as President of The Children’s Partnership. She brings that very rare blend of deep policy expertise, superior skills and drive, and an abiding commitment to improving the lives of children and their families,” said Shari Davis, Chair of the Board.
Alvarez is currently finishing a several-year set of assignments at the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) during the most significant time in recent history for health reform and advancement. She is currently the Director of the State Exchange Group at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She also has served as Associate Director in the HHS Office of Minority Health and as Director of Public Health Policy in the Office of Health Reform. Prior to these positions, she served in the offices of US Senator Richard J. Durbin (IL), then-US Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (CA), and then-US Senator Barack Obama (IL).
“Mayra is the ideal person to lead The Children’s Partnership through this exciting era of profound change in the health field and in technological advances affecting children,” said Wendy Lazarus. “Mayra has demonstrated her unusual acumen and ability to get things done for underserved communities and is ready, now, to bring these to benefit her home state of California and the nation.”
“This changing of the guard after 22 years comes at an ideal juncture as we’ve made significant strides toward many of The Children’s Partnership’s initial goals for kids in the health and digital opportunity fields. Mayra’s dynamic leadership combined with our seasoned staff ensure that The Children’s Partnership will continue to be at the forefront on emerging issues impacting kids today and in the future,” said Laurie Lipper.
Among many accolades, Alvarez was named one of 40 under 40 Latinos in American Politics in 2014 by The Huffington Post, which wrote, “A dedicated health policy professional, Mayra’s drive and focus have earned her the deep respect among her Washington peers. Insiders consider her the Latina healthcare expert in the Obama administration.”
Alvarez graduated from UC Berkeley, summa cum laude, and earned her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I am honored to be joining The Children’s Partnership with its impressive record and long-standing commitment to children and families. I am ready to build upon its strong foundation and lead the organization as we face our generation’s challenges and make meaningful differences to improve the health and well-being of children in California and across the nation,” said Alvarez.
Lazarus and Lipper are stepping down as executives of the organization. They plan to pursue projects within the child advocacy field, including an affiliation with The Children’s Partnership.
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