Birth year: 1960
Who is Gail Boudreaux
Gail K. Boudreaux is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Anthem, Inc., one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Anthem is also the second-largest American company with a woman as CEO. In 2020, Boudreaux landed #10 on the Forbes list of The World’s Most Powerful Women. She was a former Ivy League champion in the fields of basketball and track and field shot put. Aside from women’s health care which she staunchly supports she also advocates women’s equality in the workplace.
Ten Facts About Gail Boudreaux
- She was an Ivy League Player of the Year for three straight seasons.
- She was honored by NCAA as a Silver Anniversary Award winner.
- Her name was included in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Her name is also in the Darmouth’s Wearer of the Green Hall of Fame.
- She holds 4 Ivy League Women’s shotput titles.
- She graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College.
- In 2018, she was awarded the Billie Jean King Contribution Award.
- She was on the Fortune Magazine’s list of the Most Successful CEO.
- She was named by Modern Healthcare as one of the Most Powerful People in Healthcare.
- She is currently on the Forbes Magazine’s list of Most Powerful Women in the World.
Five Powerful Leadership Quotes from Gail Boudreaux
“You can do everything if you are willing, open-minded, and take on the challenge.”
“I do want to lead an enterprise where I can make a difference.”
“At Anthem, our vision and strategy for growth are, at their core, fueled by a passion for making a positive difference in the world. We don't just lead...we lead with purpose.”
“Inspired by our purpose, fueled by our mission, and united by our values, our associates work hard each day to make a positive difference in the world.”
“Together, we are building a work experience that is safe, inclusive, and rewarding.”
Gail Koziara Boudreaux Biography
Early Life
She attended high school at Chicopee Comprehensive High School at Chicopee Massachusetts where she became a star player in the Chicopee Comprehensive Girls’ Basketball team. She continued playing basketball even during her college years. She was a consistent scorer for three years leading the Big Green Women’s basketball team to the championship title. She was named as Dartmouth’s all-time scorer and rebounder garnering 1,933 points and 1,635 rebounds in a total of 89 games. Her basketball prowess earned her the title of an Ivy League Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.
Career
Bourdeaux is recognized by the business community as a passionate and influential leader in the health care industry. With more than 30 years of experience in the health care industry, she has established an outstanding record.
Boudreaux graduated cum laude at Dartmouth College, and immediately after, attended business school at Columbia University. She graduated with honors from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in Finance and Health Care Administration. She spent 20 years of her career and professional life working at Aetna, Inc. In 2002, she became the president of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois. In 2005, she became the executive vice president of United Healthcare, a division of UnitedHealth Group. Three years later she was appointed the Chief Executive Officer and in 2011 became the Executive Vice President. IN 2014, she resigned from the CEO position of United Healthcare and formed her own health care consulting company KGB Global Health. In 2017 She founded Anthem, Inc. and in a matter of years became one of the largest health care companies.
Awards and Recognitions Received
Boudreaux’s long-standing record of success is widely recognized in the business world. From 2008-2014 she was in the Fortune Magazine’s list of 50 Most Powerful Women. Then in 2018 and 2019, she landed 5th on the same list. And in the same years was in the #11 and #12 place respectively on the Forbes Most Powerful Women list. She is also on the list of Modern Healthcare’s Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in Healthcare. She was awarded the Outstanding Director Award by Twin Cities Business
Her other services are:
- Board Member, National Institute for Health Care Management
- Board Member, Health Services Foundation
- Board Member, America’s Health Insurance Plans
- Trustee, Dartmouth College
- Trustee, Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago
- Member, Chicago Network – an organization of the city’s most influential women
- Chairman, Wellpoint Foundation, Inc.
- Board of Director, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
- Board of Director, Xcel Energy
Legacy
Bourdeau’s passion and commitment to upgrade the health care system and make it affordable to the least favored members of society have earned her the respect of people.
The lesson that she learned from her past experiences is there’s always something to do and there’s always something you can learn and lean into challenges.
