Easha Canada
Avon
Summary
Transformational Executive with 20 years of experience in operating model transformation, performance analytics, and enterprise system integration across healthcare, insurance, and government sectors. As Deputy Commissioner and Chief Strategy Officer, led modernization of a statewide Medicaid system, managing 1,100 staff and a $12 billion budget. Drove significant improvements in service delivery and access through complex policy-driven initiatives.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Strategy Officer
State of Connecticut — Department of Social Services
Hartford
02.2023 - Current
- Defined agency strategy while managing analytics for eligibility operations in statewide service delivery.
- Executed operations across technology, analytics, quality assurance, program integrity, and policy adherence.
- Directed integrated technology strategy for Medicaid operations, overseeing system design, testing, and deployment.
- Supervised 1,100 staff across 12 locations to enhance service delivery effectiveness.
- Processed around 240,000 calls and 180,000 eligibility actions annually with a focus on efficiency.
- Introduced innovative contact center technology that reduced call wait times from three hours to under five minutes.
- Launched a streamlined service delivery model achieving a targeted 20% backlog reduction in eligibility processing.
- Utilized Blue Prism RPA to accelerate 'no-change' periodic reviews enhancing overall operational capacity.
Customer Relationship Executive
Deloitte Consulting
01.2022 - 02.2023
- Facilitated stakeholder alignment and resolved issues to ensure successful launch execution and effective ongoing support for technology-enabled operations.
- Enhanced delivery discipline by identifying integration risks, assessing testing readiness, and addressing workflow impacts early—facilitating smoother execution across matrixed teams.
- Collaborated with senior leaders to assess system needs, define system requirements, and synchronize cross-functional roadmaps for modernization initiatives.
Assistant Vice President, Application Delivery
Selective Insurance
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Led end-to-end delivery of operational platforms across custom and vendor solutions, including integration strategy, test coordination, deployment readiness, and post-release stabilization.
- Established portfolio governance for prioritization, standards, and delivery metrics, improving throughput and managing risk across releases.
- Resolved system integration issues and streamlined support processes, enhancing reliability and frontline usability.
Chief Digital Officer / Director of Application Services
State of Connecticut (Enterprise Technology)
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Led statewide strategy to adopt digital technologies, leveraging constituent insights and prioritizing based on data.
- Led a multidisciplinary team of 35 across application development, service management, identity and access management, program execution, and analytics; managed enterprise investment and operating budgets.
- Directed strategic sourcing and vendor performance management for enterprise platforms, executing programs for emerging digital tools.
- Provided leadership across executive steering committees and statewide governance forums, ensuring alignment with digital transformation goals.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Management
Post University
Project Management Certificate -
Boston University
Skills
- Clinical operations enablement
- Medicaid eligibility operations
- Coverage continuity and enrollment integrity
- Regulatory readiness and program integrity
- Enterprise system integration
- Integrated solution design
- Interoperability strategy
- Data integration via APIs
- CRM modernization
- Medicaid operations
- Enrollment integrity
- Testing coordination and readiness
- Deployment and stabilization
- API integration
- Cloud migration
- Regulatory readiness
Boards And Recognition
- Board Member, Connecticut Paid Family Leave Authority
- StateScoop 50 Award (2019), State Up and Comer of the Year
- Innovations in American Government Award (2017), Connecticut electronic regulations system
Earlier Career Highlights
- Travelers, Senior Director, Analytics Strategy and Business Architecture, 2011, 2015, Built enterprise analytics roadmaps and operating frameworks; developed capability maps and value-chain architecture to align data and integration to reusable services.
- Cigna Healthcare, Web Portfolio Program Management Office Lead, 2010, 2011, Led consumer and employer web portfolios and delivery teams supporting portal modernization for more than one million members; improved transparency and speed through agile delivery methods.
- The Hartford, Application Development Manager, 2005, 2010, Reduced emergency releases by 20% through improved release quality; implemented paperless correspondence capabilities delivering $2.4 million in annual savings; delivered service-oriented single sign-on integration supporting enrollment.
Timeline
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Strategy Officer
State of Connecticut — Department of Social Services
02.2023 - Current
Customer Relationship Executive
Deloitte Consulting
01.2022 - 02.2023
Assistant Vice President, Application Delivery
Selective Insurance
01.2020 - 01.2021
Chief Digital Officer / Director of Application Services
State of Connecticut (Enterprise Technology)
01.2015 - 01.2020
Bachelor of Science - Management
Post University
Project Management Certificate -
Boston University