Kathy Paro is vice president, strategy execution and partnerships for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies. Today, one in three Americans is covered by the Blue System. 

Paro has a strong track record of turning strategy into action through operational excellence. In her role, she is responsible for driving the implementation of innovative enterprise initiatives—in areas like health equity, affordability and mental health—and establishing and managing strategic external partnerships that advance those commitments. She also serves as an integrator across the organization, bringing enterprise strategy to life by working closely with senior leadership to coordinate teams, actions and resources in service of clear, measurable outcomes. 

Paro brings more than two decades of health care industry experience to the job after serving as senior vice president at Guidewell Connect, where she had strategic oversight over the delivery and client management of consumer engagement services for 18 Blue Plan partners.  

Previously, Paro was senior vice president, product development and innovation for Healogics, Hospital & Physician Services, where she had direct accountability for operations, sales, client accounts, community education, continuous improvement initiatives and Lean Six Sigma methodologies. Prior to that, she was assistant vice president, strategy, process improvement operations and outcomes, for Inova Health System. There, she led systemwide strategy design and process improvement for the nonprofit hospital system.  

Earlier in her career, Paro spent 15 years at Aetna, where she held roles in merger and acquisition integration, sales, operations and strategic contracting, small group sales and distribution, and strategic planning.  

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Eastern Connecticut State University and a Master of Science in human resource management/organizational development from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.