CHICAGO – The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced Lynn Merritt as its new chief human resources officer.

Merritt oversees the strategic direction of BCBSA’s human resources team, ensuring close alignment between culture and talent enhancements, and the Association’s business strategy. She is responsible for all facets of human resources, including compensation, benefits, human resources information systems, talent acquisition, talent development, organizational design, employee relations and the human resources business partner team.

“Building a more inclusive and collaborative culture that puts employees at the center of our work has been one of my top priorities since joining the Association,” said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. “That’s why I’m excited to welcome Lynn to Team BCBSA. She has a demonstrated track record of driving cultural transformation within health care organizations and will be critical in our work to enhance the workplace experience for BCBSA employees.”

Merritt has nearly two decades of human resources experience, joining the Association most recently from New Directions Behavioral Health, a mental and behavioral health company owned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, where she served as the chief people officer.

“I am thrilled to join BCBSA to enhance our work around culture and workplace experience – a key driver in advancing the Association’s mission of pursuing affordable health care and ensuring peace of mind for the people we serve,” said Merritt.

Merritt started on May 9 and is based in BCBSA’s Chicago office and holds a master’s degree from the University of Hartford and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut.