Alumni elect Felicia Norwood '89 JD to serve on the Yale Board of Trustees

Felicia F. Norwood '89 JD, a business executive and law and policy expert, has been selected to serve as an alumna of the Yale Board of Trustees, formally known as the Yale Corporation, in a worldwide vote of university alumni. She begins a six-year term on July 1.

Norwood is executive vice president and president of government health benefits at Elevance Health (formerly Anthem, Inc.), where she oversees the insurance provider's Medicaid and Medicare businesses — work she has called "the perfect marriage of passion and profession." as she is. allows her to continue a lifelong interest in reducing health disparities and improving health in marginalized communities. Elevance Health serves over 46 million people, with its Medicaid and Medicare portfolios supporting more than 12 million.

Her thirty-year career in health care and policy began not long after graduating from Yale Law School, when she became the Illinois governor's senior policy advisor for health and human services. She then spent nineteen years at Aetna—rising from government relations counsel to president of the company's Mid-Americas region. She returned to public service as director of the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services before moving to her current position.

Eligible Yale alumni vote each year to elect a new graduate student to the Yale Corporation, the university's governing board and policymaking body.

"Felicia has worked tirelessly over many years to improve health equity for millions of people and to make a meaningful difference in our society both in the private sector and in public service," said Yale President Peter Salovey. "Her commitment Her passion for Yale and its mission is clear, as is her thoughtful approach to leading complex organizations. I know she will be an excellent addition to the board."

Norwood received her bachelor's degree at Valdosta State University and a master's degree in political science at the University of Wisconsin. During her time at Yale Law School, she was involved in the Black Law Student Association, what she called a "family within the Yale family."

Norwood's service to Yale has included membership on both the Yale Law School Fund Board and the Yale Law School Executive Committee. In addition, Norwood sits on the board of Wells Fargo, for which she serves on the risk and corporate responsibility committees, and she previously held a directorship with Hill-Rom Holdings, a US-based medical technology provider.

In recent years, she has been recognized by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the most powerful women in Corporate America; by Savoy magazine on the list of Most Influential Black Corporate Directors, Most Influential Black Leaders in Corporate America, and Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America; by WomenInc. as one of the most influential women corporate directors; and up to Becker's 2024 healthcare list of Black Healthcare Executives to Know.

Norwood lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Garry R. Karch, who is head of employee ownership trust services at the London-based law firm Doyle Clayton. Devout fans of tennis, they have participated in all four Grand Slam tournaments of the sport.

She looks forward to helping fulfill Yale's mission, Norwood said, particularly its work to educate aspiring leaders who will serve all sectors of society.

""Every day I think we witness the importance of leadership in this world, especially here at home," she said. "And I think being able to be part of an organization and institution that is helping to create that next generation of leaders is very important."

Graduate student candidates are selected from nominations submitted by alumni from around the world to the Alumni Fellow Nominating Committee, a standing committee of the Yale Alumni Association. (The committee consists of alumni from all schools and departments of the university, the secretary of the university, and the vice president for alumni affairs and development.) All alumni are encouraged to submit their nominations for qualified candidates through the online form at nominations of fellow graduates. .