Press Release  Executive Director Roberta Herman Departing GIC for Private Sector Opportunity

Boston — Group Insurance Commission (GIC) Chair Valerie Sullivan today announced that Executive Director Dr. Roberta Herman will be departing the agency to pursue an opportunity outside of state government, and current GIC Chief of Staff Joan Matsumoto will serve as interim Executive Director. For nearly four years, Dr. Herman has led the GIC as it carried out its core objectives of providing high-quality and affordable benefits, limiting financial costs, innovating and favorably influencing the health care market, and evolving to meet business demands and security standards.

“Dr. Herman has been a tireless worker on behalf of GIC members, a proven leader for our valued employees, and a respected partner to the Commission and the stakeholders it represents. She set out a vision of a modernized GIC that delivers high quality, affordable, and sustainable benefits and exceptional service, and our members will benefit from her efforts for years to come,” said GIC Chair Valerie Sullivan. “We are grateful to have Joan at the helm to provide continuity while we conduct a search for Dr. Herman’s permanent successor. Joan is a proven leader with a strong understanding of the GIC and its essential functions and values, and her management skills and capabilities are a great benefit to the agency.”

Dr. Herman was named Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission in March of 2016 after serving as a Director and Co-leader in the Health Care Practice of Navigant Consulting. Prior to working at Navigant, Dr. Herman had been the Chief of Internal Medicine at Harvard Community Health Plan’s Cambridge Center, and subsequently worked as Chief Medical Officer and then Chief Operating Officer at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

“I would like to thank the Commission and the GIC team for the opportunity to serve the Commonwealth and to help optimize services to better accommodate the needs of our members,” said Executive Director Dr. Roberta Herman. “I am proud of our many accomplishments over the past few years, including a projected savings of $500-750 million through consolidation and direct contracting for our Pharmacy Benefit Management, controlling member premiums, reducing co-pays and deductibles for certain products, insourcing behavioral health to improve integration, and launching an effort to transform the agency from a paper-based to a digital, future-driven organization.”

Dr. Herman’s effective departure date is Wednesday, December 11. The Statute outlines that the 17- member Board –  the GIC commissioners – are responsible for hiring the agency’s Executive Director. There will be a discussion at an upcoming GIC meeting to determine the best process for the search. Candidates will be evaluated on a range of factors, including experience and knowledge of health care and employee benefits, and a proven, strong track record in managing large complex organizations focused on member satisfaction.

Matsumoto is currently the Chief of Staff of the GIC and has over two decades of state public service. She previously served as the Chief Project Manager for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and as the Commonwealth’s Deputy Government Innovation Officer. Matsumoto received a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government through the Bradford Fellowship Program.

“It is an honor to step in as the interim Executive Director and continue implementing our shared goal of providing the best possible options for everyone we cover,” said Joan Matsumoto. “I am excited to be working with an experienced team of dedicated public servants to enhance our members’ experience and ensure we have meaningful choice and value in health care coverage.”

The Group Insurance Commission is a quasi-independent state agency governed by a seventeen-member Commission. It provides and administers health insurance and other benefits to 460,000 members including the Commonwealth's employees and retirees, and their dependents and survivors, as well as participating municipalities, Housing and Redevelopment Authorities' personnel, retired municipal employees, and teachers in certain governmental units.

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