Priority Health, Michigan’s fastest growing health plan that now serves more than 1.2 million members, has appointed Shannon Wilson as the first vice president of population health & health equity. Wilson, who previously served as vice president of state markets, east, will now be responsible for quality improvement for Priority Health’s Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial and Individual lines of business. She will also oversee the development and execution of Priority Health’s population health and health equity strategy. Wilson will maintain her position as the executive director of the Total Health Care Foundation.

“We made the decision to add this new role due to the growing and critical need for health equity and better understanding our populations,” said Praveen Thadani, president of Priority Health. “Shannon has an unwavering commitment to furthering health equity, and I can think of no one better to take on this responsibility. Her passion for improving the health and well-being of all makes her the perfect fit for this role and we know her work will positively impact the communities we serve.”

Wilson serves as an expert on the intersection between health and race and has led several initiatives aimed at improving the health care experience for vulnerable populations. Part of this work includes her focus on programs that address barriers within maternal and infant health, including campaigns for Black breastfeeding awareness, World Maternal Mental Health Day, financial support of the CenteringPregnancy model of care and diaper bank sponsorships throughout the state. Wilson played a critical role in the launch of Priority Health’s data-driven, full-lifecycle SDoH program.

“I am honored to step into this role at Priority Health and I look forward to working alongside our incredibly talented team to ensure we are providing everyone with equitable access to care,” said Wilson. “Achieving health equity is not work that can be done overnight, or off the side of one’s desk, so as I step into this new role, I look forward to dedicating my time, effort and resources to this cause.”

Prior to joining Priority Health, Wilson served as executive director of the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, vice president of the Alliance for Health, scientific program coordinator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the first health disparities epidemiologist at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Wilson received a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Health degree in hospital and molecular epidemiology from the University of Michigan. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in public health leadership from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

For more information about Priority Health, visit www.priorityhealth.com.

About Priority Health:

With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering an extensive portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than one million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. To learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health visit www.priorityhealth.com.

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