MONICA SCHMUDE | Virginia president, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Monica Schmude grew up in a small town in the Midwest. Her mom ran a small business, while her dad juggled farming and a factory job, where he was known for a decades-long record of not taking a sick day.

“The values in our home were simple but enduring: Work hard, stay grounded and show up for others,” Schmude says.

Schmude earned a degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. As a first-generation college graduate, she felt like she didn’t have a blueprint for her future. However, given her prestigious 30-year health care career, Schmude clearly figured it out.
Since 2023, she has led Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Virginia, which has about 8,000 employees and serves more than 3 million members. In her role, Schmude is responsible for the strategic direction, performance and growth of Anthem’s commercial business in the commonwealth.
What drives Schmude, even on the long days, is a desire to make things better.

“I’m fueled by purpose — the purpose of advancing Anthem’s mission to improve the health of humanity by addressing the physical, behavioral and social drivers of health,” she says.

Previously, Schmude spent almost 13 years at Cigna Healthcare in different leadership positions, including serving as president of its mid-Atlantic market.

Schmude is chairman of the Virginia Association of Health Plans board and is a member of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Virginia Chamber boards.

Return to the full list of this year’s recipients