Joy Higa

Joy Higa serves as Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President for UnitedHealthcare, where she leads compliance programs for the company’s U.S. and global commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid businesses. Since joining UnitedHealthcare in 2006, she has held several leadership positions, including roles managing national regulatory affairs, health care reform implementation, and government affairs.

Higa serves on the NOLHGA Board of Directors as well as the Boards of the Alaska, California, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Washington state guaranty associations. She serves as Board Chair of the California association and Treasurer of the Alaska and Hawaii associations.

Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Higa held leadership roles in California government, including serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to the State Controller; Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary to the Governor; and Deputy Director of the California Department of Managed Health Care, the state’s HMO/health plan regulatory agency. Before her tenure in public service, she worked in public policy and advocacy representing health plan and provider organizations.

Higa graduated from Cornell University with an A.B. in biology & society. She serves on the Board of the Venice Family Clinic, a Southern California federally qualified health center, where she is Co-Chair of the Public Policy Committee and Vice Chair of the Board Development Committee. She previously served on the Boards of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System and the Cornell University Council.