100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2021

HealthPartners was one of several major healthcare providers that this year wrote a public letter asking people to get vaccinated to relieve workers in overburdened hospitals.

Before her appointment as president and CEO, Walsh spent two decades as a senior executive with HealthPartners. She was executive vice president and chief marketing officer for 15 years after joining HealthPartners as senior vice president and corporate counsel. She also served as an assistant commissioner in the Minnesota Department of Health. Walsh holds a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Walsh speaks: “We know that 80% of what makes people live healthy, long lives doesn’t happen in a doctor’s office or through a health plan. High-quality, affordable care and coverage is a cornerstone, but it’s not enough. In other words, if our mission is health, we in the healthcare industry have to keep reaching across our traditional boundaries and partner with other sectors for the good of the community.”