About

Jesse Thomas 

Durham, N.C.

Occupation: CEO - Healthy Blue

N.C. General Assembly Appointee through 2023

Committees: Executive; Finance & Administration; *Student Life & Athletics

Jesse Thomas is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, he served as health policy advisor for Rick Snyder for Governor of Michigan in 2010 and has served on several boards in Michigan, including the Wayne State University School of Nursing. Mr. Thomas received his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and sciences from the University of Illinois, and graduate studies in management, accounting and psychology.

Thomas has more than 30 years of extensive Medicaid managed care organizations experience. Prior to joining Blue Cross North Carolina, he served as CEO of Trusted Health Plans Inc. in Michigan and CEO of Coordinated Health Mutual Inc. in Ohio. In addition, Thomas has served as executive director of United Healthcare Illinois AmeriChoice; president and CEO of HealthPlans of America, NJ Inc.; president of Total Health Care Inc. in Maryland; and as board president for the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans in Chicago.

Jesse want to help progress and prosper all who have a will to achieve regardless of background, connections or economic status. He wants to put North Carolina on the pathway to being the healthiest state in the country within a generation, the best state in the country for workforce development by 2030, and also, the best state in the country for equal opportunity by 2030.”

Thomas and his wife live in Cary. They have six children.