The nonprofit health plan will begin a search for a permanent CEO and has appointed CFO Mike Stuart as interim president and CEO, according to a March 11 news release.
Mr. Stuart was appointed Blue Shield’s CFO in 2022 and previously served as senior vice president of finance.
Ms. Quam joined Blue Shield as president in May 2024. She was named CEO of the health plan in January as part of a restructuring of the company. At the beginning of 2025, Blue Shield launched Ascendiun, a parent company to oversee the company’s health plans and other healthcare services businesses.
Paul Markovich, who served as CEO of Blue Shield for more than a decade, was named president of the new parent company.
Before joining Blue Shield, Ms. Quam was CEO of Pathfinder, a nonprofit global women’s health organization. Ms. Quam also led global health initiatives in the State Department during the Obama administration.
Prior to her work in global health, Ms. Quam spent 17 years at UnitedHealth Group, according to her LinkedIn page.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to have served Blue Shield of California and proud of the accomplishments of my team,” Ms. Quam said in the news release. “Blue Shield of California understands the healthcare challenges facing everyday Americans and is committed to finding solutions to improve our caregiving system. That is a commitment I share and one that I will take forward to my next leadership role.”