Chief Government & Corporate Affairs Officer

Verlon Johnson serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Government & Corporate Affairs Officer for Acentra Health, where she provides executive leadership for the company's government affairs, corporate strategy, policy, external engagement, and thought leadership initiatives. A nationally recognized Medicaid and public health leader, Johnson has nearly three decades of experience shaping healthcare policy and advancing innovative solutions that improve access, quality, and outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Johnson works closely with federal and state leaders, industry partners, and healthcare organizations to advance Acentra Health's mission while helping position the company as a trusted advisor on Medicaid, Medicare, and public sector healthcare transformation. She leads the company's enterprise thought leadership strategy, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and government engagement initiatives. She also convenes Acentra Health's distinguished Health Care Advisory Board, bringing together nationally recognized healthcare leaders to help inform the company's strategy and advance innovation across government-sponsored healthcare. Since joining CNSI in 2020, she played a key leadership role in the successful merger of CNSI and KEPRO to form Acentra Health. Johnson is widely sought after as a speaker, moderator, and advisor on Medicaid policy, healthcare transformation, and public sector innovation.

Johnson currently serves as Chair of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), the nonpartisan congressional advisory commission that provides policy and data analysis to Congress on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). She also serves as Chair of the Health Foundation of Cook County and is active on several national healthcare advisory boards and nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving health outcomes and advancing public service.

Prior to joining Acentra Health, Johnson was an Associate Partner at IBM Watson Health, where she advised federal and state healthcare leaders on Medicaid, Medicare, value-based care, financing, quality improvement, and healthcare innovation. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, she led the IBM team that partnered with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop the nationally recognized State Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit and the State Medicaid & CHIP Telework Playbook, resources that helped states rapidly adapt care delivery during the pandemic.

Before entering the private sector, Johnson spent nearly 25 years in federal service, holding numerous executive leadership positions within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Her roles included Associate Consortium Administrator for Medicaid and CHIP, Acting Regional Director, Acting Deputy Director for the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), Interim Director of CMCS Intergovernmental and External Affairs, and Associate Regional Administrator for both Medicaid and Medicare.

Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Policy and Administration from Texas Tech University. She is a Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management Executive Scholar and has received numerous professional honors throughout her career. Among her most meaningful recognitions is the Federal Executive Board's John F. Kennedy Leadership Excellence/Federal Employee of the Year Award, honoring her commitment to public service and improving the health and well-being of America's most vulnerable populations.

Throughout her career, Johnson has been driven by a passion for ensuring that everyone, particularly those served by Medicaid and other public programs, has access to high-quality, equitable healthcare. She remains committed to advancing innovative solutions that strengthen public programs and improve the health and well-being of communities across the country.