Cara Christ, MD

Dr. Cara Christ is a physician, executive, and nationally recognized public health leader with extensive experience leading complex healthcare and public sector organizations. Her career spans executive leadership in government, public health, healthcare delivery, and health insurance, giving her a distinctive perspective on how policy, operations, clinical care, organizational performance, and community health intersect.

As Director and State Health Official of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Dr. Christ was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to lead a $600 million agency of 1,500 employees overseeing the state's entire public health system. During nearly six years in that role, she led the state's public health system through some of its most significant challenges, including Arizona's COVID-19 pandemic response. She designed and led the nation's first 24/7 mass vaccination site, delivering more than 1.6 million vaccine doses, built a statewide testing strategy from the ground up, and launched a real time public data dashboard that became a national model. She also led Arizona's response to the opioid epidemic and preparedness efforts for emerging infectious diseases.

Beyond public health, Dr. Christ has run large, complex organizations across sectors. As interim Director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, she oversaw the state's safety net programs, including SNAP, TANF, Medicaid eligibility, unemployment insurance, and services for Arizonans with developmental disabilities. Today, as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and President of Prosano Health, she leads clinical strategy for a major health plan and directs a ten clinic advanced primary care system, including a Clinical Rapid Response team that resolves 85% of urgent member needs within 24 hours.

Her experience extends well beyond public health. Throughout her career, Dr. Christ has led and advised work involving healthcare operations, population health, value based care, clinical quality, organizational transformation, workforce strategy, regulatory environments, and complex program implementation. She has worked with governing boards, elected officials, healthcare executives, clinicians, and community leaders to navigate change and deliver results.

Dr. Christ founded Wellogic Health around a belief shaped by those experiences: health is influenced by far more than healthcare alone. The decisions organizations make every day, about strategy, leadership, workforce, operations, investment, and community, can ultimately shape the health and wellbeing of people and communities. Through Wellogic, she brings that perspective to organizations facing complex challenges and important opportunities, helping them make better decisions, strengthen performance, build resilience, and turn strategy into meaningful results.

Board & Advisory Service

• Common Sense Institute Arizona, Chair (2025 to present), Vice Chair (2021 to 2025)

• AZ Blue Foundation for Community and Health, Board Member (2021 to present)

• Child Help Arizona, Board Member (2021 to 2023)

Recognition

• CEO Award, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (2023)

• 48 Most Intriguing Women in Arizona (2022)

• Governor Ducey's Impact Award (2018) and Outstanding Service Award (2021)

• Most Influential Women in Arizona Business, AZ Business Magazine (2020)

• Healthcare Power List, Phoenix Magazine (2016, 2017, 2018)

Education

• Doctor of Medicine, University of Arizona

• Master of Science, Microbiology (public health and epidemiology emphasis), Arizona State University

• Bachelor of Science, Microbiology, Arizona State University

• Executive Education, State Health Leadership Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School