By Shelby Gonzales Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

In 2008, Linda Nablo was recognized as a Child Health Champion for her relentless work to improve children’s health coverage programs in Virginia.  Having known Linda for many years, I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor.  As you can imagine, I was quite thrilled to hear that this champion will now be playing a key role at CMS as the director of the Division of State Children’s Health Insurance Programs in the Center for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification.

Because of her vast experience and accomplishments as a lifelong advocate for children, Linda was tapped to join the “Child Health Dream Team” in Governor Warner’s Administration.  As the director of the Division of Maternal and Child Health, she was specifically tasked with streamlining and invigorating Virginia’s FAMIS programs (VA’s CHIP and Children’s Medicaid program).  Accountable to a Governor who was heavily invested in seeing that all eligible children were enrolled and had access to care, it was not unusual for Linda to get surprise and often public inquiries from Gov. Warner wanting to know exactly how many kids had been enrolled in any given month–Linda never disappointed.  Linda strategically made significant changes to state policies, protocols and data systems and her efforts paid off. During her tenure, enrollment in the FAMIS programs grew by 90,000.

Having had the opportunity to witness Linda as she led efforts to simplify, modernize and re-energize children’s health coverage programs in Virginia, I’m confident that she will be successful in her new role as she takes on the challenges of enhancing support that CMS provides to states and overseeing the ongoing implementation of CHIPRA and aspects of the Affordable Care Act as they relate to CHIP.

The views expressed by Guest Bloggers do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Children and Families.