EVP & COO, Blue Shield of California

Sandra Clarke is executive vice president and chief operating officer at Blue Shield of California, a nonprofit health plan with over $22.9 billion in annual revenue serving 4.7 million members in the state’s commercial, individual, and government markets. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the health plan, implementing strategies to deliver transformational results that improve the health of Blue Shield’s members, physicians and communities it serves. Clarke leads the company’s operations, transformation, customer experience and finance departments. She is also responsible for corporate development, where she plays a senior role in devising and enacting Blue Shield’s strategies to support growth.

Clarke has demonstrated her ability to improve operations in global businesses, with over 25 years of experience directing worldwide financial organizations in an array of critical industries. Prior to joining Blue Shield in 2018, she served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., the United States subsidiary of Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. Clarke also held executive finance roles at Philips Healthcare as chief financial officer of its North and South America Commercial Group, and at Siemens Water Technologies Group, where she was vice president of finance and controller.

She actively serves on the board of trustees at Blue Shield of California Foundation (which seeks to break the cycle of domestic violence and address the root causes of health inequity across California), as chairperson of Blue Venture Fund V board and was previously chair of Fund II (funds invest in venture and growth opportunities within healthcare technology, healthcare and clinical services), board of trustees chair of Plan Investment Fund (a mutual fund company owned by a group of Blue licensees), board of manager’s member of CivicaRx, as well as board member (formerly chair) of Evio Pharmacy Solutions. She previously served as board member at Altais (a subsidiary of Blue Shield of California) and as board director and audit chair at Metromile (part of Lemonade, Inc.).

Clarke is a member of Financial Women of San Francisco. As a recognized thought leader, she has contributed articles to many publications (including CFO Intelligence Magazine) and has spoken at many forums such as the U.S. CFO Network and CFO StudioLIVE.

Clarke has a Master of Science in healthcare law from Seton Hall University School of Law, a Master of Science in accounting from Bentley University, and a Bachelor of Science in finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.