Highmark Health Names Karen Hanlon President

Name: Karen Hanlon

Previous title: Director of Operations, Highmark Health

New title: President and Chief Operating Officer, Highmark Health

Hanlon will take the role of president effective immediately, the Pittsburgh-based company announced Wednesday. As president, Hanlon will report to Highmark Health CEO and Highmark Inc. Chairman David Holmberg, according to the company’s press release.

Hanlon will continue to serve as COO of Highmark Health, a position she has held since 2018. She will be responsible for overseeing operations across the insurance business, Highmark Inc., Highmark Health’s health technology division, enGen and Highmark Health Health System, Allegheny Health Network.

These operations include an insurance business that covers 7.1 million members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New York, as well as a dental insurance and health network that spans 14 hospitals and additional care sites.

Hanlon has extensive experience with the Highmark model. She joined the company in 1997 and has held several leadership positions, including chief financial officer.

Hanlon’s experience overseeing Highmark’s Living Health strategy is particularly important as the company looks to the future, according to Wednesday’s press release. The program aims to identify products, solutions and services that can improve member health and reduce overall costs.

Like many insurers, Highmark Health has struggled this year with higher-than-expected utilization. Although Highmark Health further improved its operating performance in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year, the company said the unanticipated increase in utilization suppressed its operating profit.

Holmberg said on LinkedIn last month that he expects challenges related to high utilization to continue, adding urgency to cost containment initiatives, including Living Health.