Theivanai Palaniappan Tapped As Chief Data Officer For Covered California

India-West Staff Reporter

SACRAMENTO, CA -Covered California, the state’s key health insurance marketplace, announced the appointment of Theivanai Palaniappan as its new Chief Data and Insights Officer. Palaniappan brings an impressive background spanning over two decades in data analytics leadership within complex industries, including financial services and health insurance.

As the head of the organization’s data strategy, governance, and analytics functions, Palaniappan will be pivotal in fostering data-driven decision-making.

Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman emphasized the significance of the hire: “Theivanai’s years of valuable experience and proven success leading large-scale data teams and projects are exactly what we need. We are excited to leverage her talents and skills to further our core mission of ensuring every Californian has access to high-quality health insurance.”

Palaniappan’s career demonstrates a strong track record of building and managing enterprise-wide data functions.

She most recently held the position of Vice President and Head of Data at Oscar Health. Before entering the health tech sector, Palaniappan was a leader at Wells Fargo for more than 20 years.

Beginning her professional journey in software engineering in India, Palaniappan later earned a Ph.D. in Finance from Columbia Business School.

Commenting on her move to the marketplace, Palaniappan stated: “It is an immense privilege to join an organization dedicated to creating a positive impact for all Californians. I look forward to working alongside the Data team at Covered California, applying my passion for data interpretation toward making a meaningful difference in the lives of families across the state.”