Leadership Rooted in Equity: Jess Marfeo’s Career at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

Jess Marfeo, managing director, Medicare product, celebrated her 10th?anniversary at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island in style. In July,?she was recognized as a Providence Business News 40 Under Forty winner, a well-deserved honor.

During her tenure at BCBSRI, where she started as an intern – a common path for many of our highly successful associates– Jess has earned significant recognition. In 2015 and 2016, she was named MVP of her department. Known for her analytical, strategic thinking and her team-building prowess, Jess is also proud that her professional brand is defined by people relying on her, trusting her leadership, and coming to her for solutions.

“I feel so fortunate to have worked with amazing leaders who helped me develop a sense of how to simplify complex issues and navigate multiple projects simultaneously,” she says. “These skills have been invaluable in every job I’ve held at the company.”

Jess also embraces BCBSRI’s commitment to health equity. In her role as managing director of Medicare product, Jess is zeroed in on our most vulnerable population of members, including those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. As part of BCBSRI’s efforts to address food insecurity and other social determinants of health, Jess introduced a new offering for these members with our dual special needs plan, BlueRI for Duals (HMO D-SNP). The plan introduced a uniquely designed grocery delivery program, involving collaboration with Millonzi Fine Catering and coordination with SNAP benefits, ensuring that these members would have nutritious meals delivered to their homes.

Jess loves to connect the dots for our members to ensure they are taking advantage of every resource available to them. And when she meets members face to face, she says, “Those interactions really bring into focus how important our work is and how much it means to our members that we go the extra mile for them.”

In addition to her compassion for our members, Jess is highly regarded for her business acumen. Overseeing BCBSRI’s competitive Medicare Advantage portfolio is a big responsibility. She prepared well for this role when she served as director of product strategy and development, with oversight for all medical, telemedicine, wellness, consumer tool, and dental product portfolios. Her collaborative leadership contributed to an increased adoption of BCBSRI’s enterprise telemedicine platform. She also developed and implemented custom product solutions for the company’s three largest prospects, resulting in membership growth for the organization.

When people ask Jess the secret to her success at BCBSRI, she doesn’t hesitate:

“I always advise people to be open to new things, to say yes to a challenge, and to ask, ‘how can I be helpful in this situation?’”

And then she adds, “Having people who believe in you is an amazing gift. Managers have put me in positions where they knew – more than I did! – that I could succeed. Their generous support and guidance through some very tall tasks have made all the difference in the world, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them.”

A first-generation college graduate, Jess is also personally committed to giving back to the community. She is a graduate of the 2020 Pi II Leadership Rhode Island class and is vice chair of the board of directors of Onward We Learn , an organization focused on helping prospective first-generation college students realize their dreams. How fitting, since Jess is also an alumna of Onward We Learn!

So, after all this success, what is Jess most looking forward to? “There’s still more we can be doing for our most vulnerable members,” Jess notes. “I’m super excited that equity is one of our commitments, and I am so proud that we are leading the charge to create access to affordable, equitable care in our state. I can’t wait to see what’s next!”