An Interview with Maven Director Yvette Bright

In conjunction with our Series E round of funding, Maven appointed three new independent members to our Board of Directors: Yvette Bright, Dr. Jennifer Schneider, and Chris Klomp. We sat down with each of these leaders to learn more about what attracted them to Maven and what they hope to bring to the company in their new positions.

Yvette Bright is the former Executive Vice President and COO of Independence Blue Cross, where she is now a board member. A technologist by training, she spent the first decade of her career at IBM before she joined the Philadelphia-based insurer. Over the course of her 30-year tenure, she rose to become the first woman and person of color to lead their $6 billion Medicare and Commercial books of business.

Yvette also serves on the boards of Cityblock Health, National Life Group, CSAA Insurance Group (AAA affiliate), and Myers Industries.

What about Maven’s mission resonates with you?

Maven’s mission resonates because of the experiences I’ve had over my thirty years in healthcare. As an African American woman, I’m deeply interested in helping to improve the childbirth outcomes for minority women in this country. I have had my own personal challenges with reproductive health, including a premature birth with my first child, emergency c-sections, and a three-week NICU stay for my son. I also have family members who couldn’t not bear children, and didn’t have guidance, resources, or a platform like Maven’s. I understand how difficult it can be, emotionally and physically. It is so exciting to think about Maven putting forth a digital platform where women and families can access quality healthcare, and have round-the-clock support. I didn’t have that. My family members didn’t have that. 

What excites you about joining the Maven Board of Directors at this point in the company’s journey?

I feel like I'm joining at a transformative moment. There's a lot of white space to create what the experience should look like for women and families as it relates to their healthcare, particularly their reproductive health. This is a moment where Maven is thinking about its future product offerings, its strategy, and how to deliver end-to-end care, and I look forward to having the opportunity to contribute to and influence our decision-making in these critical areas. Especially in the wake of the Dobbs decision, at a time when women are feeling like the clock has been turned back and they really have nowhere to turn for guidance and support, here’s Maven paving the way with a quality digital health platform that can level the playing field.

What are the biggest opportunities you see for Maven to increase its impact in the coming years?

I have quite a bit of experience in the Medicaid space and in working with underserved populations. I know what Maven would mean to women and families in those communities. Being able to help guide that aspect of the company’s growth is important to me. Maven can really make a difference with its engagement model, but the key is to gain the trust of the communities you aspire to help, to really find ways to meet people where they are and engage with them at every step in their healthcare journey. People within these communities often don’t have someone they can turn to. They can’t afford to travel out of state to get care, they can’t always get childcare to take off work. Having someone you can connect with and speak to when you have an issue, someone who can give you emotional support, that makes a big difference.

Where can Maven have the most significant impact in advancing health equity within women’s and family health?

The first thing people need to understand about how we get to health equity is that we need more healthcare professionals who look like the people they are serving. Especially in the Medicaid space, there has to be trust with the people and communities you are working with. Building that trust requires being intentional about building your provider network to make sure women and families have access to people who have had some of the life experiences they have had. To me, that’s where health equity starts, with a provider you feel you can speak to and relate to, and who is genuinely interested in your health and prosperity. 

Amidst all the hype and promise, what are payers ultimately looking for from digital health solutions?

Healthcare stakeholders, including payers, have recognized the potential of digital healthcare solutions. When linking the core functions of a health plan with these new technologies, it provides an opportunity to engage with their members more regularly, which can improve overall healthcare delivery. Payers are looking for tools that are easy to use, and where their members can access quality providers. Above all else they desire improved outcomes, quality care at a lower cost, and an improved, personalized member experience. We all have the same goal, which is to be there during the most vulnerable time in people’s lives, and improve the health outcomes and healthcare experience of the people we serve.