Mary O. McWilliams
Seattle, WA – The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has appointed Mary O. McWilliams, executive director, Puget Sound Health Alliance to the Seattle Branch board of directors. The appointment became effective January 1, 2010.
Ms. McWilliams leads a regional coalition of purchasers, providers, and health plans with the goal of advancing quality and affordability of healthcare through performance measurement, public reporting and payment reform. She was appointed as executive director of Puget Sound Health Alliance in June 2008, after serving three years as a member of its board of directors.
Prior to joining Puget Sound Health Alliance, Ms. McWilliams was president and CEO of Regence BlueShield. Earlier, Ms. McWilliams spent three years with PacifiCare of Washington as the founding president and CEO and she spent several years as the founding CEO of Providence Health Plans in Oregon.
Ms. McWilliams’ civic commitments have included Seattle Rotary, Seattle Symphony, YWCA and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the board of Port Blakely Companies and the Safe Crossings Foundation, a grief support program for children. Ms. McWilliams received an honorary doctor of humane letters and a B.A. in American studies from Wesleyan University, and an M.S. in health administration from the University of Colorado.
Ms. McWilliams succeeds outgoing director and board Chair, Helvi Sandvik, NANA Development Corporation. Current director William S. Ayer, president and CEO, Alaska Air Group, has been appointed the new board Chair.
Other members of the Seattle Branch board include Richard A. Galanti, Costco Wholesale Corporation; Ada M. Healey, Vulcan Incorporated and Patrick G. Yalung, Wells Fargo & Company.
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (SF Fed) works to advance the nation’s monetary, financial, and payment systems to build a stronger economy for all Americans. As part of the U.S. central bank, the SF Fed serves the Twelfth Federal Reserve District, which covers the nine western states—Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai’i, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington—plus American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. By pursuing our two key goals of maximum employment and price stability—known as the Fed’s dual mandate—we work toward supporting an economy that works for everyone.