Arizona health services loses another top leader

Another top state health official is departing for a position at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

Carla Berg, a longtime state employee and deputy director for public health services at the Arizona Department of Health Services, will work her final day at the state agency on Oct. 25, department officials confirmed this week.

A spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona confirmed in an email to The Arizona Republic this week that Berg will be joining the nonprofit health insurance company Oct. 31 as chief of staff, Office of Clinical Excellence.

Berg is the fifth high-ranking state health official to depart for a job at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

The exodus began when former ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ left the state health department in August 2021 to become the chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. Don Herrington was named interim director after Christ left and remains in that position.

When she stepped down as director, Christ said she didn't want to leave but she knew that with an upcoming administration change her position was not an indefinite one.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's term ends in January and Ducey appointed Christ.

Another high-level agency leader who left for Blue Cross Blue Shield after Christ took her job there is Jessica Rigler, who was the state health department's assistant director for the division of public health preparedness.

Rigler had been a key figure throughout Arizona's COVID-19 pandemic, as her job had oversight of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Emergency Medical Services, Public Health Statistics, Public Health Emergency Preparedness and the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory.

State health officials confirmed earlier this year that two other longtime top department employees had departed for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona: Colby Bower, who was most recently the ADHS assistant director of policy and intergovernmental affairs; and Rob Bailey, who is the former bureau chief for public health statistics at the health department,

Berg has worked at the state health department for 14 years, according to her state bio. She began as an epidemiologist in 2008, her profile says and in her current role leads the divisions of Public Health Preparedness, Public Health Licensing, and Public Health Prevention Services in addition to health equity and strategic initiatives.

She took on a more public role this year, speaking with the media about COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health issues following Rigler's departure.

The Arizona Department of Health Services gave the following written statement about Berg:

"Carla Berg is leaving ADHS for another opportunity. Her last day in the office will be Tuesday, Oct. 25. We are grateful for her years of distinguished service to ADHS and the people of Arizona. We wish her well in her next professional chapter.

"ADHS employees are ready to carry on this agency’s mission of promoting the well-being of Arizonans. Our commitment to public health continues unabated."

Berg has a bachelor's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and a master's degree in health science from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

ADHS includes about 1,500 employees and, like many public health departments across the country, it was the target of some criticism and anger during the COVID-19 pandemic.