Meet Our Director
Carmen Heredia serves as the director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), which is Arizona’s Medicaid Program, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Mental Health Authority, overseeing the provision of acute, behavioral health, and long-term care services. AHCCCS covers more than 2 million Arizonans with an annual budget of $22 billion. She was appointed by Governor Katie Hobbs in the fall of 2022.
Born into a family of social workers, Ms. Heredia has passionately advocated for access to quality health care services and education for underserved populations throughout her career. Prior to joining AHCCCS, Ms. Heredia worked at Valle del Sol, a provider organization delivering integrated behavioral health and primary care as a federally qualified health center and a federally certified community behavioral health center. Ms. Heredia became the CEO for Valle del Sol Community Health serving patients across 19 locations in Arizona and New Mexico. During this time, Ms. Heredia was grateful to work closely with Governor Ducey’s administration on State health care policy.
Holding a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University with a concentration in planning and administration, Ms. Heredia’s service extends into a variety of government task forces and boards, including St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, the Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, National Council of Behavioral Health, the Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation, and the ASU College of Health Solutions.
Currently, she serves on the boards of Contexture Health Information Exchange and Center for the Future of Arizona. She is also a member of the Governor’s Interagency and Community Council on Housing and Homelessness and the Governor’s Council to Combat Human Trafficking in Arizona. She is a 2021 Virginia G. Piper Fellow, a 2025 Fellow of the Center for Health Care Strategies’ Medicaid Leadership Institute, an alum of the Hispanic Leadership Institute, and the ASU Lodestar Center. Ms. Heredia is proud to be named one of the outstanding ASU alumni for the 2024 College Leader, recognizing her for significant contributions to health care and community service.
During her tenure with AHCCCS, Ms. Heredia has directed crucial efforts combating fraud, waste, and abuse within sober living facilities, managing Medicaid enrollment after the COVID-19 pandemic, and leveraging partnerships to implement innovative programs to improve health for Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.
