Natalie is passionate about the power of empathy and design to connect with consumers authentically – which she attributes to her early years enrolled in an arts and design academy in South Africa. Her expertise is integrating creativity and business strategy to lead stakeholders through the design and delivery of distinctive consumer experiences whilst quietly influencing the culture towards one that is customer obsessed. She’s a nationally-recognized healthcare leader, consumer strategist and speaker. Her business sensibilities are based on over 20 years of experience working for companies like McKinsey and Company, Ford, Sallie Mae and GMAC.
Natalie is most proud of her role in driving Anthem’s consumer transformation which resulted in a stunning increase in their NPS score over the past twelve months. She is Anthem’s Vice President of Consumer Experience and leads the company’s consumer strategy; design; innovation and culture efforts – directing consumer priorities across the organizational silos of the 50,000-person company. Her dream: “To revolutionize how people experience health insurance through elegant and simple design”
She is a highly sought after and accomplished speaker, and her talks at high profile conferences and corporate events have been well received. She combines the art of story-telling, thought provoking insights and humor to engage and energize audiences. In the past five years she has spoken to crowds as large as 6,000 people and to small, private groups such as corporate boards. She has addressed audiences at Merck, Google/MedTech, Samsung, Duke, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), American’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and various other health plans, physician groups and government councils. She has also appeared in media outlets such as CSPAN and been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal.
Natalie believes that focusing deeply on customer experience is our greatest economic multiplier: “There’s nothing as motivating as thinking bigger and pushing limits on the customer experience, coupled with people who have the courage and talent to design it into reality.” She is skilled in consumer experience strategy; design; culture; research; ROI and innovation. She also passionately advocates for the practical application of behavioral economics in these areas.
Natalie earned her MBA and certificate in Health Sector Management from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and furthered her design and innovation education through the Disney Institute, Darden Graduate School of Business, and IDEO. She also completed a master’s degree in Information Systems and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Rhodes University (South Africa). Natalie has also enjoyed serving on the Forrester Leadership Council and on the Board of both the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the American Lung Association.