Our inclusive work culture
We value and respect people for who they are. This commitment supports our employees as they deliver on our mission to provide peace of mind through better health to our members.
And it gives us a competitive advantage by purposefully creating a workforce that’s a reflection of the communities we serve.
A heart shaped for service
In her role as a community care partner, Quetta Pipkin channels her passion for serving others by raising awareness of preventive screenings and care that can help improve our members’ health. And she works with her team and healthcare partners in the community to help create more opportunities to get that care.
Quetta loves being a resource for others in this way and helping them understand how they can advocate for themselves by getting the screenings and the care they need.
“Where I was once helping those who didn’t have coverage to get it, I’m now helping people who have coverage to understand how to use it and to take the time to take care of themselves,” Quetta said.
Celebrating our engaged workforce
We believe that learning about one another helps us communicate and collaborate more effectively. That’s why we host cultural awareness sessions throughout the year – both in person and livestreamed so all interested employees can participate and hear inspiring stories.
Inclusion can drive better business results through increased employee engagement. We’ve proved this within our own walls. Our 2024 engagement survey results revealed that:
of employees understand how their jobs contribute to our mission
of employees believe their teams effectively cooperate to get the job done
of employees believe people of all backgrounds can succeed at BlueCross
These results beat the benchmarks for high-performing companies, and they translate into better service for our members.
A champion for others with disabilities
Senior digital accessibility specialist Kaitlyn Edge supports additions and improvements that make bcbst.com easier to navigate for all of our members.
“I like to say that my greatest strength is empathy. And that’s kind of how I guide my career, both in the past as a Peace Corps volunteer and even now working at BlueCross,” Kaitlyn said. “My No. 1 goal is to meet the members where they are and make sure that they have everything they need to do what they need to do.”
Kaitlyn Edge
Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist
SWITCH Academy
One meaningful way we encourage growth and development is through our support of SWITCH Academy. The program gives high-functioning young adults with intellectual or learning disabilities the opportunity to earn immersive workforce experience and develop skills to seek competitive employment.
Hamilton County students taking part in BlueCross workforce training on-site at the company’s Chattanooga headquarters through SWITCH Academy during the 2024-2025 school year
Harmonizing quality and artistry
2024’s Black History Month event theme African Americans and the Arts explored how African American art has shaped history in Tennessee and beyond.
A few years ago, senior quality specialist Katie Banks was inspired to start crafting, making “Welcome” signs and refurbishing old furniture. Organization and collaboration were areas where Katie excelled they’ve served her well in her 35-year career with BlueCross. But she embraces new challenges and advises her fellow artists to be eager to be heard and transparent.
“Embrace your uniqueness,” she said, “and explore and appreciate the diversity of talent within our communities.”
Katie Banks
Quality Specialist
The 2024 Power of We Conference at the National Museum of African American Music
Our annual Power of We conference brings together thought leaders from across the state to discuss workplace trends, share ideas and celebrate how differences can make us stronger, now and in the future.
The seventh conference was held at Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music, where attendees joined sessions on generational team chemistry and the social production of health and health disparities.
“My first session was on demographic trends in Tennessee, and it was very impactful to learn about these different areas,” said 2024 attendee Carlos Holmes, talent management consultant with the State of Tennessee Department of Human Resources. “That made me think about workforce readiness, and how to use numbers and data points [pertaining to] certain areas of the state, and where those needs are and how to address them.”
Programming evolves each year to address issues shaping the ways in which we work with one another. It also provides an opportunity to share the latest about the BlueSky Tennessee Institute, our accelerated workforce pipeline that gives high school graduates from across the state the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science and employment at BlueCross after 27 months.
Hearing loss led to a compassionate perspective
Health navigator Lori Kyle assists BlueCross members with behavioral health conditions to understand and use services available through their health plan.
From Lori’s earliest days in this role, helping others has been especially meaningful to her because of the significant healthcare journey she’d already faced with her Meniere’s disease diagnosis.
“When I’m listening to a member, I know first hand that anyone can sometimes need a little extra care, kindness, assistance and grace,” Lori said. “Helping them makes me a better person all around.”
Lori Kyle
Health Navigator
Advancing health equity
BlueCross is committed to doing our part by investing in our communities and working alongside providers to help ensure all Tennesseans can reach their full health potential.
In 2023, we launched our annual health equity report to build awareness about health inequities in our community. Within this report, we identify the social risk factors we see that could be contributing to health disparities.
Our first report revealed what measures we should focus on and where we needed to work more closely with the community, our medical partners and our leaders to tackle some of these barriers to care.
Our 2024 report offered more information on behavioral health in Tennessee, in addition to providing information to help our members identify their preventive care needs and resources they can use to take action.
Our objective is not just to create awareness. We’re demonstrating our commitment to health equity and bringing partners together to make a difference.
A teamwork approach informed by 31 years in the Air Force
Senior product medical director Gordon Peters, M.D., focuses on the care received by our members who are Medicare- and Medicaid- eligible.
He also helps teams in planning related to Medicare coverage, ensuring government approval of our products, and training clinical personnel.
“Teamwork,” Dr. Peters explained, “provides an opportunity to use everyone’s skill set effectively since each person brings something different to the table. If you’ve built that same sense of trust and commitment in your team, then when you’re down or feeling overwhelmed by work, they’ll help pick up the work and carry on.”
Dr. Gordon Peters, MD
Senior Product Medical Director
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BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Community Trust and BlueCare Tennessee are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a Qualified Health Plan issuer in the Health Insurance Marketplace.
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