Sarah Kinney is the state’s first Executive Director of the Health Cabinet. A dynamic leader with 15 years of experience in health and healthcare, Sarah is known for her strategic, person-centered approach to public policy. Alongside a wealth of professional knowledge, she also brings her personal experience growing up low-income and uninsured to her role directing the State’s strategy on health.
Prior to her appointment leading the Health Cabinet, Sarah worked on policy innovation at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center. Her leadership and strategic vision were instrumental in developing a new model for behavioral health integration, bringing behavioral health, physical health, and health related social needs together into the care space.
Sarah has a deep history in non-profit leadership, leading national efforts to improve health through food with Mrs. Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America, as well as multiple Minnesota-based food banks and food shelves. Kinney remains a local leader in food access, serving on the board of The Food Group, a statewide food bank and anti-hunger advocacy organization.
A first-generation college student, Sarah holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO.
