Kurt C. Small Biography

Kurt C. Small serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations, serving members across the District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia and beyond. In this role, Kurt leads the organization in fulfilling its mission to advance accessible, affordable, equitable and high-quality healthcare, while strengthening the organization’s longstanding commitment to the people and communities it serves.

Kurt is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 25 years of experience leading complex healthcare programs across government, commercial and federal markets. Before joining CareFirst, he spent nearly seven years at Elevance Health, most recently as President of Medicaid, leading one of the nation’s largest Medicaid businesses, with a focus on improving performance, strengthening the member experience and supporting long-term sustainability. His career also includes senior leadership roles at organizations such as Aetna, Highmark, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Yale School of Management. His leadership extends to serving as Board Chair of the American Heart Association’s Baltimore and Greater Maryland division and as a member of the Greater Baltimore Committee's Executive Committee. He also serves on the boards of the Greater Washington Partnership and AHIP. Through these roles, Kurt remains actively engaged in advancing healthcare, strengthening communities and supporting economic growth across the region.