Esther Emard, R.N., M.S.N., M.S.L.I.R.

Esther Emard became the Chief Operating Officer of NCQA in 1999.  She is responsible for all aspects of business planning and operations in supporting of the organization’s strategic plan.  She serves as Chair of the Leadership Team and Management Team for the organization.

Prior to assuming her current position, she was the Senior Vice President of Regional Operations for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care where she was responsible for all regional operations in the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She also served as President of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of New England, the Rhode Island affiliate of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

She has held additional positions as the Associate Director of Nursing for Morton Hospital and Medical Centers, Inc. of Taunton, Massachusetts.

She is currently a member of the Editorial Board for the American Journal of Medical Quality, a member of the National Honor Society in Nursing; Affiliate Member of the American College of Medical Quality and Member of the Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation.

She is a member of Medical Reserve Core, serving as an Incident Coordinator, for Fairfax County, State of Virginia.

She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing Education at The George Washington University Medical Center and is an adjunct Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Rhode Island (URI). In addition, she serves as a guest lecturer for URI's Graduate Program in Labor.

She has served as a member of the Boards of Directors of the Urban League of Rhode Island, The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, The RIGHA Foundation and the Executive Board of the National Conference. She was appointed by the Governor of the State of Rhode Island to be a member of the Rhode Island Commodores as well as the Health Care Advisory Commission of Rhode Island. She was elected as a member of the Rhode Island Medical Women’s Association and the Hope Club. She served for two years as President of the Rhode Island Association of HMOs.

She received her masters' degrees in labor and industrial relations and nursing administration from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing form the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. She is currently licensed to practice as a registered nurse in the State of Virginia.