Finding a niche in a crowded insurance market has been a career boost for a onetime Disney and Nike event production executive. In the mid-2000s, when health insurers nationwide suddenly found themselves with tens of thousands of new customers thanks to the introduction of Medicare Part D, Deb Mabari saw an opportunity to forge a new career path.
The California native — she’s a Los Angelino by birth and upbringing — studied business with an emphasis in marketing while in college. She then worked in event production for major brands such as Disney and Nike.
A serious biking accident, however, caused Mabari, now 51, to rethink her future. She enrolled in the MBA program at California State University Northridge and then landed a job with WellPoint (now Anthem) specializing in the California Medical Assistance Program, also known as Medi-Cal — California’s version of Medicaid. ( read more)