Rebekah Gee

Dr. Rebekah Gee is an obstetrician/gynecologist and public health policy expert who is founder and CEO of Nest Health, a healthcare startup aimed at providing comprehensive, family-focused primary care services through in-home and virtual visits. Created to address gaps in access to quality healthcare, especially for families struggling with transportation or economic barriers, Nest Health focuses on value-based care, treating entire families as a unit.

Previously, Dr. Gee served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health from 2016 to 2020, where she spearheaded the state's Medicaid expansion. Under her leadership, she oversaw nearly half of Louisiana’s budget, managing critical areas such as Medicaid, public health, aging and adult services, licensure, sanitation, disability services, and the state's 2,000-bed hospital system. A key achievement during her tenure was the development of a pioneering subscription model for Hepatitis C medications, which became a national and international model for improving drug access and affordability. A champion for health equity, Dr. Gee created the South's first Office of Health Equity in a state department of health.

Dr. Gee is a tenured professor of healthcare quality and an expert in quality improvement. Throughout her career she has been a consistent voice for maternal safety and quality. Before her time as Secretary, Dr. Gee served as the Chief Medical Officer for Louisiana Medicaid. She previously served as the director for a statewide Birth Outcomes Initiative and led the charge to decrease infant mortality and prematurity statewide. Her initiative resulted in a 25 percent reduction in infant mortality; an 85 percent drop in elective deliveries before 39 weeks; and a 10% drop in NICU admissions statewide. Dr. Gee's more recent efforts center around maternal death and have led to a 39% reduction in complications due to heavy bleeding-the leading preventable cause of maternal death in Louisiana.

Dr. Gee has served as an advisor to multiple governors, presidential campaigns, and policy efforts at the state and national level. Her track record in government and academic thought leadership has been recognized by the New York Times as one of Five Who Spread Hope in 2019; by Modern Healthcare as a Woman to Watch; and by her election to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine.