University of Wisconsin - Stout
11/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/04/2025 11:04
Insurance executive’s leadership lessons began at UW-Stout
UW-Stout graduate Krista Hoglund is now president of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health Plans. / Submitted photo
Leadership, said health insurance executive Krista Hoglund, isn't about knowing every answer yourself. Hoglund said she learned this and other lessons as a UW-Stout student pursuing a degree in applied mathematics.
Hoglund recalls a challenging math class she took during one of her last semesters at UW-Stout. Normally a strong student, Hoglund realized she wasn't going to succeed in the class without help - so she went to the professor, who patiently guided her through the material until she understood it.
"That's a great leadership lesson: When you need help, ask for it," said Hoglund, president of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health Plans, a not-for-profit Managed Care Organization that provides comprehensive health coverage to individuals and families in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. "People have an idea that leaders don't ask for help, but I ask for help all the time. That's a huge lesson I've taken with me."
Hoglund took the helm at Jefferson Health Plans in early 2025 after an 18-year career with Security Health Plan, where she held several actuarial posts before becoming CEO in 2021. It was while in the latter position that she was named among the Top 50 Women Leaders of Wisconsinas well as to theWisconsin Titan 100list of CEOs and C-level executives.
Krista Hoglund and her husband, Erik, are both UW-Stout alumni. / Submitted photo
The Exeland, Wisconsin, native said her positions at Security Health Plan and Jefferson Health Plans are similar, although Jefferson Health Plans is a bigger organization - with more than 350,000 members vs. about 230,000 - in a largely urban area as opposed to mostly rural one in Wisconsin.
Hoglund's life has been profoundly shaped by her UW-Stout experience - and not just because it was at Stout that she met her future husband, Erik Hoglund, who like her graduated in 2002. While she originally began her pursuit of higher education at a different institution, she transferred to UW-Stout to pursue an applied mathematics degree, knowing she wanted to be an actuary. "Stout had a great reputation around job placement, particularly for applied math," she said.
Krista and Erik Hoglund during their undergraduate days at UW-Stout, circa 2000. / Submitted photo
Beyond her major, several other UW-Stout courses stand out in Hoglund's mind, including a speech class that helped the introverted undergrad gain confidence sharing her message with others. Such skills have been beneficial in her career, most notably in 2023 when she testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about Medicare Advantagein Washington, D.C.
Despite this experience and the honors she's received in recent years, Hoglund emphasized that leadership isn't a solo endeavor, and that she owes much to the teams she has led as well as to the women who blazed the trail for her.
"I wouldn't have the opportunities I have had as a women leader if it weren't for others who had to break a lot of that ground before me," she said.
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