A Q&A with Propel’s first Director of State Ventures

In early January, Lexi Gervis joined Propel as the company's first ever Director of State Ventures. A Ph.D. Sociologist, Lexi has spent years working at the intersection of policy, technology, and service delivery. She's built a career aimed at making government more efficient, effective, and helpful for people in need. We sat down with Lexi to discuss why she moved, what makes this moment unique, and what states should know about this new chapter at Propel.

Q: Propel has never had a dedicated Director of State Ventures before. This is new for the company. Why do you think this is the right time for Propel to work directly in partnership with states?#q-propel-has-never-had-a-dedicated-director-of-state-ventures-before-this-is-new-for-the-company-why-do-you-think-this-is-the-right-time-for-propel-to-work-directly-in-partnership-with-states

LG: It's exactly tied to this moment. The best way we can help the millions who depend on Propel already is to work directly with the states that serve them.

We serve more than 5 million SNAP recipients each month, and they're going to be facing new challenges in maintaining their benefits. The flip side of that coin is states facing new challenges in reaching people with critical messages about program changes, prompting them to take action when they need to, getting them to supply the right documentation.

That's where Propel can play a critical role. The scale we operate at right now matters so much-1 in 4 SNAP recipients opening the app every other day on average! If you believe you have to meet people where they are, well, this is where they are. I don't think any vendor has the reach, the frequency of engagement, or the trust that Propel has. We have a unique opportunity to help people take the right action at the right time, and that's what states need right now.

Q: State agencies are resource-constrained and rightly cautious about new partnerships. What's different about working with Propel compared to other technology vendors?#q-state-agencies-are-resource-constrained-and-rightly-cautious-about-new-partnerships-whats-different-about-working-with-propel-compared-to-other-technology-vendors

LG: This is very true-one fundamental difference for Propel is we don't need states to pay for services or partnership with them. Our mission is to serve our users, and our business model functions in a way that allows us that flexibility. Right off the bat, I think that is something that is fundamentally different in our approach to state work, and will become even more important as states face down a reduced administrative cost share in SNAP.

Trust takes time to build. Propel has been serving families in need for more than a decade and has built real trust with those households-the app recently received its 1 millionth 5-star rating. State leaders work so hard. They strive for the best for their staff and their clients. They want to deliver 5-star experiences. Now, we can help them deliver.

Q: When you think about the state agencies you'll be working with, what problem are you most excited to help them solve?#q-when-you-think-about-the-state-agencies-youll-be-working-with-what-problem-are-you-most-excited-to-help-them-solve

LG: I'm most excited to help states solve the problem of getting benefit recipients to take the right action at the right time-that could be change reporting, or work requirement compliance, or recertification preparation.

Everyone knows that job one for SNAP leaders is Payment Error Rate (PER) reduction. For all the focus on PER right now, I think client-introduced errors are not getting nearly enough attention. That's exactly where we can make a unique contribution. We know states struggle with getting people to take the right action at the right time. I'm excited that we can unlock that.

Q: If you're speaking directly to a state SNAP or Medicaid director reading this, what would you want them to know about what Propel can bring to the table?#q-if-youre-speaking-directly-to-a-state-snap-or-medicaid-director-reading-this-what-would-you-want-them-to-know-about-what-propel-can-bring-to-the-table

LG: The needs of beneficiaries and state benefits administrators are aligned more now than they have been. We know that states are redesigning their systems right now, almost across the board. The success of those changes ultimately depends on getting people to use them. We've got deep reach, deep engagement, and deep trust with the folks you're trying to reach. We can close the gap between intention and action and deliver the change you're seeking.

Q: What does success look like for your first year in this role?#q-what-does-success-look-like-for-your-first-year-in-this-role

LG: For me, success is helping states manage today's challenges with more efficiency, and helping households who need support maintain their benefits more easily. We can create win-win situations for states and the households they serve. That's the impact that we can deliver in this moment.