Katya Andresen serves as The Cigna Group’s Chief Digital & Analytics Officer. In this position, she leads strategy and execution of digital, analytics, and data governance and commercialization, as well as AI-driven experiences across the company’s lines of business and cross-enterprise experiences.
Prior to joining Cigna in September 2021, Katya drove experience innovation in financial services as a Senior Vice President at Capital One, focusing on creating and delivering an integrated, end-to-end experience for customers across all touchpoints.
Katya guest lectures at Georgetown University’s business school and has served as an adjunct professor at the American University Key Executive Leadership Program. Earlier in her career, Katya was a foreign correspondent for Reuters News and Television in Asia and for the Associated Press and major U.S. newspapers in Africa.
How did your career in healthcare start? Have you always been passionate about this area, or did it happen by chance?
I was working in financial services during the pandemic, and the COVID crisis led me to some soul-searching about a career change. I was contemplating something in the healthcare arena because of my desire to see more innovation in the industry when a mentor who’d joined Cigna reached out to me about a role. When you know, you know: right leader, compelling mission, perfect moment. Very glad I made the leap.
As a former journalist, can you share a lesson learned that still sticks with you today?
Journalism taught me so many things I use every day, but there’s one more that looms above the rest in importance: Do not write the story ahead of time.
I worked for wire services, filing multiple stories a day on all kinds of subjects. Since I had to write fast, it was tempting to start mentally composing a story before I finished filling in the gaps. This is a terrible practice. When done properly, the work of a journalist requires an open mind, persistent questioning, and intent observation. So does leading through a time of change – including right now, with the advent of AI innovation in healthcare, for example. Many people don’t make a habit of stepping back and wondering what is happening and why. Or how things might be different.
The corporate world is full of cautionary tales of companies that have written their stories ahead of time and never amended their strategies to reflect new realities. Latent competitors have wiped out those that could not imagine a different narrative unfolding.
So don’t write the story ahead of time, or if you must, change it when faced with new information. Call it a pivot and be glad for the learning — you’ll end up with something closer to the truth.
You joined WBL a few years after you made the transition into healthcare. How has being part of WBL shaped your experience in the industry?
I’ve tried many different membership organizations, but WBL has been truly unique for the strong network in healthcare as well as support in developing as a leader. I recommend it to many women who are looking for true connection, both personally and professionally. I remember thinking after my first WBL Summit, that was like three days of therapy!
I also benefited from the Board Program, which led to my landing a seat on a public board. WBL has advanced my expertise, made me a better leader, and above all, made me feel less alone in the struggle to improve this tough industry of ours.
Personally or professionally, what might the WBL network be surprised to know about you?
Though I left journalism, I’m still an avid writer and have a Substack at katyaandresen.com plus several unpublished novels to my name. I write early mornings and every weekend. Most of it never sees the light of day, but I know there’s something in that garbage that will nourish my next project.
I think of my writing as a compost pile. No, not a pile — more of a landfill. Actually, the volume of my creative castoffs is probably closer to the size of a small country, visible from space. Lots of fodder for the future!
