Research Center
The National Alliance for Medicaid In Education is pleased to announce the selection of our new Executive Director, Ken Kniepmann!
Ken brings solid experience and facility with public policy, mental health, and nonprofit management, including background in school-based services, lobbying, and executive leadership. Perhaps more importantly for NAME and its members, Ken has a passion for student health and wellbeing.
His strengths include stakeholder engagement, navigating complex systems and legislative processes, and providing nonprofit and operational leadership. Ken’s skills and abilities align closely with NAME’s organizational priorities, especially with regard to building and maintaining collaborative relationships with the board, members, volunteers, and partners within and beyond the NAME organization.
As Ken steps into this role, he shared this thought:
I believe the future of school-based Medicaid lies in bold thinking and strong partnerships. Together, we have the opportunity to reimagine how Medicaid supports education—not as a complex compliance exercise, but as a strategic, student-centered investment in health, growth and success.
Please join us in welcoming Ken!
To connect with Ken:
Ken Kniepmann, Executive Director
National Alliance for Medicaid in Education
NAME is currently seeking nominations for the following Board of Directors (“Board”) positions:
Officers:
- President-Elect
- Secretary (appointed)
Regional & At Large Representatives:
- Region 1: State Medicaid Agency
- Region 2: Local Education Agency
- Region 3: State Education Agency
- At Large: State Medicaid Agency
A copy of the most recent amended bylaws may be accessed with the link below. The board voted on 12/17/2025 to approve these bylaws.
Yesterday was a celebration! Today is about action!
Yesterday we celebrated the release of the new guide. It was a monumental day for our field. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act charged CMS with this task. It allowed opportunities for NAME to engage in meaningful conversations around challenges and barriers. We received a call from CMS thanking our organization for the part we played in its development. We began conversations with CMS, in reference to this guide, last July. We were thankful that they were willing to participate in our conference, where many of you were able to ask specific questions and share your barriers. NAME was asked toform specific focus groups over the past several months and many of you were willing to participate. Thank you for your willingness to contribute to the process and share your experiences.