Risa Nakajima

Risa Nakajima’s work focuses on supporting program implementation and providing technical assistance to federal and state Medicaid programs.

Nakajima has worked on a variety of projects in Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and state health. Currently, she leads a team supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and states implement, monitor, and evaluate eligibility and coverage policies for Medicaid section 1115 demonstrations. She also supports the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services implement its home and community-based services system redesign in response to Mathematica’s 2023 evaluation findings.

Previously, Nakajima led the learning system for the CMS Accountable Health Communities Model, which aimed to improve access and quality of care and outcomes by identifying and addressing health-related social needs among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. She also supported the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services’ Oral Health Initiative through the Medicaid and CHIP Core Set Technical Assistance project; her work included coordinating and planning the Oral Health Technical Advisory Group and developing the Oral Health Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative.

Before joining Mathematica in 2018, Nakajima was a project manager at the Children’s Dental Health Project. In this role, she oversaw the Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. She holds an M.P.H. in maternal and child health from the George Washington University.