Above: BCBSND employee, Erin Burd, and her children.
In this employee spotlight, we feature Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) manager of Medicaid Operations Erin Burd.
What brought her to Blue
Erin started at Blue in her college days. Her mom worked at Blue and heard about a cleaning position that fit well with Erin’s schedule. It was just what she needed.
“Perfect hours, no weekends and great benefits. But more importantly, it was an opportunity for me to get a foot in the door and be part of a good company that had lots of room for opportunities,” shared Erin. “My manager at the time took a chance on me and now I’ve been here for almost 20 years.”
The skills she brings to Blue
In college, Erin studied criminal justice. Even though she took a different route for her career, she still has been able to apply the analytical skills, teamwork and collaboration lessons from college that’s required to do her role.
“The majority of my role is collaborating with others. So, I feel like that's a skillset I bring to the table,” said Erin. “I love to ‘rally the troops’ together around a common purpose or goal and set the stage for a positive, fun and comfortable setting where everyone feels like they have a voice and can contribute or share concerns.”
A typical day at Blue
Erin believes there isn't a typical day at Blue for her and she likes it that way.
“I love the variety that every day brings. There’s definitely new challenges that make me ask, ‘How am I going to approach this task?’” said Erin. “It gives me plenty of reason to work with many different team members across the organization, which has allowed me to get to meet several people. So, I'm very thankful for that.”
Erin’s primary duties include serving as a relationship manager with our state partners and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). She’s their primary point of contact, whether addressing internal questions within their department or questions from our Medicaid Expansion members and providers.
What Erin likes best about #LifeAtNDBlue
Besides the people that she has come to know and appreciate at Blue, the best part about her work is knowing the impact her work has on the health care of North Dakotans and beyond.
“We play a big part in making lives easier – whether that’s interacting via our Customer Contact Center, developing a new insurance product or supporting members through a tough experience. I’m not directly in that engagement with members and providers, but I am in the background, helping support the team members who are and that gives me a sense of pride and purpose in what I'm doing,” shared Erin.
What she hopes to take away from Blue
Erin said she hopes to take away the friendships she has built at Blue. She feels a great sense of trust and authenticity with her team and is thankful for how they have been at her side through many of life’s challenges.
“I feel invigorated when I get to spend time with others and share that sense of connection and compassion. That’s something I take home with me in my interactions and I will continue that approach wherever I am,” shared Erin.
What will you bring to Blue?
See our available Careers.
