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Mike Castro to retire as CEO and become Chairman of the Board of Delta Dental of California; President Sarah Chavarria named successor

Jul 31, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO – Delta Dental of California and affiliates today announced that Mike Castro will retire as its chief executive officer (CEO) Dec. 31, 2023 and become chairman of the board of Delta Dental of California effective Jan. 1, 2024. Sarah Chavarria, current president of Delta Dental of California, will succeed Mr. Castro to become president and CEO Jan. 1, 2024.

Mr. Castro has led the company as CEO of Delta Dental since 2019. During his two decades with the company, he has held a variety of leadership roles, including serving as chief financial officer for 14 years.

“It has been a privilege to lead our business,” said Mike Castro, chief executive officer of Delta Dental of California. “Over the years, many people have asked how I want to define my legacy at Delta Dental. The simple answer has always been the same: to leave the company better than I found it, and in better hands. I’m proud to say we’re a stronger company than we were five years ago, and we have a deep bench of exceptional leaders to help us continue to capitalize on our position of strength thanks to the team.”

Sarah Chavarria was promoted to president in 2022 and has led the organization’s Operations, Technology, People, Growth, Marketing and Communication divisions. She began her career at Delta Dental as chief people officer and later expanded her leadership to include oversight of the other teams.

“I want to thank Mike for his support, exceptional leadership and dedication to Delta Dental, which have laid the foundation for a successful future,” said Sarah Chavarria, president of Delta Dental of California. “We will continue our partnership when he moves into his new role as chairman of the board. Together, we will ensure our customers, providers and employees remain at the forefront of our business and that we stay focused on our purpose to improve health by providing access to quality care for our more than 45 million members.” 

About Delta Dental of California

About Delta Dental of California and affiliates

Since 1955, Delta Dental of California and affiliates has offered comprehensive, high-quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates Delta Dental Insurance Company; Delta Dental of Pennsylvania; Delta Dental of New York, Inc.; Delta Dental of the District of Columbia; Delta Dental of Delaware, Inc.; and Delta Dental of West Virginia, and provides dental benefits to more than 31 million people across 15 states and the District of Columbia.* All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that through a national network of Delta Dental companies collectively covers millions of people nationwide. For more information about Delta Dental of California and affiliates, please visit www.deltadentalins.com.

*We provide dental benefit plans in Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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