Helen Darling

Helen Darling is president of the National Business Group on Health (NBGH). The Business Group is the nation's only non-profit organization devoted exclusively to representing large employers' perspective on national health policy issues and providing practical solutions to its members' most important health care problems.

As president of the Business Group, Darling leads a progressive organization that fosters health benefits decision making among corporate purchasers. She is also responsible for the overall strategic and operational direction of the Business Group. A Capitol Hill veteran, Darling also works with Congress to advance the understanding of corporate health care issues.

In addition to her NBGH responsibilities, Darling currently serves as co-chair of the National Committee on Quality Assurance Committee on Performance Measure, an independent non-profit association whose mission is to evaluate and report on the quality of the nation's managed care organizations. She is also a member of the Medical Advisory Panel, Technology Evaluation Center, run by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Prior to joining the Business Group, Darling served as Senior Consultant, Group Benefits and Health Costs for Watson Wyatt and Company, a global consulting firm that provides services in employee benefits and human resources. Prior to working for Watson Wyatt, Darling directed the purchasing of health benefits and disability for thousands of employees and retirees at Xerox Corporation. During her six-year career at Xerox, Darling negotiated a monitored more than 200 HMO contracts and implemented HealthLink, an innovative health care strategy.

Before joining Xerox in 1992, Darling was a partner for William W. Mercer, where she consulted with companies on their strategic position within the health revolution in the late 80's and 90's.

Earlier in her career, Darling was an advisor to Senator David Durenberger, the ranking Republican on the Health Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee. She also directed three studies at the Institute of Medicine for the National Academy of Sciences.

Darling received her master's degree in Demography/Sociology and her bachelor's of science degree in History/English, cum laude, from Memphis State University.