Our Staff

As President of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans, Ward Sanders leads the state trade association that represents all six of the major health plans in New Jersey, including three Medicaid health plans. He became President in October of 2006, after serving as Vice President for seven months.

Prior to coming to the NJAHP in February of 2006, Ward served for 15 years in State government positions. Most recently, Ward was the Executive Director of the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage (“IHC”) Program Board and the New Jersey Small Employer Health Benefits (“SEH”) Program Board, the two State agencies charged with regulating the individual and small group health benefits markets, which covered about one million New Jersey residents.

Ward began his State service as a Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Division of Law representing the New Jersey Department of Insurance (now Department of Banking and Insurance), the SEH Board, and the IHC Board. He has been closely involved with New Jersey’s health coverage reform programs since their formation in early 1993. Ward participated in a number of inter-governmental health coverage projects and was a member of Steering Committee Member of the New Jersey State Planning Grant under a grant provided by the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration. As President of the NJAHP, he was appointed by Governor Corzine to both the Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission and the Health Care Access Study Commission, and by Senate President Codey to the Medical Care Availability Task Force.

Ward has been a frequent speaker at national conferences sponsored by such entities as Academy Health, the Alliance for Health Reform, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Academy of State Health Policy, and the Urban Institute. In March of 2010, Ward was named by NJBIZ, a state business newspaper, as one of the “50 most powerful people in New Jersey health care.” He has also appeared in HealthSense’s list of the “50 most influential players in the political health care arena.”

Ward is a 1991 graduate of the Villanova University School of Law, where he was an editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and was the student commencement speaker. Ward is also a 1984 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he received his BA in Government.

From 1984 to 1988, prior to earning his law degree, Ward worked in Washington, D.C. for the International Center, a human rights and foreign policy research organization.

Ward lives in Lambertville, New Jersey, with his wife and two children. Ward was elected twice to Lambertville’s City Council and has served since January 1, 2008. He also chairs the South Hunterdon Regional High Municipal Work Group, and serves on the the Cable Advisory Commission and has served previously on the city’s Environmental Commission, Planning Board, and Police Merger Workgroup.

Sarah McLallen became New Jersey Association of Health Plans’ Vice President in May of 2009, responsible for advocacy and education related to issues of health care and health coverage, as well as strategic planning and technical assistance for New Jersey health plans.

Prior to joining NJAHP, Ms. McLallen served as Chief of Staff at the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute where she managed the Institute’s research and development on health care quality, access and cost-containment issues, and advised and informed members and committees of the New Jersey legislature on issues such as medical error reduction, hospital-acquired infection reporting and health care expansion and reform.

Before joining the Quality Institute in January of 2006, she served in a communications and public policy position for the Forrester for Governor Campaign, and came to New Jersey from a communications position at the Republican Party of Texas.

Ms. McLallen is published on issues of health care costs and cost containment; served as a staff advisor to Governor Chris Christie’s Transition Team for the Department of Health & Senior Services; serves as a member of NJ Senator Joseph Vitale’s (D-19) working group on health care reform; and serves as a member of the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Service’s Quality Improvement Advisory Committee; Shaping NJ; and the NJ Breathes Coalition. Ms. McLallen is also the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Parents Anonymous of New Jersey, the State’s largest child abuse and neglect prevention organization.

Ms. McLallen resides in Voorhees, New Jersey.

Maria Friberg has been with the NJAHP for seven years. Currently, she serves as the NJAHP’s Business Manager. In that role, she has a broad range of responsibilities for the day-to-day administration of the NJAHP. Specifically, she is responsible for developing a budget, financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable. Maria also works closely with the Associate Members of the Association in coordinating the NJAHP/Associate Member events. She performs various office duties for the President of the Association.

A Trenton native now residing in Robbinsville, NJ, Maria has been married for 26 years and has two sons. She enjoys baking, reading and family.

Beth Yake has been a part of the NJAHP staff for four years. She is the administrative assistant to the President and Vice President and her duties include coordinating meetings, handling phone inquiries, doing special projects and other various administrative duties.

Beth is married and resides in Ewing, NJ. She has two daughters, Meghan and Sarah, and enjoys scrapbooking, New York City, The Yankees, and interior design.