Her Story
About Shayla
Shayla Hobbs Cooper is a healthcare quality and compliance professional whose career reflects the successful integration of science, law, and healthcare operations. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Shayla earned a scholarship to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Although her early academic experiences included laboratory research and genetics internships, she discovered that her true passion extended beyond the lab. Determined to combine her STEM background with business and regulatory expertise, she pursued a Master of Science in Law (MSL) at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, specializing in technology, healthcare regulations, compliance, contracting, and business. This unique educational foundation positioned her to bridge the gap between clinical knowledge, legal frameworks, and organizational strategy.
Since entering the healthcare industry in 2017, Shayla has built a strong career in healthcare quality, provider engagement, and regulatory compliance. She has held roles with Oak Street Health, Inovalon, and Centene Corporation, where she currently serves as an Associate Quality Practice Advisor. In her role, she partners with provider organizations and executive leadership to improve Medicare contract performance, close quality gaps, support risk adjustment and utilization management initiatives, and ensure compliance with CMS and NCQA standards. Her expertise spans HEDIS, STAR Ratings, quality assurance, quality improvement, healthcare compliance, and performance analytics. By translating complex healthcare data into actionable strategies, she helps health plans and provider networks enhance member outcomes while meeting rigorous regulatory requirements.
Throughout her career, Shayla has demonstrated resilience, strategic thinking, and a commitment to continuous growth. One of the defining challenges of her professional journey was waiting five years to earn a promotion despite consistently delivering strong results—a period that reinforced the value of networking, relationship-building, and intentional career development. She believes that meaningful partnerships, transparency, collaboration, timely communication, and coachability are the cornerstones of lasting professional success. Passionate about improving healthcare delivery through data-driven decision-making, Shayla remains dedicated to advancing quality initiatives that not only achieve compliance but also create measurable, long-term improvements in patient care and community health.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shayla
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to stay quiet until it's my time to speak and to view constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow. That advice has taught me patience, humility, and the value of continuous learning.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to build strong professional connections, recognize your value, and stay open to the many opportunities that come your way.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is that career advancement often depends on more than strong performance—it also requires intentional networking and relationship-building. I waited five years for a promotion despite consistently performing well, and that experience taught me the importance of building professional connections. In the end, it led me to a role I truly enjoy, where I can combine my scientific and legal expertise.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my professional and personal life are collaboration, transparency, timely communication, partnership, teamwork, and coachability. I believe strong relationships take time to build, and the best results come from working together toward a shared goal.
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