MONTGOMERY, AL – Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced a leadership transition at the Alabama Medicaid Agency, naming Bo Offord as the new commissioner, effective July 16, 2025. Stephanie McGee Azar, who has led the agency for over 13 years, will become the chief executive officer of the State Employees’ Insurance Board of Directors (SEIB).
Governor Ivey commended Azar’s tenure, citing her as Alabama’s longest consecutively serving Medicaid commissioner. Azar oversaw more than a decade of annual Medicaid budgets and played a key role in establishing the Alabama Medicaid Reserve while maintaining fiscal balance.
“Stephanie Azar has proven herself a skillful manager of the state’s public health insurance program for low-income families,” said Ivey. “I am confident she will continue to serve the state well through her new position at SEIB.”
Bo Offord, currently general counsel for the Alabama Medicaid Agency, has served in various legal capacities within the agency since 2010, including assistant and deputy general counsel. His appointment as commissioner follows a 15-year career representing the agency in legal matters ranging from probate and appellate court cases to federal regulatory issues.
Offord is a graduate of The University of Alabama and Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. Prior to joining the Medicaid Agency, he began practicing law in 2007.
“It is an honor to be appointed by Governor Ivey,” said Offord. “I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Alabama in this capacity. I had the privilege to work with Commissioner Azar for 15 years, witnessing firsthand her professionalism and leadership.”
The transition marks a continued effort by the Ivey administration to maintain stability and experience within key state agencies.
