In this episode of Sound Track, we explore an innovative public-private solution to one of healthcare’s most urgent challenges: the nursing shortage. With the U.S. projected to need 1 million new Registered Nurses by 2030, the current system is hampered by limited faculty, clinical placements, and funding.

To tackle this, Premera Blue Cross and four Washington colleges, including Green River College, launched a first-of-its-kind LPN-to-BSN pathway that allows working nurses to earn their bachelor's degrees without stepping away from their jobs or families.

We are joined by:

• Kitti Cramer, Executive VP and Chief Legal Officer at Premera Blue Cross
• Dr. Kara LaValley, Associate Dean of Nursing at Green River College

Together, they share how this partnership came to life, why it matters, and what it’s already achieving—from higher enrollment and increased diversity in the nursing workforce to stronger clinical training networks and improved health equity. They also discuss lessons learned, the role of flexible curriculum design, and how other businesses and institutions can replicate this transformative model.