On behalf of the National Immigrant Heritage Center and Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame.
James Michel M’04, a graduate of the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business, the CEO of the Access Health Connecticut ACA marketplace, retired U.S. Army Reserve officer, and leader in the Haitian-American immigrant community, was recently inducted into the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame on Nov. 14.
The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF), a program of the National Immigrant Heritage Center, celebrates our country’s diverse ethnic heritage by honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our country, and who truly exemplify the best of this nation of immigrants.
James Michel is the tenth of 11 children born to Etienne and Simone Michel in Haiti. At the age of nine, James immigrated to the U.S. with his four brothers in 1974, first settling in Brooklyn, New York. He is CEO of Access Health CT, the Health Insurance Marketplace for the Affordable Care Act in Connecticut, after previously serving as Head of Operations and Head of Finance.
Prior to joining Access Health CT, James was an Audit Director at Aetna for over 8 years, and CFO of the Metropolitan District Commission in Hartford. James is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization Outreach to Haiti, and former Chair of the Board of Trustees for Jumoke Academy, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of Suffield Academy.
James is a veteran of the United States Army Reserve and was honorably discharged in December 2002 as an officer after 18 years of service. James has a MBA from the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford and earned his BS in Accounting at Brooklyn College.