Partner Student Story: Meet Claudia Shiffer, Analyst

Meet Claudia Shiffer, Analyst – Provider Network at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) – a CLU employee partner.

Seeking a new career opportunity that aligned more closely with her personal values, Claudia Shiffer joined IEHP in 2016, drawn to the organization’s commitment to positive community impact. Eager to continue her personal and professional growth, she explored graduate programs but hesitated due to cost—until IEHP’s partnership with Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) opened the door. Today, Claudia serves as a lead analyst, collaborating with community partners to facilitate access to care by filling provider network gaps and meeting regulatory requirements. She has helped expand IEHP’s network, playing a key role in securing funding to aid entities who hire qualified providers to serve in the Inland Empire region—an initiative that’s the first of its kind in California.

She views her role as instrumental in sustaining a network of advanced practice providers, primary care physicians, and specialists who can provide access to care to the most vulnerable. This is a personal mission which began while working on her CLU Capstone The Glory Project, inspired by a family member’s experience with mental health, aimed to dismantle stigma and emphasize the importance of visibility, understanding, and access to care.

Claudia credits her CLU experience for instilling lifelong skills—especially collaboration and mindfulness. She leverages on collaboration to understand stakeholders and promote solutions that address the needs of those who are most affected. Through mindfulness she plans for the future, learns from the past, and lives in the now. Meditation, which she began during her program, remains an essential part of her personal and professional toolkit.

As Claudia reflects on the lasting impact of her experience at Claremont Lincoln University, highlighting how the supportive and engaging learning environment shaped her perspective, “The dialogue and collaboration with CLU faculty and peers helped me see my work through a broader lens—and that experience continues to drive positive change in both my career and the communities I serve.”