Carola Gaines has dedicated over 31 years to advocating for Medicaid and SSI families through her work with Quartz and UW Health. As Community Liaison Manager for Quartz, she supported nearly 45,000 BadgerCare Plus members, developing innovative programs to improve healthcare access, including home visits, OB transportation, and the Moms/Baby Gift Bag project.Carola also serves as a Community Research Associate for UW-Madison’s Community Academic Aging Research Network, focusing on addressing health disparities in the African American/Black community. A UW-Madison alumna with a degree in Journalism/Communications, she also pursued graduate studies at the School of Social Work.
Deeply committed to community service, Carola has held leadership roles with Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She serves on several boards, including The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness and The Rainbow Project. Her contributions have earned her numerous awards, including the YWCA Woman of Distinction, United Way’s Mike McKinney Award, and the 2024 Inaugural Quartz Community Service Award.
Recently retired, Carola now lives in Texas with her husband of 43 years, Arnold “Clyde” Gaines. She is a proud mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and sister, continuing her legacy of service and advocacy.