Chief Executive Officer

Wade Rakes is the Chief Executive Officer of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. He joined the organization in 2025, bringing deep expertise in health care, government, and community leadership.  

Prior to joining CareQuest, Wade held various leadership positions at Centene Corporation, a leading health care enterprise delivering high-quality, cost-effective services to government and commercial programs. During his 15 years at Centene, Rakes rose to Chief Growth Officer and helped propel the company’s transformation from a 6-state Medicaid care management organization into a 30-state, multi-product health care entity deeply connected to local communities. As President and CEO of Peach State Health Plan, he guided one of Centene’s largest subsidiaries, delivering care to more than 1 million state residents.  

Earlier in his career, Wade served as a cabinet-level official in the State of Ohio and has remained a committed civic leader. He is Chair of the Board of LGBTQ+ Victory, Vice Chair of the Board of the High Museum, a Trustee of the Woodruff Arts Center, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the James A. Baker III Institute at Rice University.  

Wade earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan.