David Plouffe
About David Plouffe
David Plouffe (age 57) has served as an independent director of Oscar Health, Inc. since February 2021. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government from the University of Delaware and is best known for senior public policy and campaign roles, including White House Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, SVP of Policy & Strategy at Uber, and President of Policy & Advocacy at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. In 2024, he served as an advisor to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign, underscoring deep expertise in public policy and stakeholder engagement .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign | Advisor | 2024 | Political strategy advisory during a U.S. presidential campaign |
| Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) | President, Policy & Advocacy | Jan 2017 – Nov 2019 | Led policy and advocacy for major philanthropic initiative |
| Uber Technologies, Inc. | SVP, Policy & Strategy | Aug 2014 – Jan 2017 | Corporate policy, regulatory strategy at a technology-driven transportation company |
| The White House | Senior Advisor to President Obama | Jan 2011 – Jan 2013 | Senior policy and political advisory in the executive branch |
| Obama for America | Campaign Manager | 2008 | Managed historic presidential campaign |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obama Foundation | Director | Since Jan 2014 | Nonprofit governance; one of several nonprofit boards on which he serves |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (Vanessa Wittman, Chair; Laura Lang, member; Plouffe, member; Boyd ex-officio), which met six times in 2024 ; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member (Boyd, Chair; Gassen; Plouffe), which met four times in 2024 .
- Independence: The Board determined Plouffe is “independent” under NYSE listing requirements .
- Attendance: In 2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Executive sessions: Non-management directors meet regularly in executive session; independent directors meet at least annually, presided by the Board Chair .
- Controlled company status: Oscar is a NYSE “controlled company,” but as of January 2025 all Board committees are fully independent and the Board is majority independent .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Retainer (2024) | $70,000 | Standard cash retainer under Director Compensation Program |
| Audit Committee Member Retainer | $10,000 | Non-chair member cash retainer |
| Nominating & Governance Member Retainer | $5,000 | Non-chair member cash retainer |
| Total Fees Earned (2024) | $85,000 | Reported for Plouffe in 2024 Director Compensation Table |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Date | Grant Fair Value (USD) | Vesting Terms | Deferral Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU Grant | 2024 Annual Meeting | $174,993 | Vests in full on earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; change-in-control accelerated vesting per program | Plouffe elected to defer 100% of 2024 RSU award settlement under the Director Deferred Compensation Plan |
Note: Director equity grants are time-based RSUs; no performance metrics (TSR/EBIT) apply to director compensation .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Type | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obama Foundation | Nonprofit | Director | Nonprofit; no supplier/customer exposure to Oscar disclosed |
| Other nonprofits | Nonprofit | Director | Names not disclosed; no related-party transactions disclosed for Plouffe |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Public Policy, Government Affairs, Regulatory: Core domain; reflected in skills matrix and biography .
- Corporate Governance: Board service, committee work (Audit; Nominating & Governance) .
- Executive Leadership: Senior roles across government, corporate, and philanthropic sectors .
- Marketing & Brand Development: Strategic communications and campaign management background .
- Risk Management and Business Development/M&A exposure via committee skills matrix .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Class A shares beneficially owned | 50,000 | Direct ownership listed; less than 1% of outstanding |
| Unvested stock awards outstanding (12/31/2024) | 8,974 RSUs | Per director holdings table |
| Pledged shares | None disclosed | Company prohibits hedging/pledging in Insider Trading Policy |
| Director stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer; all non-employee directors meet or comply via holding requirement | Guidelines and compliance status |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with robust public policy expertise and stakeholder management, enhancing regulatory and reputational oversight .
- Active governance roles on Audit (6 meetings in 2024) and Nominating & Governance (4 meetings in 2024), supporting financial reporting, cybersecurity, independence, and board effectiveness .
- Strong engagement: met attendance expectations; participates in executive sessions .
- Alignment: Holds 50,000 shares; adheres to director ownership guidelines; elected to defer RSU settlement—signals long-term orientation .
- No related-party transactions involving Plouffe disclosed; related-party reviews focus on Sanford Health and Thrive Capital relationships involving other directors .
-
Watchpoints:
- Controlled company governance: While committees are independent as of Jan 2025, concentrated voting power (Thrive Capital) remains a structural consideration for minority investors .
- Political activity: 2024 campaign advisory role may attract public attention; monitor for potential reputational spillover, though no conflicts disclosed .
- Compensation is standard market-level; ensure continued emphasis on equity deferral and ownership guideline compliance to reinforce pay-for-performance ethos for directors .
Appendix: Director Compensation Breakdown (2024)
| Metric | Amount (USD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned (Cash) | $85,000 | Director Compensation Table |
| Stock Awards (RSUs) | $174,993 | Director Compensation Table |
| Total Compensation | $259,993 | Director Compensation Table |
Vesting and deferral mechanics per Director Compensation Program and Deferred Compensation Plan .