Age 31  |  Senior account manager, national account sales, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Megan Ruble’s job is her passion.

Ruble’s position at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield has her managing health-care coverage for employers with 750 or more workers. However, she said, a simple definition of her job doesn’t do justice to what she does.

“Wellness is a passion of mine. I’ve lost a lot of family members over the years,” Ruble said. “That became very important to me. I think (it’s important) helping individuals understand their numbers – meaning their blood pressure, pre-screening for diabetes – any of those things you can help prevent that put a burden on you, your family members, your ability to work, and also your insurance costs.”

Getting people to think that way can be a tough sell, she said, but tells employers about the benefits of having a healthy work force from the standpoint of attendance and productivity.

Ruble also writes a personal blog to educate her friends, family and anyone else who cares about health-related issues.

Beyond her passion at work, “I have a passion for helping at-risk individuals,” she said.

That passion stemmed from her father, who grew up in a single-parent family of 11 children but got help along the way from teachers who mentored him and helped him get a college scholarship.

Ruble volunteers in a number of organizations, including Variety – The Children’s Charity, Children and Family Urban Ministries Whyld Girls, Communities in Schools at Hiatt Middle School and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and she recently became a life coach for a young girl.

She holds and has held leadership positions in a number of those organizations; is part of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s class of 2011 and United Way of Central Iowa’s Emerging Leaders Initiative advisory council; and has been on a number of committees for the Young Professionals Connection.

“Megan knows who she is,” said Lori Day, president of FocusFirst Inc., who nominated Ruble. “She’s very value-driven, knows who she is and what she stands for. In addition to mentorship, I think it’s really cool the amount of connecting and collaborating she does for the benefit of others.”