With 25+ years in healthcare, I’ve led EMS systems, physician groups, and hospital programs. I created Medical Staff Development programs to address provider shortages. built rural primary care offices to keep people healthy longer, but my work in palliative care alongside end-of-life experts showed me how poorly our fragile infrastructure for aging supports the dignity or quality of life of this vulnerable population. As my own family aged, I felt called to ensure those extra years are meaningful. In 2019—before COVID exposed horrifying gaps in long-term care—I became a volunteer Ombudsman, advocating for the rights of people living in nursing homes.

I’ve held healthcare leadership roles at organizations including Arthur Andersen, North Shore University Healthcare, Ascension Health, United Health Services, and Gartner Group. In 2012, I founded Blackwell Associates, a values-driven medical staffing and consulting firm focused on underserved communities.

I am a Board-Certified Patient Advocate and hold a Master’s in Health Systems Management from Rush University, an M.A. in Early American Literature from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in English and Latin from Mount Holyoke College.