Veronica Hill Milbourne

I entered healthcare over 40 years ago after identifying unmet needs in the community I grew up in. I saw a great deal of health disparities at an early age and just had a desire and passion to be a change agent. My career has taken me through many different settings within healthcare. I started as a floor nurse in a small community hospital, then moved into the operating room in a large health system, and later into a clinical administrative role doing quality assurance for a large hospital. I transitioned into skilled nursing for a short period and then started home care, always maintaining multiple roles and serving on community committees to forward policy, quality, and access. Recognizing the need for health promotion programs, I went back to school to get my master's in health education so I could educate consumers about options and how to be advocates for themselves. When I realized that the healthcare delivery system was broken years ago and is still broken, I decided to go back to school yet again and pursue my Juris Doctorate. I became an attorney and started working on the legislative side to create policy and advocate for additional programs and services for underserved communities and constituents. Along the way, I also ran for public office and became a councilwoman in my community for a couple years. I ran a behavioral health company for the state of Pennsylvania for a few years before getting my current role running a system of federally qualified health centers, which is truly a mission-driven path. I continue to serve on multiple boards, including having served on Temple University College of Public Health's board for 10 years where I was able to lead the construction of a new building to house all of the divisions within the College of Public Health. I currently serve on the Addis Home Care and Hospice Board, the Asbury Communities Board (a continuing care retirement community with a PACE program, pharmacies, and other business lines), the Pennsylvania Association for Community Health Centers board as secretary, and the Health Federation of Philadelphia's board. My community tentacles are wide, and I remain committed to meeting people where they are and leading with integrity and intention.