National POLST Governance

National POLST is governed by two groups: the Leadership Council and the Plenary Assembly. We also have individuals serving as Advisors to National POLST, the Leadership Council, and the Plenary Assembly. This governance structure replaces the National POLST Paradigm Task Force, the group that governed National POLST from 2004-2018. View organizational chart (PDF, bottom of page).

Leadership Council

The Leadership Council is similar to a board of directors and is responsible for implementing National POLST’s mission, vision and managing the organization’s strategic plan. Our goal is to have the Leadership Council include members reflective of those we serve, including but not limited to diversity in: age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and perspectives.

President Kevin S. Henning, MD, FAAFP, FAAHPM Optum CarePlus

Past President Judy Thomas, JD CEO, Coalition for Compassionate Care

Vice President Karl Steinberg, MD

Secretary Susan E. Nelson, MD, FACP, FAAHPM LaPOST Coalition, Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum

Treasurer Kim Callanan, MA

Aretha Delight Davis, MD, JD Executive Director, ACP Decisions

Sarah E. Hetue Hill, PhD System Director, Palliative Care, Ascension Health

Andrew MacPherson Principal at Healthsperien, LLC and Senior Policy Adviser to The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) and National Partnership for Hospice Innovation (NPHI)

Plenary Assembly Representative Sandy Severson VP Care Improvement, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association

Plenary Assembly Representative Bruce C. Smith, MD, MACP, HMDC Medical Director, Providence Hospice of Seattle

Plenary Assembly Representative Cindy Munn Chief Executive Officer, Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum

Plenary Assembly

Plenary Assembly, comprised of POLST program leaders, supports the Leadership Council and is responsible for the programmatic elements of POLST. View list of members comprising the Plenary Assembly (PDF).

Plenary Assembly Officers

Chair: Linda Darden, MHA, CPA
Chair Elect: Cindy Munn
Secretary: Mark Apfel, MD
Past Chair: Judy Black, MD, Medical Advisor, Jewish Healthcare Foundation

Advisors

We thank the following individuals for serving as advisors to National POLST, the Leadership Council, and the Plenary Assembly.
Disability Community: Marty Ford
Emergency Medicine: Arthur Derse, MD, JD
EMS: Garrett Hedeen, MHA, EMTP
Hospice: Karren Weichert
Legal: Charlie Sabatino, JD
Long Term Care: James Mittelberger, MD, MPH, CMD, FACP, FAAHP
Media: Theresa Brown, PhD, BSN, RN, FAAN
Social Worker: Christine Wilkins, PhD, LCSW
Technology: Abby Dotson, PhD