Shelly Schlenker
About Shelly Schlenker
Shelly Schlenker serves as the Executive Vice President Chief Advocacy Officer at CommonSpirit Health, leveraging over 25 years of experience in healthcare policy to advance business objectives through strategic communications and advocacy.
Work at CommonSpirit Health
Shelly Schlenker serves as the Executive Vice President Chief Advocacy Officer at CommonSpirit Health. She has held this position since 2020, contributing to the organization for four years. In her role, she utilizes her strategic communications and advocacy skills to advance the business objectives of CommonSpirit Health. Her expertise includes coalition building, public policy development, and cross-functional collaboration, which are essential for influencing legislative outcomes and achieving positive results.
Education and Expertise
Shelly Schlenker holds a Bachelor of Communication from California State University, Chico, where she studied Communications, Public Relations, and Advertising. She furthered her education at the University of Southern California's Sol Price School of Public Policy, earning a Master of Health Administration (MHA). With over 25 years of experience in healthcare policy, she specializes in expanding coverage and improving access to affordable quality care.
Background
Before her current role at CommonSpirit Health, Shelly Schlenker worked at Dignity Health as the Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations from 2000 to 2020. She also served as the Regional Vice President at the Hospital Council of Northern & Central California from 1996 to 2000. Earlier in her career, she was an Account Manager at Ketchum from 1987 to 1989. Her extensive background spans both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations across multiple industries.
Achievements
Shelly Schlenker is recognized for her ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders and influence legislative outcomes. She has been a Board Member of the Catholic Health Association of the United States since 2021 and has served on the Board of the Health Care Transformation Task Force since 2017. Her work focuses on translating complex concepts between political, policy, and business environments, aiding organizations in navigating legal and regulatory requirements.