Anna Spencer, MPH, is a senior program officer at the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). In this role, Anna directs work focused on uncovering best practices related to authentic consumer engagement between health care organizations and the communities they serve. She is currently leading a learning collaborative with New York to help health care organizations partner with patients and communities of color to advance health equity efforts. In addition, Anna is supporting Texas managed care organizations in designing and implementing interventions to address health-related social needs. Previously, Anna co-led work on a national effort that sought to uncover the core elements and success factors of community-based organization and health care partnerships to address the social issues that influence health outcomes.
Prior to joining CHCS, Anna was a qualitative researcher and health policy analyst at the Urban Institute studying payment and delivery system reforms aimed at improving health care quality and reducing costs. She previously worked for Grantmakers In Health, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to supporting the field of health philanthropy. She also worked as a program manager at the National Conference of State Legislatures providing technical assistance to state legislators and legislative staff, and for eight years served as the managing editor of State Health Notes.
Anna holds a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University’s Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health.
Hailing from the pacific northwest, Anna is an avid hiker and skier and spends as much time as possible outdoors.