Charlene K. MacDonald is a nationally recognized health policy and public affairs executive with more than two decades of leadership across the public and private sectors. As President and CEO, Charlene leads the Federation through its strategic advocacy, champions the Federation’s membership, and advances pragmatic policy solutions that align with the interests of tax-paying hospitals and the millions of patients they serve.
Charlene became President and Chief Executive Officer after serving as the Federation’s Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, where she led integrated advocacy, government affairs, and communications initiatives, and managed the Federation’s operations team, overseeing finances, human resources, and administrative services.
During her more than 20-year career in health policy, Charlene has held a wide range of leadership positions in business and government, including as Chief Government Affairs Officer for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Prior to CareFirst, Charlene was Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at FTI Consulting, where she led a multidisciplinary strategic communications team and advised clients on all aspects of stakeholder engagement, including corporate reputation, investor relations and public affairs.
A veteran of Capitol Hill, Charlene spent nearly a decade in senior policy roles in the U.S. House and Senate. She served as a top health advisor to former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senior Policy Advisor for Medicare & Social Security at the Senate Budget Committee, and Deputy Chief of Staff in the U.S House. Her accomplishments include the drafting, negotiation and enactment of numerous bipartisan health bills ranging from the 21st Century Cures Act to the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Charlene is known for her ability to translate complex policy and business challenges into actionable solutions, and her leadership has been recognized by The Hill, Politico, and others.
She holds an M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School and undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Sociology from Lake Forest College.
