We envision a country in which health policy is driven by health experts and practitioners grounded in patient outcomes instead of ruled by industry profits.
WHO WE ARE
Members of the Committee to Protect Health Care Education Fund come to the organization with experience in state and federal politics, issue campaigns, and legislative offices. This experience informs the Committee’s health care advocacy efforts and inspires their unabashed patient advocacy. We believe that, to move state and federal health care toward massive expansion that covers all Americans, we must educate stakeholders and decision makers. This work requires a campaign-oriented staff, and the Committee has it.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LAUREN BEENE, MD
BOARD MEMBER
Lauren Beene, MD is a general pediatrician practicing in Cleveland, Ohio. She is co-founder and Executive Director of Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights (OPRR), a non-partisan grassroots organization that formed immediately following the Dobb’s decision. OPRR and its broad coalition, Protect Choice Ohio, was at the forefront of the successful movement to protect reproductive freedom via citizen initiated constitutional amendment in Ohio in 2023. Dr. Beene attended college at Cornell University, Medical School at Case Western Reserve University, and pediatrics residency at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, where she served as Chief Resident. She lives in Cleveland with her husband and 2 young daughters. Dr. Beene is committed to ensuring that each of her patients receives unobstructed access to the highest standard of medical care, and will fight for their right to do so.
DR. MAX COOPER
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Max Cooper is a board-certified Emergency Physician, veteran, and elected official in southeastern Pennsylvania. He completed his medical school and residency at Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia before his service with the US Navy took him to Virginia and Afghanistan. Currently working and training the physicians of tomorrow at a busy urban hospital, his experiences have taught him the importance of affordable, high-quality, universal health care and he is fighting to make this a reality.
Shelly Johnson, RN, BSN, MPH, MBA, FACHE
BOARD MEMBER
Shelly Johnson, RN, BSN, MPH, MBA, FACHE is a value-driven, experienced healthcare executive with over 30 years in healthcare, including community health improvement, operational innovation, and finance. Her core values include creativity and compassion, defined as having empathy for and working to reduce others’ suffering. Shelly has held a range of positions across her career, from her beginning as a certified nursing assistant to Director, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, President and her current position as Chief Executive Officer, she has a broad and eclectic background across a wide range of healthcare settings.
Shelly’s passion is improving the health of populations and the wellbeing of individuals. She has partnered with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) on multiple projects, been a sought-after speaker at national conferences, has served on numerous boards and is well known in the healthcare industry. Results include award winning programs and departments, financial turnarounds, high employee engagement scores and cost reduction strategies. Shelly recently formed the Wellbeing Project, LLC, dedicated to improving policies, processes, and people with the goal of improving health for all.
In addition to a nursing degree, she has an MPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MBA from the University of Michigan and a certificate in Applied Health Economic and Outcome Research from Thomas Jefferson University. She is in the final stages of her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at Western Michigan University and is adjunct faculty at Northern Illinois University.
Justin Mendoza, MPH
BOARD MEMBER
Justin Mendoza, MPH – Executive Director, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines. Before
joining UAEM as North American Executive Director, in April 2023, Justin led Partners In
Health’s efforts on domestic policy and advocacy strategy, where he worked on legislative
policy changes like the American Rescue Plan Act and advocated for a rational COVID-19
response. Previously, Justin worked on health care priorities with Families USA and Public
Citizen in Washington D.C., focused on lowering drug prices, taking on pharmaceutical patent
overreach, expanding health care coverage, and lowering underlying health care costs. Justin
holds an MPH in Health Policy from Yale University and a B.S. in biomedical sciences and
neuroscience from Central Michigan University. Justin also serves as a city commissioner in
Parchment, Michigan.
