Leigh Simons oversees MHA’s policy and regulatory affairs priorities related to public health, mental health, and substance use disorder policy, among other policy areas affecting hospitals and health systems. Prior to joining MHA, Leigh was the director of policy for the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals and previously worked in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for both the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and the Joint Committee on Public Health.  She began her career working for the ABC News’ “Nightline” program in its Washington, D.C. and New York offices; Leigh’s work there brought her to such places as the Democratic National Convention in Denver, a lobster boat in Maine, and a trauma center in Philadelphia.

Leigh earned an MPH with a concentration in health policy and management from the Boston University School of Public Health.  She holds a BA in political science with a minor in communications and media studies from Tufts University.  As an undergraduate, Leigh interned in the Washington and Boston press offices of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. She is a graduate of the Massachusetts Health Leadership College, a collaboration between MHA and Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program.

Leigh serves on the Boston University School of Public Health’s Education Advisory Board and on the Board of the Brookline Education Foundation as the vice president of grants.