Laura Brennan, MSW
Laura has dedicated her professional career to improving the health and well-being of those who are underserved. With extensive experience at the local and state levels, Laura is committed to the development of public policy supporting community-created solutions that provide better care for more people at less cost.

Currently, Laura is Community Development and Policy Director of PacificSource Health Plans, an Oregon-based health insurer. She is also Executive Director of the PacificSource Charitable Foundation. In both of these roles Laura provides consultation and support for local collaborative efforts to improve the health of community members through access to timely, quality, and affordable health services.

Laura is a veteran in the areas of healthcare policy formation and community resource development in Oregon. Before joining PacificSource, she helped facilitate healthcare legislation in her legislative coordinator position with the Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research. As policy development manager for the Health Resources and Services Administration Grant on Universal Health Care in Oregon, her work focused on delivery system reform, access, and healthcare safety net issues. Her community work has included coordinating the Oregon Health Action Campaign’s Portland Community Benefits Project, and founding and managing a health education department at a health care safety net clinic in Portland, Oregon. As access policy lead for Oregon’s Division of Public Health, she was responsible for supporting and encouraging efforts to improve access to needed health services throughout the state.

A passion for justice and equity has guided Laura and inspired her involvement with a myriad of additional projects and organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Communities Joined in Action (CJA), a private, non-profit organization helping communities eliminate health disparities and ensure 100 percent access to healthcare.

Laura holds a Master of social work degree from Portland State University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.