Samantha Shepherd, MA, has joined CCO Oregon as its executive director. She has over a decade of experience helping nonprofit, government, health, and political organizations meet their goals and plan what’s next. She has advocated, implemented, and evaluated policies and programs targeted at transforming the health care system, understanding social determinants of health, building sustainable programs, and eliminating health disparities. She brings particular expertise in organizational development, strategic communications, and goal-based planning.
Committed to identifying community-based strategies that can improve overall population health, Samantha is a passionate health advocate. From 2010 to 2013, Samantha worked with the State of Oregon on health reform outreach and engagement programs. She ensured that local organizations had training and resources across Oregon to meet the needs of the program and the particular needs of each community. Since then, her experience has benefitted hospital systems, nonprofits, research firms, and coalitions of diverse stakeholders as a consultant and team member.
Prior to Portland, Samantha lived in Flagstaff, Arizona where she earned a Masters in Applied Sociocultural Anthropology from Northern Arizona University with research conducted in health education at Planned Parenthood. Her Bachelors is from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida in Cultural Anthropology and Feminist Theory.
She currently volunteers in her neighborhood of St. Johns and at the Oregon Humane Society. She has also served on many advocacy boards and workgroups, including the Oregon School Based Health Care Association and the Oregon Women's Campaign School. In her spare time, she is likely hiking, playing in a river, planning a road trip, laughing loudly, or seeing live music.
CCO Oregon is a non-profit member association that aims to be shaped by and to serve all stakeholders that touch coordinated care in Oregon. Our purpose is to support the delivery of exceptional care at reduced costs while promoting the health and well-being of Oregonians.
