Kate Walsh, MPH

Kate Walsh is a veteran health‑care executive known for her leadership in advancing equity, innovation, and access at scale. Since January 2023, she has served as Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, overseeing 11 agencies and the MassHealth program, and leading efforts to transform the state’s health and human‑services systems.

Prior to joining state government, she spent more than a decade as President and CEO of the Boston Medical Center Health System, where she spearheaded initiatives in behavioral health integration, health‑equity accelerator programs, community partnerships, and sustainable operations at one of the nation’s leading safety‑net institutions.

Earlier in her career, Kate held leadership roles including Executive Vice President & COO of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Chief Operating Officer for Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, and Senior Vice President of Medical Services at Massachusetts General Hospital. She holds a BA and an MPH from Yale University.

With her deep operational experience across academic health systems, public policy, and large‑scale organizational transformation, Kate Walsh brings a uniquely holistic perspective to the future of health care — making her a valued voice at this year’s conference.