Office of the Chief of Staff
The Office of the Chief of Staff (COS) ensures that the HPC delivers timely, high-quality work and informs the public and stakeholders of the HPC’s mission, policies, and programs in a consistent and credible manner. This is completed through management of the HPC’s external affairs efforts, including media, public, legislative, intergovernmental, and stakeholder relations. COS also manages the day-to-day administration of the HPC, including agency operations, human resources, fiscal management, special projects, and public events. Coleen Elstermeyer, MPP, Deputy Executive Director, leads this department and provides high-level strategic guidance to HPC staff and Board members.
About the Deputy Executive Director
Coleen Elstermeyer serves as the Deputy Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC). The HPC is a first-in-the-nation independent state government agency charged with bending the health care cost curve and providing data-driven policy recommendations regarding health care delivery and payment system reform. The HPC’s goal is better health and better care – at a lower cost – for all residents across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Since the HPC's establishment in 2012, health care cost growth in Massachusetts has been below U.S. averages every year, resulting in billions of dollars in savings for local businesses, families, and individuals. Additionally, the HPC has invested nearly $100 million in innovative care delivery models, aimed at addressing the medical, behavioral, and social needs of the state’s most vulnerable and complex patients.
In 2012, Ms. Elstermeyer became the HPC’s first chief of staff, and in 2016 the first deputy executive director, leading the HPC through its growth into a nationally-recognized leader in landmark health policy and health care reform efforts. In this role, Ms. Elstermeyer oversees the HPC’s management team, staff, internal operations, and external affairs, while providing experienced leadership and guidance on health policy and strategy. She directly manages across several functional areas within the agency, including media, public, legislative, intergovernmental, and stakeholder relations, and agency operations, human resources, fiscal management, special projects, and public events.
Prior to her role at the HPC, Ms. Elstermeyer served as Chief of Staff to Majority Leader and State Representative Ronald Mariano, where she oversaw the Leader’s staff, policy and legislative agenda, and communications strategy. Through this position she was point person for the Leader on major health care reform legislation, including Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, the landmark health care cost containment law that established the HPC.
In 2016 Governor Charlie Baker awarded Ms. Elstermeyer with the Manual Carbello Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service “for demonstrating a commitment to performance at the highest standards.”
Ms. Elstermeyer was born and raised in Braintree, Massachusetts, and lives in Hingham with her husband, Matthew, and their children. She is a 2004 graduate of Boston College, and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from King’s College London.
