Christine Gallery | 2023 SHSMD Leadership Excellence Award Recipient

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Christine Gallery, the Senior Vice President of Planning and Chief Planning Officer of Emerson Hospital. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family and friends, many of whom are long-time members of the SHSMD community.

Christine Gallery, JD, was a senior executive in a competitive health care environment for over 25 years, bringing a wealth of experience to the field. Her skills as an attorney and knowledge of the legal and regulatory issues that health care organizations face, were invaluable in her daily work. She was known to be a consensus builder, able to think critically about complex situations, and offer creative solutions to issues. She was also known for her collaborative, accountable, respectful and innovative leadership style.

She was the Senior Vice President of Planning and Chief Strategy Officer at Emerson Health headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts, where she worked since 1996. At Emerson, Christine led the development of new programs and services that enhance patient care and increase market share for Emerson. This included her work forging strong relationships with academic medical centers and other leading health systems.

Some specific accomplishments include:

• Leading the development of four very successful off-site health centers and three Emerson Health urgent care centers.
• Building strong partnerships with other hospitals and academic medical centers to provide specialized care to Emerson patients – including oncology, OB/GYN, cardiology, pain management, nephrology, neurosurgery, and bariatric surgery.
• Recruiting more than 300 doctors to expand the range of services offered by Emerson and provide more primary care options.

Christine’s commitment to the strategy profession was illuminated by her service on the SHSMD board, her SHSMD board presidency, and her participation on a variety of committees, including Executive Committee, Nominating Committee and Physician Strategies Committee. She was a co-faculty member of the SHSMD Certificate Series on Strategic Planning in Healthcare, and co-authored the SHSMD eBook, "A Practical Guide to Healthcare Strategic Planning." Christine has also been recognized for her volunteer leadership with the New England Society for Healthcare Strategy (a SHSMD Chapter) and received the NESHS Healthcare Strategist of the Year award.

Christine exemplified SHSMD values in all she does. She was a consensus builder who thought critically about complex situations and offered creative solutions to issues. She was a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. She was a passionate leader who was committed to making a difference in the lives of her colleagues, patients, and the community.

SHSMD was honored to bestow the 2023 Leadership Excellence Award to Christine Gallery.

Watch the 2023 Leadership Awards Ceremony here.