Northwest Health Law Advocates Board Member Remote · Contractor Company website

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We're NoHLA! Established in 1999, NoHLA has become known as a state-wide resource in low-income health programs and consumer health advocacy. We believe every individual has the right to quality, affordable health care. By joining NoHLA, you become part of a state-wide, passionate and dedicated team. Our team has flexible work schedules, generous health benefits, retirement plans and organizational contributions, and lots of professional development opportunity. Preference will be given to candidates with experience serving diverse populations, in health care system or related experience, and or relevant course work. Candidates who identify BIPOC, female, LGBTQ+, disabled people, and people with lived health care experience are especially encouraged to apply.

In 1999, Northwest Health Law Advocates became Washington’s first and only legal advocacy nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health justice for all. For over 25 years, we’ve worked to improve affordability, accessibility, and equity in health care for all Washingtonians. 

Our mission is to achieve a health care system that enables all individuals to receive quality, affordable health care on an equitable and timely basis, and ensures they have basic rights and protections. 

We achieve our mission through education, advocacy, and support to community organizations working for health care patients and consumers. NoHLA identifies systemic problems in health care and achieves solutions through policy analysis and advocacy. Staff and board volunteers raise awareness of health care rights and protections and passionately serve as a community resource on consumer health issues.

In our first 25 years, NoHLA has achieved many successes, including: 

• Won health reforms for Washingtonians, including insurance expansions that cover 2 million 
• Litigated against safety net cuts, halting cuts to immigrant health care 
• Expanded affordability help for Washingtonians, launching a state premium assistance program 
• Fought care denials and red tape, including a patient bill of rights law 
• Issued ground-breaking secret shopper reports on key topics like contraception access 
• Trained service providers on changing health laws that impact patients, including the latest on immigrant health care privacy 
• Shared information with communities about their rights & supported community priorities 

Now we’re gearing up for our next 25 years. Federal attacks are jeopardizing health care for 1 in every 20 Washingtonians, but NoHLA is fighting back. Board members have an opportunity to help shape a long-range strategic response that can win better health care for all. 

Interested in Joining our Board? 

We ask our volunteer Board members to open doors for NoHLA in whatever unique ways they can give - whether that may be time, talent, treasure, ties, or testimony. We seek board members who will support NoHLA’s mission and activities, and will: 

• Participate in the oversight of NoHLA’s operations and finances
• Provide strategic direction to support NoHLA Co-EDs and staff with advancing universal health care in Washington State
• Attend and engage in our virtual board meetings and annual in-person retreats (typically in October)
• Actively participate in NoHLA fundraising activities, including a personal financial contribution (at whatever level feels meaningful and right for your budget) and other resource-development actvities
• Help recruit, select, and orient new board members to support NoHLA’s mission 

Board members typically commit between 1 hour a week (most Board members) to 4 hours a week (executive committee). This participation is usually focused around Board meetings and subcommittee meetings. These meetings are mostly virtual and can be scheduled at flexible times. Board terms are three years. 

For 2026, we are particularly interested in new Board members who live in rural Washington, are interested in fundraising or financial oversight, or have strong community connections to share. 

Want to Learn More? 

We would love to meet with you to discuss the role and responsibilities in greater detail. Please contact NoHLA’s Board President (Omid Bagheri Garakani, [email protected]) or Co-Executive Directors (Daphne Smith, [email protected] & Emily Brice, [email protected]).