The Palliative Care Movement in California

Judy Thomas, JD, is CEO of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, a statewide partnership of healthcare providers, non-profit organizations and associations, state agencies and individuals working to ensure all seriously-ill Californians receive quality, compassionate care. The Coalition brings together multiple organizations, often with divergent interests, to develop, implement, and promote improved health care practices and standards across the continuum of care.

Judy is an attorney with over 20 years in healthcare. Before law school, she worked in the early field of managed care as a computer programmer for the nation’s first preferred provider organization. Later, as a lobbyist for LeadingAge of California and the California Hospital Association, she focused on aging and long-term care issues. Formerly a partner in the Sacramento-based law firm of Hunter, Richey, Di Benedetto & Brewer, Judy specialized in healthcare law and took an interest in issues affecting people with serious illness. She is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, where she received both her Juris Doctorate and her Bachelor of Science degree.

Today, Judy chairs the National POLST (Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Paradigm Task Force and serves on the Donate Life California advisory board. She was recently named a Practice Change Leader by the John A. Hartford Foundation.