Trish Riley
Trish Riley was executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and president of its corporate board between 2011-2021. She helped build NASHP as CEO from 1988 to 2003.
Previously, she was a senior fellow in State Health Policy at George Washington University and at the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine. From 2003 to 2011, she served as director of the Maine Governor’s Office of Health Policy and Finance, leading Maine’s effort to develop a comprehensive, coordinated state health system that included increasing access to affordable health insurance. She was the principal architect of Dirigo Health Reform and served as Maine’s liaison to the federal government and Congress, particularly during deliberations around national health reform. She chaired the Governor’s Steering Committee to develop a plan to implement the Affordable Care Act in Maine.
Riley has also held appointed positions under five Maine governors, directing the Office on Aging, Medicaid and state health agencies, and health planning and licensing programs.
Riley has published and presented widely about state health reform. She served as a member of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), the Health Services Committee of the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy for Social Insurance, and the board of directors of Maine’s co-op insurance plan. She was a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Subcommittee on Creating an External Environment for Quality. She also previously served as a member of the board of directors of the National Committee on Quality Assurance. Riley holds a BS and MS from the University of Maine.
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
