The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has appointed Rich Napolitano of Methuen as the new chair of its Advocacy Task Force.

Napolitano is the Senior Vice President of External Relations and Chief Marketing & Development Officer at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC). He and his team are responsible for marketing and communications, public relations, development and fundraising, grants and contracts administration, legislative affairs, and community relations. He joined GLFHC in 2014 and is a staunch advocate of community health centers.

“I am looking forward to working with the NACHC Grassroots Advocacy team and the Health Center Advocacy Network, and I am thankful for this opportunity,” Napolitano said. “Community health centers face many challenges and need to continue working collaboratively so our needs are heard loud and clear. Our collective voice needs to be even stronger as we face these challenges together for our staff, our communities and, most importantly, those who need us most, our patients.”

The NACHC’s Advocacy Task Force is comprised of community health center representatives from across the country, and is a robust grassroots network fighting for good policies and sustainable funding for America’s health centers. Community health centers provide critical health services to more than 30 million patients in the U.S., many who live at or below the poverty level and have issues accessing quality health care, according to the NACHC.

Napolitano has represented GLFHC and its patients in local initiatives such as the City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force Executive Committee and as a founding board member of the Lawrence Partnership, currently serving on the Lawrence Partnership Advisory Council. In addition, Napolitano is on the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers Governmental Affairs Committee and is the co-chair of the National Association of Community Health Centers’ Healthcare for the Homeless Committee and sits on its Health Policy Committee.

“I cannot think of anyone better to shepherd the NACHC Advocacy Task Force than Rich,” said John M. Silva, President & CEO of GLFHC. “On the local, state and national levels, Rich consistently pursues policies and funding initiatives that allow community health centers to innovate and provide quality, affordable and equitable care.”

Napolitano has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit management roles, specifically focusing on advancement programs, strategic planning, and operations. His expertise encompasses an array of development and community relations functions, and in addition to solid fundraising credentials, he has a strong track record in achieving efficiencies in nonprofit operations, ensuring maximum support of organizational missions.

He has a certificate for the Geiger Gibson Fellowship in Community Health Policy and Leadership from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and a certificate in Leading Product Development from Harvard University. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Administration from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.