Get to Know Our Board: Anna Bonelli

Alongside’s Board members offer far more than oversight; they offer expertise, commitment, and a shared belief in our mission. This month, we caught up with founding Board member Anna Bonelli, to hear what brought her to Alongside, what she’s most proud of, and where she hopes we’re headed.

How did you first get involved with Alongside, and what motivated you to join the Board?

Jen asked me to join the newly forming Board of Alongside Network in 2021, after many years of discussing systemic issues in health care. I was eager to support the new initiative because I believed in Jen’s vision of a health system that supports caregivers and health professionals in providing the best care for children.

What does your role on the Board involve day-to-day (or month-to-month)?

My role is to help ensure fiscal accountability for Alongside, support the development of our vision, offer insight where I can, and jump in whenever my skills are useful. My background is in federal health policy, so when we need input on how government agencies or major payers operate, I pipe up.

What accomplishment or project are you most proud of during your time here? Or professionally?

I am most proud of Alongside’s work to serve families directly. When families watch their children undergo a life-threatening illness or injury, their needs don’t end when the child is released from the hospital. The worry and fear persist. I am deeply grateful for Alongside’s efforts to help families cope, and to help providers see how they can minimize harm.

What drew you to this mission in the first place?

Like everyone, I’ve seen families go through scary moments. Health professionals do an amazing job, and families go home, and everyone feels relieved. But the needs are still there. Everyone I’ve ever talked to about Alongside agrees that we need to minimize the trauma that comes with acute care and support families in the wake of it.

Outside of your Board work, what do you do professionally?

I am the Director of Health Policy at a think tank in DC, where I work on ideas to reduce health care spending nationwide. I spent most of my career in the federal government, working on big federal programs.

What’s something people might not know about you?

I have been on the Alongside Board since day one. I’m so proud of what we have accomplished.

What do you hope to see for Alongside in the next few years?

Growth! I want to see Alongside reaching more families, more health systems, and more clinicians. Alongside is on a mission, and we are doing it one step at a time.

Thank you, Anna, for your insight, your steady support since the very beginning, and your commitment to the families and clinicians we serve.

Written by: Belle Lapos