National Quality Forum Hires New Senior Vice President for Communications and External Relations

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Quality Forum (NQF) welcomes Lindsey Spindle as its new senior vice president of communications and external affairs. Spindle joins NQF from the Brookings Institution, where she directs external engagement for the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.  

As part of NQF's senior executive team, Spindle will build and manage both the communications and government relations departments. She will develop NQF's overarching communications strategy and will be a leader in its interactions with members of Capitol Hill, agency leaders, industry, and other private and public organizations.  

"Our mission is inclusive of outreach because it's the lynchpin between knowledge and action," said Janet Corrigan, Ph.D., MBA, NQF president and CEO. "With Ms. Spindle bringing her formidable strategic communications expertise on board, we are enhancing our ability to make quality measurement and improvement information more accessible.  The success we have in telling the quality story is inextricably linked to the pace at which we can improve the quality of care in this country."    

Ms. Spindle is a veteran healthcare communications strategist. Before Brookings, she spent six years as vice president of communications at Avalere Health, an independent firm focused on health policy and strategy. There Ms. Spindle directed all brand reputation activities, including communications, public relations, marketing, events, and partnership development. During her tenure, the company grew from 30 to 140 employees and significantly expanded its national reputation and presence.    

Before Avalere, Ms. Spindle directed media relations for Georgetown University Medical Center, serving as a spokesperson, strategist, and chief liaison between the clinical and research faculty and the media. She also was a vice president at Porter Novelli, one of the largest worldwide PR firms in the world. While at Porter Novelli, Ms. Spindle contributed to several award-winning national campaigns credited with reducing youth smoking and improving awareness of cancer screening benefits.

Ms. Spindle is a frequent speaker on how to manage brands effectively, translate complex healthcare content for wide audiences, and develop long-lasting partnerships. A native Washingtonian, she is a graduate of the University of Michigan.  

"NQF has a sterling reputation for its independence, commitment to its mission, and thoughtful approach to building consensus," said Ms. Spindle. "I am thrilled to join this team and be a part of transforming healthcare."    

The National Quality Forum (NQF) operates under a three-part mission to improve the quality of American healthcare by:

• Building consensus on national priorities and goals for performance improvement and working in partnership to achieve them;
• Endorsing national consensus standards for measuring and publicly reporting on performance; and
• Promoting the attainment of national goals through education and outreach programs.

For more information about NQF, visit www.qualityforum.org.

SOURCE National Quality Forum