Maureen Burns

With over 15 years of experience in healthcare primarily in community outreach, hospice, and pharmacy, Maureen is passionate about increasing access to care for underserved and vulnerable populations. She is always looking for new opportunities to use her healthcare background and leadership skills to serve marginalized communities. Maureen is a detail-oriented, goal-driven, and collaborative leader, who is always seeking growth and partnerships that lead to more equitable, compassionate, and just delivery of healthcare. As a disabled woman, who is Deaf and uses a Cochlear Implant, she is dedicated to working collaboratively to create a healthcare system that works to serve and support the needs of all people with disabilities. She is also deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and anti-racism work. In her current position with The HAP Foundation, she leads a growing community health worker team that serves as a bridge between community members and providers of end-of-life care. Maureen and her team offer free community-based education on end-of-life topics including, hospice and palliative care, advanced directives, grief support, and cultural considerations. The goal of this education is to ensure that end-of-life care is accessible to all and delivered in culturally affirming ways. Internally, Maureen works to ensure that The HAP Foundation is addressing social determinants of health, medical mistrust, and other issues that have led to racial disparities in hospice and palliative care utilization rates. Additionally, she mentors and trains CHWs internally and collaborates with health systems and stakeholders to drive research and workforce development in the post-acute care arena.

Maureen holds a BA degree from Northeastern Illinois University, University Without Walls Program, focused on community health, culture, and aging. She is also a certified Community Resiliency Model (CRM) teacher. Maureen is currently pursuing her MPH degree at Northeastern Illinois University. Her passions include social justice, public health, social work, end-of-life care, and equity in healthcare.