Lisa Harries

Lisa Harries serves as the Assistant Vice President of Health Equity and Policy at the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), where she develops policy solutions and advocacy strategies to address health inequities in Illinois. Her leadership focuses on advancing statewide initiatives to transform systems through evidence-based quality improvement and innovation.

Her approach is uniquely shaped by her intersectional identity as both Mexican-American and Jewish, and as a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors—providing her with a nuanced understanding of intergenerational trauma, resilience, and the importance of dismantling systemic barriers to ensure all people have the same potential to achieve their optimal health, regardless of their social, economic, or geographic status.

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Prior to IHA, Lisa led COVID-19 response operations at Rush University Medical Center, directing the hospital's equity-focused vaccine rollout. Her career spans healthcare consulting and technology start-ups, launching improvement initiatives that enhance clinical outcomes and equitable access in various care settings. Lisa holds dual master's degrees in health policy from The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the London School of Economics and Political Science and completed her undergraduate education at the University of Michigan.

Beyond her professional commitment to transforming healthcare, you'll find Lisa actively engaged in her west side Chicago community, walking on the 606 Trail with her family and rescue dogs, serving as a licensed foster parent with the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), and chairing the Strategy Committee for the Planned Parenthood of Illinois Board of Trustees.