PHCA Names Zachary Shamberg President and CEO

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA) today announced that Zachary Shamberg has been promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer. Shamberg previously served as PHCA’s Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs, a position he held since 2014.

“One of the first things you notice about Zach is his passion about all segments of the sub-acute, long-term care and assisted living communities and his relentless pursuit of ensuring that the needs of all our residents are keenly understood by our state leaders,” said R. Sean Buckman, PHCA board chair. “After an extensive search, we unanimously agreed that Zach’s track record of success and leadership in Harrisburg over the past five years, and his strong relationships with members of the legislature is invaluable for our members and the residents they serve. Zach is the ideal leader for PHCA as we address new opportunities and challenges in the years ahead.”

Shamberg joined PHCA in February 2014, and as part of his responsibilities, managed all PHCA lobbying and legislative activity at the state and federal level, while serving as a key strategic advisor to PHCA leadership. In his role overseeing advocacy and legislative efforts, both House Bill 1907 and Senate Bill 1224 became law. H.B. 1907 required hospitals to provide notice to a patient if they are informally admitted or on observation status, while S.B. 1224 added personal care homes and assisted living residences to the list of locations where Veteran’s Administration (VA) medications may be repackaged for use by veterans at a discounted rate.

Upon being named President and CEO, Shamberg spoke about his personal connection to long-term care in Pennsylvania, as well as his priorities for PHCA and the direction he plans to take the organization:

“My mother is a nurse. My aunt is a nurse. Her daughter is a nurse. Four years ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with dementia, and he is currently at a rehabilitation facility in Pennsylvania, where he is being treated after a weeklong hospital stay. My grandmother can no longer safely care for him at home, and my family has been forced to ask the question that every family with aging adults must raise at one time or another: how can we find placement for my grandfather in a skilled nursing facility, personal care home or assisted living residence?

“During this time, however, I’ve learned something about the direct care staff and the individuals working in long-term care, the sector I’ve represented since 2014: this is truly a special calling for them. The sheer amount of aid and support they’ve given my grandfather during these trying times has both reinforced and reinvigorated my passion for these caregivers, and for the providers of long-term care in Pennsylvania. I could not be prouder to represent this sector in Harrisburg, and I promise to fight every day for the other 125,000 Pennsylvania residents and their families who rely on long-term care facilities to provide quality of life and compassionate care.

“The residents PHCA members serve, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, are our parents, grandparents, siblings and our best friends. They need our help and our support, and I’m ready to stand with them.

“With Pennsylvania ranking fourth nationally in the number of seniors, and with Pennsylvanians 85 and older being our fastest growing demographic group, it is essential that we work with Governor Tom Wolf and the General Assembly to maintain and strengthen our long-term care continuum for every frail, elderly and disabled citizen. I know both the Governor and the General Assembly take this responsibility very seriously, and I cannot wait to continue working alongside them to support our seniors.

“As president and CEO of PHCA, I’m fighting for our current residents and their families. I’m fighting for the millions of Pennsylvanians who might someday need the services we provide. I’m fighting for direct care staff and workers. And mark my words: this is a fight we can win.

A veteran of Pennsylvania politics, Shamberg’s expertise includes serving as a trusted advisor to State Representative Todd Stephens, and extensive, frontline campaign experience where he worked to build enduring relationships with community and local leaders.

Shamberg served as Chief of Staff under Rep. Stephens, where he specialized in constituent services, public messaging, and organizing community events, while successfully managing the day-to-day operation of the district office and its staff. He also served as campaign manager to Rep. Stephens’ 2010 and 2012 campaigns.

Shamberg is currently pursuing his master of business administration from Penn State University, Harrisburg, having received a bachelor of arts in media and communication studies from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa.

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A photo of Zach Shamberg is available for download at https://www.phca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PHCA_Zack_Shamberg_April_2019-0097_Color_Headshot_500.jpg.

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