Bernadette Nunley leads the Compassion & Choices Policy Team. Together with staff across the organization, the team develops federal and state policies to authorize, ensure access to, protect, and improve the quality of end-of-life care and the full range of end-of-life options.
Nunley is a long-time health lawyer and advocate with expertise in health policy. Prior to Compassion & Choices, she served as lead advisory attorney for the largest health department and local public health division in Oregon.
Nunley fosters systemic change through law and policy, bringing together community advocates, lawmakers, and other stakeholders to create far-reaching solutions to complex health-related problems. Nunley is passionate about building healthy communities and ending systemic inequities in health and healthcare. She centers her work to empower community members and to hold lawmakers accountable to serving their constituents.
Nunley earned her BA in English from Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky and her JD from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Prior to legal advocacy, her professional career included book editing and public relations.
