Each spring, ACH has the honor and challenge of naming the Advocate of the Year. Among a field of exceptional nominees, two leaders stood out in 2026 for extraordinary service, one of whom is Brynn Felix.
From her role as Chief Corporate Affairs and Legal Officer at Peninsula Community Health Services (PCHS) in Washington State, to her hands-on leadership in ACH working groups, Brynn is a key voice for addressing the primary care crisis. In this interview, she shares her insights on navigating funding challenges and why coalitions are critical to moving the needle for better healthcare in all communities.
ACH: Tell us about your role at Peninsula Community Health Services, and what inspired you to take on this work?
BF: As PCHS’s Chief Corporate Affairs and Legal Officer, I oversee the organization’s Legal, Human Resources, and Compliance Departments, as well as PCHS’s patient-facing Legal Services Program (which is a fully integrated medical-legal partnership), and the PCHS Foundation. In addition to providing legal counsel, I work closely with our senior leadership team to develop and execute strategic initiatives, such as PCHS’s growing housing and food programs. My role has evolved since I joined PCHS as its first in-house counsel in 2020. At that time, my role focused on building our legal and compliance departments and launching our Legal Services Program for patients. As those programs and departments have matured, my focus has shifted toward building our vision for the future by supporting the development of PCHS’s new sites and service lines.
ACH: What is the most pressing policy issue facing PCHS?
BF: At a broad level, the most pressing issue continues to be the lack of new revenue — and, in many cases, substantial funding cuts combined with rising costs. We are seeing this play out across multiple fronts, from 340B to Medicaid redeterminations. At the same time, the health care safety net has not been modernized. Existing funding streams do not reflect the full scope of services that health centers are actually providing. While there have been many discussions over the years about value-based care, those conversations have not yet translated into meaningful policy outcomes. We’re working to change that — health centers are ready.
ACH: What do you wish policymakers most knew about health centers and their patients?
BF: I wish policymakers better understood who we serve and how that population has changed. The federal Health Center Program was designed in the 1960s and ’70s to ensure that primary care services were not out of reach for uninsured individuals. Today, my community, and many others, are facing a primary care crisis. Hospital systems and independent practices are closing primary care clinics left and right due to structural pressures. The result is that health centers have evolved to meet the needs of a much broader segment of the population than was originally envisioned. Access to care has become a system-wide issue, yet the safety net is facing unprecedented cuts while being called to do more than ever. We need structural changes as the safety net itself is stretched thinner than perhaps ever before.
ACH: You serve on ACH working groups and subcommittees to help advance policies for health centers. Can you share a bit on why this work is important to you?
BF: Serving on ACH working groups and subcommittees is important to me because it allows members to contribute their unique insights in a hands-on, meaningful way to advance equitable access to care. These smaller, focused groups are where innovative ideas translate into action — where policies are shaped, strategies are refined, and real solutions begin to take form. I greatly value the opportunity to collaborate with other health centers across the country that bring diverse perspectives and extraordinary expertise, as that collective approach to problem-solving leads to creative, scalable solutions. Health centers are where our most innovative ideas come to fruition. We are incubators, and these working groups are where those ideas gain traction and become scalable. I always learn so much from my peers, and I appreciate being part of conversations that can make a lasting impact and improve health outcomes for underserved communities across the country.
ACH: What do other health care leaders need to know about the importance of health center advocacy?
BF: Advocacy is a long game, and that reality must be reflected in our strategy. Relationships matter; you never know who may become an unexpected ally. Seek out new opportunities for alignment, especially among unlikely coalition partners. Timing is everything, and passivity is not an option. Instead, we must clearly identify what is within our scope of influence and zealously advocate within those spheres of control.
ACH: What are you most proud of when reflecting on your health center career?
BF: While I am still relatively early in my health center career, I am most proud of how my health center has continued to increase access to healthcare services. I am fortunate to work alongside a dynamite group of innovators. Together, we have opened new clinics and pioneered new models of healthcare delivery. Through our Legal Services Program, which is free for all patients, lawyers are now part of PCHS’s care team. We are preparing to open what will be one of the largest medical respite centers on the West Coast, where people experiencing homelessness will have a safe place to recuperate following discharge from the hospital, lifting some of the pressure on our strained emergency departments. Recognizing the vital role that food plays in managing chronic disease, we are building a community meal center where people can gather, share healthy meals, and gain practical nutrition tips and cooking skills. We are living and delivering on our mission every day, and I could not be prouder to be a part of team PCHS.