CONSULTANT BIOGRAPHY

Jessica Strom, RDH, MPA

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Jessica has dedicated her career to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), beginning in 2003 at the Hilltown Community Health Center, a small, rural clinic in Western Massachusetts. Over the years, she has built a distinguished track record of leadership, innovation, and clinical excellence.

Starting as a Dental Assistant, Jessica balanced her work with academic pursuits, earning her Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene in 2008. She then served as a Registered Dental Hygienist for six years before transitioning to the Community Health Center of Franklin County (CHCFC) in 2015 as the Director of Dental Operations. In this role, she spearheaded numerous initiatives, including participation in the Patient-Centered Medical Home Initiative, leading quality improvement projects, and collaborating with DentaQuest on two learning collaboratives focused on reducing Early Childhood Caries and developing a Dental Quality Dashboard. One of her most notable accomplishments was leading a grant-funded project to establish an urgent dental clinic adjacent to a local hospital's emergency department, a model now recognized as a best practice for emergency room diversion.

In August 2017, Jessica expanded her leadership scope by managing medical operations as Clinical Operations Manager, and by May 2018, she assumed the role of Chief Operations Officer, overseeing clinical operations, facilities management, and compliance. Her tenure at CHCFC has been marked by continuous professional development: she earned a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene with a Business Management focus from Mount Ida College in 2018, completed the Health Center Management Certificate Program through Suffolk University and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers in 2019, and obtained a Master of Public Administration from Suffolk University in 2021. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at Suffolk.

Jessica’s commitment to community health extends beyond her primary role. She has volunteered as a board member for a sexual assault and domestic violence agency, served on MassHealth’s 1115 waiver advisory council for payment reform, and contributed to the Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Safety Consortium through the Betsy Lehman Center as part of the Leadership and Governance Task Force.

In addition to her leadership at CHCFC, Jessica is an Adjunct Professor at Suffolk University’s Moakley Business School in Boston and a contracted consultant with the Bureau of Primary Health Care, conducting Operational Site Visit reviews in administration and governance. With Persiliance Consulting she leverages her extensive experience to support health care organizations nationwide.