Wright Center vice president of primary care and public health policy recognized as healthcare trailblazer in City & State PA list

Laura Spadaro, vice president of primary care and public health policy for The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been named as one of Pennsylvania’s Trailblazers in Healthcare by City & State Pennsylvania, a multimedia news organization dedicated to covering the state’s politics and policy.

The list recognizes public officials, hospital and healthcare executives, nonprofit leaders, union leaders, academics and others making a difference by framing, influencing and changing the healthcare industry.

At The Wright Center, Spadaro leads federal and state regulatory strategy, health policy and government relations initiatives that expand access to high-quality primary and preventive health services and strengthen the healthcare safety net. Since 2021, she has directed more than 110 responses to proposed regulations and requests for information, helping shape Medicare, Medicaid and public health policy while amplifying the voices of patients and frontline clinicians.

Through collaboration with national partners and policymakers, she contributed to advocacy efforts supporting multi-year reauthorization and increased federal investment in the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, growing annual funding from approximately $175 million to $225 million.

Previously, Spadaro served as executive advisor to the Pennsylvania secretary of health, focusing on strategic initiatives and cross-agency priorities.

“Laura’s deep understanding of health policy combined with her ability to build meaningful relationships with policymakers and partners makes her an invaluable advocate for our patients, clinicians, and communities,” said Jennifer Walsh, Esq., senior vice president of enterprise integrity, chief legal and governance officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “She brings a thoughtful, informed and persistent voice to some of the most important healthcare policy discussions facing our nation, always keeping in focus the real-world impact on access to care and the people we are privileged to serve. This recognition is a well-deserved acknowledgment of Laura’s leadership and the difference she continues to make.” 

The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education and Patient & Community Engagement are a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of healthcare in the region. The enterprise employs nearly 680 professionals, including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians, and trains more than 200 interprofessional healthcare learners each year.

In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne and Wyoming counties. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, from pediatrics to geriatrics.

Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.