Highmark Health names Brenda Sandberg Community Affairs Director

ERIE, PA  – Highmark Health has named Brenda Sandberg to the position of Director of Community Affairs for both Highmark and Allegheny Health Network in its western Pennsylvania and southwestern New York region.

Sandberg comes to Highmark Health with a wealth of community leadership experience, having served as Executive Director of the Erie Western Pennsylvania Port Authority for eight years. Prior to that, she was Director of the Department of Economic and Community Development for the City of Erie and CEO of the Erie Downtown Partnership.

In her new position, Sandberg will be a driving force for Highmark and AHN, including AHN Saint Vincent and AHN Westfield Memorial Hospital, in building relationships in the community and managing partnerships, programs, and aligning enterprise efforts to support strategies for health, health equity and resilient communities.

Sandberg will begin working in her new position in mid-September.

While based in Erie and serving in her leadership role for Highmark and AHN in northwest PA, Brenda has broader responsibilities across the AHN footprint to lead partnerships with AHN hospitals, institutes, and network initiatives to foster community collaboration and to facilitate support for positive impact in the community. Her team will support the total health experience of Highmark members and AHN patients and enhance the health and quality of life in the communities the organizations serve.

“Brenda’s breadth of knowledge, her strategic leadership experience in the community, and her nuanced understanding of challenges facing the community will be an invaluable asset in the execution of our community mission. We are delighted to welcome her to our Highmark and AHN Community Affairs team,” said Kannu Sahni, Vice President of Community Affairs, Highmark Health

Sandberg holds a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from State University of New York at Buffalo.

Active in the community, she serves on numerous boards, including VisitErie, Northwest Bank, and the Erie Center for Arts & Technology. She is also a member of the PennDOT State Transportation Advisory Committee, the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization, Friends of Saint Vincent, and more.

Community organizations can learn more about opportunities for partnership and support with Highmark and AHN by visiting https://www.highmark.com/about/corporate-responsibility/community-involvement.html and https://www.ahn.org/about/caring-for-our-community.