Clearwater & Sarasota – Empath Health is pleased to announce its newest senior-level executive, Christy Hendricks, JD, as General Counsel and Chief Mission Legal Officer. More than 22,000 people dealing with chronic and advanced illnesses and grief are enrolled in Empath’s full life care services in north central, west central and southwest Florida.

Hendricks oversees Empath’s Legal, Compliance, Public Policy and Legislative Affairs teams. She has more than 20 years of in-house legal counsel experience with non-profit healthcare systems and is licensed to practice law in four states. Hendricks most recently served as Chief Legal Officer at OU Medicine, the academic medical system affiliated with the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, where she established the first law department and served as a key legal advisor on the system’s clinical integration with the College of Medicine’s physician practice group and clinics.

Hendricks received her Juris Doctor cum laude from Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville and her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in English, minor in Business, from Eastern Kentucky University.

Empath Health CEO Rafael J. Sciullo said, “Christy brings extensive expertise gained working for large non-profit healthcare systems like ours. She also has a deep understanding of Empath’s mission for serving our communities with full life care for all.”

“We look forward to partnering with Christy on many projects including regulatory matters, corporate support services, clinical service line support and plans for future growth,” said Jonathan Fleece, President of Empath Health. “She will help us shape Empath Health’s future.”

About Empath Health

Empath Health is the country’s largest not-for-profit health system delivering non-acute care and services through its skilled, medical and holistic programs to individuals with chronic, advanced and terminal illnesses and those experiencing grief. The Empath Health integrated network of care provides expert medical, counseling and support services including hospice; home health; palliative care; grief services; all-inclusive elder care; HIV/STI prevention services and support; primary care; physician services; and full-service pharmacy and durable medical equipment (DME). Empath Health is honored to have more than 22,000 people enrolled in our Full Life Care services in north central, west central and southwest Florida. We have nearly 90 combined years of experience serving individuals during some of their most vulnerable times. Our wide variety of community-based programs reflects our commitment to the preservation of our charitable mission.