CHANDA GUNN
Boston,MA
Summary
Patient advocacy leader with over 12 years of experience in developing and implementing patient engagement and access initiatives in rare disease and neurology sectors. Expertise in converting patient insights into compliant strategies that enhance collaboration with advocacy organizations and cross-functional teams. Recognized for building effective teams and promoting equitable access while maintaining patient representation in regulated environments.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President, Programs & Patient Services
EPILEPSY FOUNDATION NEW ENGLAND
Boston, MA
04.2013 - 09.2025
- Advanced from frontline patient services to Vice President, leading the design and scale of comprehensive patient advocacy, engagement, and access infrastructure supporting 5,000+ individuals with epilepsy and related rare neurological disorders across New England.
- Patient Advocacy & Engagement Leadership: Designed and scaled patient advocacy frameworks that elevated patient voice while aligning with funder, partner, and regulatory expectations—creating a durable foundation for future pharma-aligned patient support programs.
- Rare Disease & Neurology Expertise: Served as organizational subject-matter expert in epilepsy and rare neurological disorders, advising internal teams, external partners, and national stakeholders on patient engagement best practices.
- Cross-Functional Partnership Building: Built and sustained strategic partnerships with hospitals, clinicians, researchers, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and pharmaceutical partners to improve patient education, access, and care coordination.
- Program Design & Launch: Led end-to-end development of nationally recognized programs, including: Community Health Worker in Epilepsy Certification (MA-accredited; implemented across 14 hospitals), Emergency Fund & Scholarship Programs (scaled from 2 to 150+ annual awards), Veteran & Department of Defense initiatives addressing epilepsy and TBI.
- Clinical Trial & Research Collaboration: Recognized for excellence in patient communication and trial readiness; invited to advise global, cross-functional pharma councils on optimizing patient access and engagement.
- Team Leadership & Development: Recruited, trained, and managed a multidisciplinary team of 50+ (advocates, case managers, clinicians), fostering a culture of empathy, accountability, and compliance.
- Data & Systems: Implemented Salesforce CRM to track patient outcomes, referrals, and compliance metrics, improving operational visibility and decision-making.
- External Representation & Thought Leadership: Served as national and international spokesperson, presenting at AES, AAN, CNS, CDC, NIH and U.S. Department of Defense events.
Director, Teen Services
CITY OF NEWTON TEEN CENTER
Newton, MA
01.2010 - 01.2013
- Founded and led a federally funded youth health and wellness center, overseeing full operational buildout, staff development, and compliance with grant-based outcome measures.
- Designed evidence-based programs improving health, educational, and social outcomes for underserved youth.
- Built regional partnerships with educators, healthcare providers, and community leaders.
- Recognized as a regional best-practice model within two years; framework adopted by peer organizations.
Olympic Athlete & Patient Advocate
TEAM USA WOMEN’S HOCKEY
01.1998 - 01.2009
- Olympic athlete and public-facing ambassador leveraging national platform to advance epilepsy and rare disease awareness following personal diagnosis.
- Partnered with nonprofit and pharmaceutical stakeholders to promote patient education, advocacy, and clinical trial awareness.
- Represented patient and disability communities at national conferences and U.S. congressional briefings.
- Leadership grounded in Olympic values of Excellence, Respect, and Friendship, bringing high standards, trust, and collaboration to patient advocacy and public-facing engagement.
- Honored with multiple national awards recognizing leadership, sportsmanship, and humanitarian impact.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sports Medicine
Northeastern University
Boston01-2005
Executive Certificate - Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Boston University
BostonSkills
- Patient advocacy strategy and execution
- Rare disease and neurology expertise
- Patient engagement and education
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Advocacy organization and KOL partnerships
- Program launch and lifecycle management
- Compliance and governance
- Case management and patient support
- Data-driven strategy using Salesforce CRM
- Budget and operational oversight
Additional Information
National and international speaker on patient advocacy, rare disease, and engagement strategy., Expertise in Salesforce CRM, program governance, and compliance-aligned advocacy models., Known for authentic, values-driven leadership, integrity, and patient-first decision-making., Trusted people leader with a track record of supporting professional growth.
Timeline
Vice President, Programs & Patient Services
EPILEPSY FOUNDATION NEW ENGLAND
04.2013 - 09.2025
Director, Teen Services
CITY OF NEWTON TEEN CENTER
01.2010 - 01.2013
Olympic Athlete & Patient Advocate
TEAM USA WOMEN’S HOCKEY
01.1998 - 01.2009
Bachelor of Science - Sports Medicine
Northeastern University
Executive Certificate - Nonprofit Management & Leadership
Boston University