Christine Burke Worthen, Member of the Firm in the Health Care & Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was featured as a representative of Epstein Becker Green in “Top Volunteer Organizations” in the January-February 2026 edition of the American Health Law Association’s (AHLA) Health Law Connections magazine. (Read the full version – subscription required.)
Following is an excerpt:
How does volunteering for AHLA contribute to your success within the health law field?
“My involvement with AHLA has been an important component of my professional development, providing a forum to test emerging policy ideas and translate complex regulations into practical tools. For example, co-authoring a chapter on physician licensing for AHLA’s Telehealth Law Handbook allowed me to transform a 50-state statutory survey into actionable checklists for credentialing staff. Volunteering provides health care attorneys with valuable opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions that strengthen their ability to offer clients practical, forward-thinking advice. AHLA supports this by connecting legal theory with real-world application.”
What aspects of the volunteer experience are particularly rewarding?
“The most rewarding aspect is seeing our work address real challenges in the health law community. As a Vice Chair of AHLA’s Payers, Plans, and Managed Care Practice Group, I prioritize creating content with clear utility for industry professionals. For instance, after speaking about CMS rule updates on an AHLA podcast, hearing how members use that content to inform their strategies is gratifying. It reinforces the practical value of our contributions and highlights the role AHLA plays in equipping professionals to navigate complex legal and operational issues.”
What advice or guidance do you have for those interested in volunteering with AHLA?
“I recommend focusing on a regulatory issue that aligns with your interests and expertise. Volunteering with AHLA is an opportunity not just to share knowledge but to refine your own understanding through collaboration. Start by contributing to a practice group or publication related to your area of focus. Effective contributions often tie a regulatory development to specific financial or operational impacts, offering solutions like checklists or sample language. Approach your volunteer work with the goal of creating tools that other members can apply immediately. This approach ensures your work is both useful to AHLA and beneficial to your own professional growth.”
