The statewide organization of charitable and free clinics has chosen veteran healthcare leader Jenelle Hoseus to lead the Columbus-based Charitable Healthcare Network (CHN), effective August 24, 2026.
“We're excited that Jenelle is bringing her extensive experience in healthcare and legislative advocacy to our network of 59 free clinics," said Board President Joel Kessel, President of Kessel Strategies. "From the moment we met Jenelle, we were confident of her genuine passion for helping the underserved receive quality health care. She is the leader who will continue the momentum Jason Koma built over the last several years and increase our impact among those we serve throughout Ohio."
Linda Smith-Berry, immediate past CHN Board President and Chair of the Search Committee stated, “Jenelle’s experience and passion for this important work will build on the remarkable accomplishments that have already been realized through the collaborative network of clinics while expanding health outcomes across Ohio.”
“The network organizations of the Charitable Healthcare Network serve as the cornerstone for Ohio's health care safety net and often provide preventative, essential healthcare in underserved areas,” commented Jenelle Hoseus. “I am grateful to the Board and Search Committee for the incredible opportunity to serve as CHN's new Chief Executive Officer. I am eager to advocate on the critical efforts across our state, on behalf of the network organizations and the individuals they serve.”
For the past 15 years, Dublin resident Jenelle Hoseus has dedicated her career to community relationships and healthcare with a focus on nonprofit social impact strategies. As the Chief Policy and Partnerships Officer at Health Impact Ohio, she was the CEO for the Central Ohio Pathways HUB where she oversaw relationships with managed care plans and local partners who employed community health workers that worked with individuals and connected them to care and services. No stranger to the Statehouse, Jenelle served in a variety of legislative roles from Aide in the Ohio House of Representatives to Chief of Staff and Legislative Director of the State of Ohio’s Department of Medicaid. Mostly recently, she was Founder and President of Forta Strategies.
Founded in 2000 as OAFC (Ohio Association of Free Clinics) and renamed in 2015, The Charitable Healthcare Network (CHN) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to be the voice and connector for the collaborative clinics by providing resources, education, and advocacy to strengthen and ensure high quality healthcare for people who are most vulnerable. The Search Committee was assisted by Cincinnati based The Yunker Group.
