Legacy in Action: Nancy Santilli Joins The HBA Foundation Board of Directors
Longtime HBA leader reflects on her years of service and the enduring impact of the newly formed Foundation
Nancy Santilli has been a driving force within the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) for more than 25 years. Now, she brings her decades of leadership, insight, and unwavering commitment to the newly established HBA Foundation as a member of its Board of Directors.
A long-time HBA member, Santilli’s journey with the association has spanned local, regional, and global leadership. She was a founding member of the HBA Philadelphia Chapter, one of the earliest satellite chapters of the organization.
“There were just four or five of us back then who would trek up to northern New Jersey just to attend an HBA event,” Nancy recalled. “We finally said, ‘There are so many companies and professionals in Philadelphia, we need to bring this here.’ And we did.”
That chapter quickly grew, reaching 1,000 members within its first few years. Santilli served as the chapter’s secretary, and later, as president, before ascending to the global board as treasurer, and eventually Chair (a role formerly known as President). During her tenure, she led HBA’s first comprehensive global strategic planning process, which reshaped the organization’s structure to better support regional and local chapters. This plan helped lay the foundation for the HBA’s modern, scalable model of service and operations.
But Nancy’s long-standing vision for the HBA didn’t stop there.
“I actually first proposed the idea of a foundation years ago, during my post-Chair tenure,” she explained. “At the time, the organization and the industry were undergoing so much change that it wasn’t the right moment. But I always believed that to truly secure the legacy of the HBA, we needed a foundation. Now that it’s here, I’m thrilled beyond belief to be part of bringing it to life.”
For Santilli, joining The HBA Foundation board is about ensuring that the organization’s mission endures.
“Our work has always been deeply tied to the healthcare industry, but I’ve always seen the HBA as something bigger. It’s an institution that empowers talent, elevates leaders, and shapes the future of healthcare leadership,” she said. “The HBA Foundation gives us a way to preserve that mission for generations to come.”
Nancy brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit development and fundraising to the board, including expertise in building sustainable funding pipelines through grants, corporate giving, and individual philanthropy. Beyond strategy and structure, what drives her is a deep personal sense of purpose.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my life and career, and others helped me get where I am,” she said. “Now I want to give back. I want to ensure that HBA members with the potential to change the world have the chance to thrive, lead, and stay in this industry.”
Having spent her career in healthcare, Santilli sees the link between empowered talent and healthier communities.
“If we lose top talent because they feel unsupported or invisible, we miss out on what could be game-changing progress in patient care and innovation,” she said. “The HBA Foundation gives us a way to lift people up, and by extension, lift the entire sector.”
As for what she hopes others will take from the launch of The HBA Foundation, Nancy’s message is simple: this is a community worth investing in.
“The HBA is unlike any other professional organization I’ve been a part of. It gets into your blood, it becomes part of your DNA,” she said. “If the HBA has touched your life in any way, I hope you’ll help pay it forward. This is about securing something meaningful, not just for today’s members, but for those who come after us.”
You can learn more about The HBA Foundation and its Board of Directors here.