Who We Are

Massachusetts is world-renowned for the excellence of its health care, teaching, and research institutions, and the Boston teaching hospitals are the cornerstone of that reputation. Patients come from around the corner, across the country as well as from other nations seeking the excellent care and technology available at the state’s teaching hospitals. Medical students, residents, and fellows are eager to be trained at our universities and teaching hospitals, and many of these Massachusetts-trained health professionals become leaders in health care and research at hospitals, research institutions, and private industry throughout the world. The Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals (COBTH) is a coalition of twelve Boston-area teaching hospitals. Despite today's highly competitive health care environment and the great diversity of these institutions, the COBTH member hospitals recognize the importance of collaborating in a number of important areas, including:

Ensuring high quality, accessible, affordable care;
Advocating for policies that advance the missions of medical education, research and provision of specialized services;
Working with government and local communities to protect the public health and address unmet social and healthcare needs; and
Partnering with the business community to protect and enhance the region's economic strength.

Leadership and Staff

Pete Healy - Chair - President, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

As President of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Peter Healy leads the 673-bed academic medical center affiliated with Harvard Medical School that boasts a full range of outpatient and emergency services, including a Level I Trauma Center, more than 1,200 physicians on the medical staff, and annual research funding totaling $230 million.

Peter joined BIDMC as President in 2017. During the last two years, he has worked with BIDMC's senior management team and Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians leadership to strengthen clinical operations, academic achievement and the BIDMC Experience. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Milton (BID Milton). During his tenure, BID Milton was one of the fastest growing community hospitals in the state, earned national recognition for health care quality and patient safety, grew its medical staff, and recorded positive financial results five years in a row. Peter has more than 25 years of hospital leadership experience in Greater Boston, including key roles at Boston Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital.

Peter earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio and a Master in Health Services Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He lives with his family in Westwood.

Patricia (Tish) McMullin, JD - Executive Director

Ms. McMullin became Executive Director of COBTH in September 2019. Immediately prior to leading COBTH Ms. McMullin served as Special Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In that role, Ms. McMullin led the growing BIDMC system’s external relations with local, state and federal governments, and provided strategic guidance and legal counsel for a large, Harvard-affiliated academic medical center and its affiliated community hospitals.

Before joining BIDMC in July 2007, Ms. McMullin led Government Affairs offices for the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, and began her career in health care as a Government Relations Associate at Partners Healthcare.

Prior to her career in health care, Ms. McMullin practiced law in the Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee from 1996 to 2000, where she served as Assistant General Counsel. Ms. McMullin also served as a law clerk to the justices of the Superior Court.

Prior to her legal career, Ms. McMullin was active in public service and political work, and began her career with internships in the Boston City Council and the Executive Office of Governor Michael S. Dukakis. Ms. McMullin later served as Director of Correspondence for the Dukakis presidential campaign and consulted on several Presidential campaigns thereafter.

Ms. McMullin attended the University of Massachusetts at Boston with a Chancellor’s Scholarship for Excellence and earned her law degree from New England Law in 1995, Magna Cum Laude.

Ms. McMullin is a member of the Standing Committee on Public Affairs of the Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) and the Government Relations Steering Committee for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Ms. McMullin currently serves as Co-Chair of the Health Care Committee of the New England Council (NEC) and as Co-Chair of the Health Care and Life Sciences Leadership Council for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Ms. McMullin also serves on the Program Committee of the Massachusetts Taxpayer’s Foundation (MTF) and the Health Care Committee of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM).

Ms. McMullin is a resident of the City of Boston and lives in Dorchester. Contact Tish.

Anna Esten - Director of Health Policy & Government Relations

Anna Esten joined COBTH as Government and Community Affairs Specialist in December 2019. Prior to this role, she served as the Senior Health Policy Advisor for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, acting as the Senator’s primary advisor on a wide range of health care issues. She joined the Senator’s office in 2014 as a Legislative Correspondent before later becoming a Legislative Assistant. During her time with Senator Whitehouse, Anna supported the Senator’s health care work as a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and later as a member of the Senate Committee on Finance. Anna participated in the development of a number of significant pieces of legislation, including the 21st Century Cures Act and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. Prior to joining the Senate, Anna worked in the office of former Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College. She is a City of Boston resident and lives in Jamaica Plain. Contact Anna.

Patrick Kiley, MPA, CEM, PCP - Director of Emergency Management

Patrick Kiley joined COBTH as the Emergency Management Coordinator in September 2020. Prior to this role, he served as the Manager of Regulatory Compliance for Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, working closely with multiple regulatory agencies on the Local, State, and Federal Level. Patrick worked as an Assistant Safety Officer in the Safety Office at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center prior to moving to regulatory compliance, working to ensure life safety and emergency management needs were met for the hospital. Patrick has a great deal of experience in emergency preparedness and response, working as a Firefighter, EMT, Dispatcher, and Emergency Management Specialist for multiple Local, State, and Private Sector Emergency Service providers. Additionally, Patrick serves as the Chair of the Boston Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, is the NH State Representative for the International Association of Emergency Managers, and is currently serving as the Incident Commander for the Massachusetts Region 4C Incident Management Team. Patrick received his Masters of Public Administration from Anna Maria College and his B.S. in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He holds numerous certifications in public safety and emergency management, including credentials from FEMA and IAEM. Contact Patrick. Schedule a meeting with Patrick.

Abigail Garvey, RN - Emergency Management Specialist

Abby is excited to join COBTH this year as an Emergency Management Specialist. Prior to this role, she served as a Nurse Corps Officer in the United States Navy, primarily stationed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD as an emergency and trauma nurse. Previously, Abby also worked as a medical-surgical nurse and in labor, delivery, and maternal infant care. She is eager to bring her clinical experience and her passion for public health and emergency response to COBTH. Abby currently studies health policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she will complete her Master of Public Health (MPH) this year. Abby received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Villanova University. Contact Abby.