Leann Chilton

Leann Chilton serves as Vice President of Government Relations at BJC HealthCare, which serves the East Region of BJC Health System, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States and one of the largest private employers in Missouri. 

In this role, Leann manages public policy and external affairs and works collaboratively with elected and appointed government officials at local, state and federal levels on behalf of BJC HealthCare’s hospitals and health services, including inpatient and outpatient care, behavioral health, community health improvement, home health, rehabilitation, long-term care, and hospice. 

Leann has spent more than 40 years advocating for legislative and regulatory priorities. Her broad portfolio of complex policy topics and political expertise have enabled her to become a trusted policy resource for members of the executive and legislative branches. Prior to joining BJC in 1999, Leann worked in Denver and Washington, DC, in the telecommunications field. 

A Chicago native, Leann has called St. Louis her home since 1985 and enjoys giving back to the communities around her. She currently serves on the Public Policy Council for Greater St. Louis, Inc., the FOCUS St. Louis Board, the Missouri State Chamber Board, St. Louis Metropolitan Hospital Council, and the Policy Steering Committee for the American Association of Medical Colleges. In 2024, she was selected to be a member of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement National Advisory Board. Leann previously chaired the Regional Chamber’s Illinois and Missouri Public Affairs Network Committees, Boys and Girls Club Table for Four, and the United Way Government Affairs Committee. She has been a guest lecturer at Washington University and taught a graduate policy course at Webster University. 

Throughout her career, Leann has received many accolades for her hard work and dedication. In 2023, Leann was selected as a Missouri Athletic Club Woman of Distinction. Leann has been recognized with the St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Women’s award, the Multiple Sclerosis Advocacy Award, and the Boys and Girls Club National Award of Merit. Leann also served a gubernatorial appointment to the Missouri Commission on Information and Technology.

Leann earned a Master of Business Administration from Washington University and completed a residency at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.