Who We Are - Community Catalyst

Imagine a society where health is a right for all

In 1998, we were founded on the belief that people, not health care companies, should be at the center of decisions about our health system.

Since then, we’ve joined forces with partner organizations across the country to make big improvements for people’s health. We’ve made the Affordable Care Act (ACA) a reality, expanded Medicaid coverage to millions, improved the Medicare program, and secured victories at the local and state level to make care more affordable and accessible for everyone. Together, we’ve built a stronger advocacy infrastructure — incubating organizations in 9 states, and building a robust network of partners working together across more than 45 states (and growing).

All of that progress is our foundation for even bigger change — change that will bring us closer to health justice.

We believe in a health system that is accountable to each and every one of us — every family and community across our country.

We believe that a health system rooted in race equity and health justice is essential to a world where we are all more free and healthy.

We know we have a lot of work ahead to make that system possible.

Today’s health system puts profit over people. People across the country struggle to afford health coverage, get care from community health providers they trust, and navigate confusing billing processes.

Because of racism and other forms of oppression, the health system disproportionately hurts systemically excluded communities, including Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander communities, and LGBTQ+ people, older adults, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities.

When people do not have access to clean air and water, to affordable housing and safe communities, and to living wages — it has an even bigger impact on their ability to stay healthy.

The result is that we live in one of the world’s richest nations, yet we have some of the worst health outcomes.

That must change. More importantly, it can change. But to create a system that is accountable to all people, we need to center the people hurt the most by the health system today.

That’s why Community Catalyst partners with local, state, and national organizations and leaders to leverage and build power so that people are at the center of important decisions about health and health care — whether they are made by health care executives, in state houses, or on Capitol Hill.

Through a mix of rigorous policy analysis and research, multi-state advocacy campaigns, strategic communications, organizing, and coalition building, we work towards change grounded in community leadership. Together with partners, we’re building a powerful, united movement with a shared vision of and strategy for a health system accountable to all people.

We believe a society where health is a right for all is possible.

We know that together we can build it.

United for health justice.

Our Start

When Kate Villers founded Community Catalyst in 1998, her goal was simple yet profound. She wanted to bring real community experience and expertise to wherever important decisions about health care were being made.

From the start, Villers knew that Rob Restuccia was essential in bringing this vision to bear. As a founding leader at Health Care For All, Restuccia had fostered a potent, community-led advocacy movement that led Massachusetts to serve as the national model for affordable, equitable health care.

With Villers as president and board chair and Restuccia as executive director of Community Catalyst, they took the successes of Massachusetts to the national stage.

Under Restuccia’s leadership, Community Catalyst spurred community-driven advocacy efforts for better, more equitable health care in 40+ states. With support from major foundations, in its first decade Community Catalyst raised $40 million to build the movement of organizations engaged in the fight for local, state, and national health reforms across the country. Ultimately, this network of community leaders would help pass the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 — and then rally fiercely to protect it despite more than 60 attempts by Congress to repeal the law.

Restuccia served as Executive Director of Community Catalyst for 18 years, until he stepped down in 2018 due to pancreatic cancer. He passed away shortly thereafter. His parting words were, as ever, as an organizer and visionary: “I can imagine my grandchildren one day living in a society where health care is a right and not a privilege, because of the many people who will continue to do the work that has been so important to me.”

Building on our strong foundation, in 2020, Community Catalyst launched a bold new mission, vision, and strategic plan — a new blueprint for how we will work with partners across the country to push for a health system rooted in race equity and health justice.

From our very beginning, Community Catalyst has been an organization striving to build unity and connection and not just between organizations but between people, people who share in the belief that not only must things change—that they can change. People who believe big things can happen, especially when we work together.

Our Mission

To build the power of people to create a health system rooted in race equity and health justice, and a society where health is a right for all.

Our Vision

Everyone has what they need to be healthy and our system is shaped by and accountable to all people.

Our Values

We are fighting to build a health system that is accountable to people, especially systemically excluded communities, including Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latinx *, and Pacific Islander communities, LGBTQ+ people, people with low incomes, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, and older adults. We know that those most harmed by the current health system are historically-excluded people and communities, and we strongly believe that their active engagement and leadership is essential to a strong movement. Overall, we seek to enhance the impact — and support the power-building — of state and local leaders engaged in health advocacy, particularly those that represent the people most hurt by our health system today.

We seize opportunities at every level to achieve a more accountable health system. We see the need for progressive steps forward that contribute to power-building and help set the stage for fundamental system change. We believe that to reach our vision for equity and justice, we need to reach higher, even if it is out of step with what others may be doing. We use strong strategic analysis to ensure the choices we make represent forward progress for people and set the stage for something bigger and bolder.

We believe in partnership. We deeply respect the creativity and innovation of community leaders, especially community leaders from systemically excluded communities, and we approach all partnerships with an emphasis on listening and learning. With the acknowledgment that we have much to learn, we share information and resources. In working with local and state partner organizations, we seek to understand how and where we can use our strengths to be most helpful to our collective cause. Often our role is providing our partners with extra tools and support they request to make the strategic and tactical decisions necessary to achieve their goals.

The ability to work effectively to advance race equity and health justice requires innovation, creativity, and the willingness to embrace new ideas and to change accordingly. We are willing to question the “common wisdom” and to challenge assumptions — our own and our colleagues’ — as we develop and re-work solutions. We focus on continually building a work environment that supports and facilitates this kind of learning and adaptation. Transparency and integrity matter to us — and we strive to make sure our internal practices match how we communicate and show up in the world, with openness and honesty. We are mindful about how we use our influence, while also being clear about what we don’t know or can’t do.