Much of Wendy Maneval’s extensive career has been spent at the forefront of health policy and health law. But the times she feels the most satisfied is when she’s working closely with the people for whom she’s advocating. And so, she describes her recent appointment as Eagleville Hospital’s Chief Legal Officer as “putting me right where I need to be.”

After deciding not to pursue the family practice of medicine (her father and grandfather were noted Philadelphia physicians) Wendy instead immersed herself in the field in a different way. She was principal author of the definitive dissertation, Health Law and Litigation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, published in 2001.

Prior to her appointment at Eagleville, Wendy was Senior Counsel and Privacy Officer for the Christiana Care Health System, one of the largest health care providers in the Mid-Atlantic region. During her 11-year tenure, she developed a robust privacy compliance program, among a host of other accomplishments, that was integral in helping the health system minimize legal risks and protect patient confidentiality.

Earlier, Wendy served as Senior Counsel for the Devereux Foundation, a national, non-profit behavioral health and social service organization. During her time at Devereux, Wendy was instrumental in crafting corrective action and safety plans for the foundation and its clients. Wendy has also been a partner, with a practice focused on health law, for the Philadelphia firm Post & Schell, P.C.

“Everything in my career, up to this time, has prepared me for my new role. It is deeply rewarding to be able to put my knowledge, skills and understanding of the field into practice for the benefit of Eagleville’s vital mission. I feel that I am making a real difference in the lives of our clients, and in the advancement of the institution’s unique values and goals.

At Eagleville, Wendy sees herself as a “protector of the institution” and a facilitator. “I’m very much a team player. I love to bring people together to see how much we can accomplish when we work collaboratively toward shared goals,” she says. “Much of the staff face common challenges, so there’s a lot of opportunity and a great need for us to learn from one another and build something really special. This is a dynamic time for Eagleville and it is exciting to be part of it.”

Wendy grew up in Montgomery County. For the last 26 years, she and her husband have lived in Swarthmore, where they raised their two children. Their son “inspired by his grandfather” is a neurology resident, and their daughter is in her final year at Berkeley Law School.