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Founder, Patient Advocate Foundation/National Patient Advocate Foundation Chair Emeriti, Board of Directors Nancy Davenport-Ennis is one of the nation’s leading patient advocacy experts on issues related to patients’ healthcare access challenges. In 1996, she founded the Patient Advocate Foundation based in Hampton, Virginia, which provides professional case management services to millions of insured, under-insured and uninsured patients facing chronic, debilitating, or life-threatening diseases. PAF partners with other leading organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, among others. Nancy also founded the National Patient Advocate Foundation in Washington, DC, which strives to improve access to patient care through federal and state regulatory and public policy efforts. Currently, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation annually serve more than 180,000 patients nationally recording each patient experience in a patient database. The 260 fields of data documenting specific issues patients are facing, remedies achieved and demographic data per patients across more than one and one half million closed cases nationally support the policy reform initiatives National Patient Advocate Foundation introduced at the state and federal levels. All patient data protects the identity of the patients. Annually PAF serves patients with over 600 diseases. PAF data and patient stories were instrumental in the passage of The Affordable Care Act, Part D Medicare Reform legislation, multiple reimbursement decisions being made by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Davenport-Ennis provided expert testimony before the US Senate, US House of Representatives, Food and Drug Administration and State General Assembly bodies throughout the United States spearheading passage of an insurance reform issue assuring patients in clinical trials would have their bills paid in seventeen states. Davenport-Ennis has addressed national healthcare industry organizations and professional societies including US Oncology, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, Oncology Nursing Society in addition to many consumer organizations. As well, her media appearances include CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC. Patient Advocate Foundation has achieved the highest awards presented by Charity Navigator/ 4 Star Charity. Since Davenport-Ennis retirement, PAF has been awarded the America’s Favorite Charity and Great Nonprofits Top Rated and GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency in 2020. Davenport-Ennis introduced the Scholarship for Survivor program in 2000. To date, 126 students have received scholarships, totaling more than $730,000.00 awarded to students whose academic pursuits were interrupted due to their chronic, debilitating, or life-threatening illnesses. Currently the program supports more than 30 students pursuing their degrees. Davenport-Ennis was appointed by President George Bush to serve on the National eHealth Collaborative Board and also served on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) Committee and the National Institutes of Health’s Open Ended Working Group (OEWG). She has previously served on national commissions for the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, C-Change, and One Voice Against Cancer. Davenport-Ennis has received national awards for her advocacy efforts from Yoplait and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, US Oncology, and the Association of Community Cancer Centers. She is also the recipient of the 2005 Women in Business Achievement Award presented by Anthem and Business Week and was honored with the 1989 Outstanding Young Woman of America Award, the Association of Community Cancer Centers Advocate of the Year Award, and the U.S. Oncology Medal of Honor Award. Davenport-Ennis was also appointed to the Governor’s Commission on the Uninsured in Virginia and was named as a Paul Harris Fellow by the National Rotary Foundation. Currently, Davenport-Ennis daughter, Fran Castellow is President of Operations of PAF, her daughter, Beth Moore is the Executive Vice President of National Communication. Her husband, John Ennis, retired in June 2016 as Chief Development Officer. In December 2015, Nancy retired from being the CEO of Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation. She currently serves at Chair Emerita of both Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation. Now, she is enjoying retirement with her husband, John Ennis, spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her volunteer activities include greeting guests at the Lost Colony, the oldest outdoor drama in America, where her husband, John, sales programs nightly at the play in Manteo, North Carolina. Weekly adventures with her great-granddaughter, Lillian, and great-grandson, Hudson, include museums, theme park visits, reading time at the library, and travel to new places. Nancy continues to serve on the Duke Cancer Institute Board of Advisors and started a non-profit organization to support The Kids Krew at Bethany United Methodist Church in Wanchese, North Carolina, in 2017. Her role as patient advocate continues with facilitating patient referrals to specialty institutions for consultations and treatment and referrals to Patient Advocate Foundation.
