Director of Public and Community Affairs
Janet Gerhard is Director of Public and Community Relations for FHE Health. As a community liaison for FHE Health, she is a trusted resource for labor unions across the country, educating them on their legal rights and responsibilities in relation to drugs and alcohol, addiction, and mental health in the workplace. Ms. Gerhard speaks nationally on issues such as helping a union member in a behavioral health crisis, hostile work environments, stress in the workplace, and how to handle addiction or mental health challenges in the workforce. With a background in Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services, Janet assists union members with dependencies in accessing the care they need to remain “fit for duty.”
Janet has served as a guest speaker for the national conferences of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, International Legislative Conference, Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian – American Conference and Women’s Committee Conference, The United Auto Workers International Women’s Committee Conference, National Labor Educators Conference, National Staff Organization Annual Conference, and Communication Workers of America, among other groups.
With a strong record of success in both business and public service, Janet is a seasoned spokesperson for FHE Health—both locally and nationally—and a tireless advocate for working Americans with behavioral health needs and concerns.
Janet Gerhard spent her earlier career coordinating advancement efforts in the interest of Christian education. This required managing diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and professional coalitions and fundraising activities. To this day, she often speaks with regional faith-based communities about issues that affect them, such as how to address the opioid crisis.
Prior to joining FHE Health, Ms. Gerhard dedicated her efforts to job creation and job protection in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where she reported directly to the Governor of Pennsylvania on all issues related to economic development. There Janet was instrumental in negotiating multimillion dollar packages to attract and retain new businesses. Her efforts drew praise from elected officials on both sides of the aisle.
As Director of Government Affairs for The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Gerhard lobbied in the interest of Chambers 6000 business members, formulating public policy at the city, state, and federal level. During her tenure at the Chamber, Ms. Gerhard was published in Business Philadelphia, a monthly business magazine in the region.
