LaShuan Bethea is the executive director of the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), the assisted living voice of the American Health Care Association (AHCA). Bethea joined NCAL in 2021 from Genesis Healthcare, Inc. where she served in various leadership roles since 2007.

Bethea, a registered nurse and attorney, has over 25 years in the profession and a depth of long term care experience. In her NCAL role, she communicates the association vision and mission of "Improving Lives by Delivering Solutions for Quality Care," identifies potential risks and opportunities within the industry, and develops strategies to fortify the sector.

Promoting a culture of transparency and collaboration, Bethea develops a strong relationship with association and industry stakeholders, legislators, regulators, and other relevant parties. A key part of her role is advocating for the interests of assisted living member facilities before federal officials, national consumer and health care associations, and the media. Additionally, she oversees the development of the association's assisted living public policy and quality agenda, serving as a respected voice for the provider community in the field of assisted living.

Bethea received her law degree from Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg, PA. She earned a Master's degree in Education from American Intercontinental University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Phoenix.

Dr. Burns has more than 25 years of experience as a physician and clinical innovator, advising policymakers and providers on modernizing and integrating the healthcare system as well as public health emergency response strategies._ Most recently, Dr. Burns served as the chief medical officer of Avamere, a skilled nursing and senior living provider with more than 30 facilities in Oregon and Washington. In this role, she led the design of Centers for Excellence, a designation for the organization's post-acute care centers that elevated the standard of care while developing an integrated medical model aligned with hospital systems and payors.

Dr. Burns was also a thought leader during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to establish the first Emergency Health Care Center in the U.S. and serving as the sole post-acute care representative on the Oregon governor's COVID Crisis Response Team, among other advisory roles. Previously, as the senior executive medical director at Regence BlueCross BlueShield, she helped launch the Pacific Northwest's first post-acute value-based arrangement. Dr. Burns was also a hospitalist and quality improvement consultant across the Pacific Northwest.

She served on numerous boards and advisory groups for organizations, including the Oregon Health Care Association, Lincoln Healthcare, LTC 100, and AgeRight Advantage. Dr. Burns earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and completed residency at Oregon Health & Science University._