CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) has named Dr. Angie Settle, chief executive officer of West Virginia Health Right, the 2026 Patient Advocate of the Year. She was selected as the recipient from nominees representing every free and charitable clinic in the nation.
The award, which Settled received at the NAFC Charitable Healthcare Symposium in Washington, D.C., on Monday, recognizes her nearly three decades of work on behalf of West Virginians who struggle to access healthcare. She joined West Virginia Health Right in 1997 as a family nurse practitioner and later served as clinical coordinator before becoming CEO in 2014. She still puts on the stethoscope and sees patients today, even while leading West Virginia’s oldest and largest free and charitable clinic, which serves more than 47,000 West Virginians across 35 counties each year.
“Every story that I’ve ever heard from every patient that I’ve ever treated, I carry that around with me,” Settle said.
Those conversations have shaped how West Virginia Health Right has grown. When transportation keeps people from care, West Virginia Health Right takes medical and dental services to them through its mobile clinics. When people in recovery need help getting back on their feet, the organization connects healthcare with workforce training and employment opportunities. On Charleston’s West Side, the CommUNITY Wellness Center brings healthcare, recovery services, food assistance, fitness and education together.
Settle also carries what she hears from patients to the West Virginia State Capitol, where she regularly testifies before lawmakers. Her advocacy has helped advance Medicaid dental coverage, streamlined volunteer licensure for healthcare professionals and increased state investment in mobile healthcare.
“I’m so grateful to be able to do this work alongside such a talented team of caring staff and dedicated volunteers who show up every day to make sure that anyone, no matter their income or insurance status, can access quality healthcare,” Settle said. “I will continue to fight for every West Virginian, ensuring that they can continue to receive the care they need.”
NAFC’s Patient Advocate of the Year Award honors an individual who gives patients a stronger voice and ensures their stories and needs have a place in healthcare decision-making.
