Paul Gels

Paul Gels serves as the Associate Director of the State Consumer Health Advocacy Program at Community Catalyst, managing relationships with state and community-based advocacy organizations throughout the country in order to develop a strong consumer voice in shaping health policy and transforming the health system.

Prior to joining Community Catalyst, Paul served as the Communications Manager at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM) and the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts. In his role, he developed and executed multilayered communications campaigns to educate the public about Planned Parenthood and to activate supporters in advancing proactive sexual and reproductive health care policy. Paul is particularly proud of his previous campaign work in defeating repeated efforts by the Trump-Pence administration to “defund” Planned Parenthood and repeal the Affordable Care Act, and passing state policies that protect and expand no-copay birth control access for 1.4 million people and confidential health care services for young people and survivors of domestic violence.

Paul currently serves as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, an independent state agency of the Commonwealth advising others in state government on effective policies, programs, and resources for LGBTQ youth. He has also previously served on SPARK Boston, the City of Boston’s millennial civic engagement council. Paul holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and English as well as a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Community Catalyst works to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, courtrooms, statehouses and on Capitol Hill.