Steven B. Bender

Steven Bender, Esq., chief legal officer, joined Geisinger in July 2020 and is responsible for the organization’s legal affairs, including providing legal guidance to the board of directors and executive leadership and guiding the company in regulatory matters.

Prior to joining Geisinger, Mr. Bender served for four years as general counsel for George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, a nationally recognized faculty practice plan and the largest independent physician practice in the District of Columbia, employing more than 800 providers.

At George Washington University, Mr. Bender led the legal team and served as strategic partner and counselor to the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, individual medical departments, clinical research and a self-funded captive insurance company, handling matters of compliance, litigation, risk management and company contractual arrangements.

Before his role in Washington, D.C., Mr. Bender was a partner at the Health Law Partners of Southfield, Mich., where he specialized in developing and negotiating significant healthcare transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, hospital/physician joint ventures, clinical integration arrangements and physician compensation programs. He was also lead counsel in the development of a projected $1 billion national population health/clinical integration physician network.

Mr. Bender was managing counsel at Trinity Health in Livonia, Mich., for more than a decade. He has also held positions at national law firms specializing in healthcare.

Mr. Bender earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law. He is past chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Healthcare Law Section and a member of the American Health Lawyers Association.