Bridgid Murnane

Driven. Approachable. Practical.

Current Employer & Job Title: Alliance for Positive Health, Regional Program Manager

Age: 33

Hometown: Plattsburgh, NY

Education: Non-traditional background; developed expertise through hands-on experience, leadership and quality improvement work in Human Services

There is a certain kind of leadership that rarely asks for attention, but consistently changes the way work gets done. It is steady, direct, accountable, and deeply focused on outcomes over appearances. That approach comes through quickly in a conversation with Bridgid Murnane. As Regional Program Manager for Alliance for Positive Health, Murnane has built a reputation as someone willing to ask difficult questions, challenge inefficient systems, and push initiatives forward when others might accept “good enough.”

What aspect of your organization’s culture do you promote most fiercely?

I care about creating a culture where people are supported, but also held accountable. The work we do is hard and people need support, but expectations still matter.

Who has most influenced your leadership style—and what specific lesson from them still shapes how you lead today?

I have been most influenced by leaders who were straightforward.

The biggest lesson I have taken is that clarity matters more than trying to soften everything. The leaders who were honest and direct, even when it was uncomfortable, created the most growth.

That is how I lead now. I do not avoid hard conversations. I handle them respectfully, but I am clear. That builds trust.

Where are you making your greatest impact right now?

Right now, my greatest impact is in improving how healthcare and support services are delivered and measured across programs. I lead quality improvement efforts that focus on things like access to care, viral suppression outcomes and making sure data reflects the real work being done. A big part of my role is standardizing processes so we can actually see where gaps exist and fix them.

What is a lesson you learned the hard way?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that not everyone operates with the same level of urgency or ownership. Early on, I would step in to make sure things got done, but over time, I’ve learned the importance of setting expectations, holding people accountable and not carrying work that isn’t mine to carry. It’s made me a stronger leader. I’m more focused on building capacity in others instead of just filling gaps myself.

What is the biggest professional or personal risk you’ve taken—and would you make the same decision again? Why or why not?

Stepping into leadership roles without a traditional background or checking every box on paper was a risk.

I also come from a family that is very connected to the community, which made it even more important to prove myself through my work, not just association.

There were moments where I questioned if I was ready, but I trusted that I could figure it out and do the work.

I would make the same decision again. It pushed me to grow quickly and reinforced that results, consistency, and accountability matter.

What is one change you hope to see that will shape the future of leadership in our region?

I want to see leadership that is willing to challenge the way things have always been done. Too often decisions are based on habit instead of results. That means being willing to try new things, adjust when something is not working and be accountable for results.