Rachel Rusch, LCSW, MSW, MA, APHSW-C

Psychosocial Director, Section of Palliative Medicine; Assistant Prodessor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Colorado

Rachel Rusch is a palliative care social worker, educator, and researcher at Children's Hospital Colorado and an Assistant Professor with the Section of Pediatric Palliative Medicine at the University of Colorado. She serves as the Psychosocial Director with the Pediatric Palliative Medicine Team at Children's Hospital Colorado and is a founding member of The Palliative Story Exchange. She received her social work degree from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and holds an additional master’s degree in child development from Sarah Lawrence College. She completed further training through NYU’s Zelda Foster Program in Palliative and End of Life Care as an MSW Fellow as well as the Harvard Interprofessional Palliative Care Fellowship Program. With an extensive background in the performing arts, Rachel’s current education and program-building initiatives include the incorporation of storytelling, improvisation, and creative writing toward the enhancement of clinical communication and the uplifting of patient-centered narratives. A recipient of the Cambia Health Foundation Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program grant, her research and program development initiatives center on the power of the Palliative Arts to foster change in health care.

Presentation(s):

• Deep Dive into the Evolving Policy Environment

  Thursday, March 5, 2026
  1:00pm - 3:30pm PST

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose