Georgie Blackburn, RGPC Chair

In August of 2019, Georgie Blackburn, along with her two grown children, was diagnosed with RUNX1 familial platelet disorder (RUNX1-FPD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. They are participants in the NIH Natural History Study and, with three grandchildren awaiting testing, Georgie is dedicated to aiding research to enhance future patient health outcomes.

Georgie has served on the RRP Patient and Family Advisory Council and the Research Guided by Patients Committee. Alongside her husband, Charles, she recently retired after over 41 years at BLACKBURN’S Physicians Pharmacy, Inc., a three-generation, family-operated pharmacy, medical equipment, and supply business in Pennsylvania.

As a credentialed Assistive Technology Provider, she spent twenty years collaborating with clinical rehab teams and patients—including those with paraplegia, quadriplegia, and head trauma—overseeing anatomical positioning and mobility solutions. Georgie authored the company’s corporate compliance plan and led as its first compliance director, focusing on staff education in regulatory policies.

Over the last twelve years, Georgie has been the Vice President of Government Relations and Legislative Affairs, lobbying for Medicare and Medicaid policy reforms and representing her industry before congressional subcommittees.

Her board roles include presidency of the Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers (PAMS) and positions on the boards of the American Association for Homecare (AAH) and the National Coalition for Assistive Rehabilitation Technology (NCART) in Washington D.C. In recognition of her dedication to patient advocacy and healthcare policy improvement, she was named the VGM Woman of the Year in October 2018.