Ms. Lienhardt Recognized for Legal Impact Across the RWJBarnabas Health System
West Orange, New Jersey, October 13, 2026 – Debra Lienhardt, RWJBarnabas Health Executive Vice President, Chief Business Development and Legal Officer, has been named by American Lawyer Media’s New Jersey Law Journal as a finalist in the “In-House Impact” category of the New Jersey Legal Awards, which celebrate the trailblazers, innovators, and dedicated professionals who have made a lasting impact on both their organization’s and the State’s legal landscape. A winner will be named at an evening celebration on October 29th at The Palace at Somerset Park. Ms. Lienhardt’s fellow honorees can be found here.
Assuming the role of RWJBarnabas Health's first-ever Chief Legal Officer in 2025, Ms. Lienhardt has helped define and build a role that extends far beyond the traditional legal function. She serves as a strategic business leader, pairing legal expertise with innovative business solutions to advance the organization's mission and long-term objectives. Her role ensures that legal strategy is fully integrated with enterprise priorities, embedding legal insight into business decision-making and driving alignment across the system.
She transformed the system’s Legal department by positioning attorneys as strategic partners early in transactions and initiatives, strengthening collaboration and decision-making across the organization. She expanded the department's in-house capabilities by building a deep bench of specialized attorneys, reducing reliance on outside counsel while preserving valuable institutional knowledge.
In her dual role as Business Development leader, Ms. Lienhardt has also helped shape health care in New Jersey by leading the acquisition and integration of numerous providers and developing an ambulatory care partnership model that has expanded access, driven innovation, and strengthened RWJBarnabas Health's financial performance. The strategy contributed $2.5 billion in topline revenue in 2025, supporting the system's long-term growth.
To develop future leaders, Ms. Lienhardt created an internship program spanning both her departments, Business Development and Legal, that has attracted top students from Rutgers, Seton Hall, Harvard, University of Chicago, Penn and Vanderbilt. As an advocate for women in leadership, she mentors female executives and increased female representation within my departments to 75 percent.
Prior to joining RWJBarnabas Health, Ms. Lienhardt was a partner at a leading law firm in New Jersey, where she practiced healthcare law for over two decades and facilitated some of the most significant health care transactions in the state. She began her career in Washington D.C., tracking federal health care reform bills and legislation for clients and professionals. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from Rutgers College and her Doctor of Law (JD) from Columbia University School of Law, where she also served on the Columbia Business Law Review.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org