Michael J. Chirico, Esq.
Chief Strategy Officer, Marshall Health

Michael J. Chirico, Esq., serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Marshall Health and the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

Chirico, a licensed attorney, has extensive experience in government relations. After leaving the state for college and law school, he felt that unmistakable call to return to the Mountain State.   Since returning home, he has served as chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and deputy chief of staff and counsel for U.S. Rep. Carol Miller. During this time, Chirico was a tireless advocate for the Southern portion of the State, routinely working with residents to connect them to their government.  Chirico has also previously worked as a lobbyist for the West Virginia State Medical Association, advocating for physician and health care-related issues. He most recently held the position of government liaison and policy advisor for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission in Washington, D.C., where he served as the agency official who advised the presidential-appointed chair on relevant management, internal policy and legislative issues.

In his role at Marshall Health and the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Chirico acts as a liaison with federal and state elected and appointed officials. With a focus on economic and community development, his goal has been to create opportunities to collaborate with government agencies and external organizations that advance the School of Medicine’s mission. He has worked diligently to expand access to healthcare for underserved populations, facilitating relationships with hospitals and providers across WV.  He has been a strong advocate for patient wellbeing while working with the WV Legislature and Office of Governor to improve the health of West Virginians.

In addition to his professional work, Chirico has previously served or is serving on a number of West Virginia-based boards of directors, including Hospice of Huntington, Facing Hunger Foodbank, Huntington Symphony Orchestra, Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce, Generation West Virginia and United Way of the River Cities. He is a 2016 graduate of Leadership West Virginia and was recognized in 2019 as part of The State Journal’s Generation Next: 40 Under 40. He is part of Governor Jim Justice’s West Virginia Workforce Development Board and serves on the First Lady’s Communities in Schools Advisory Board. He is also part of the West Virginia Semiquincentennial Commission for America’s 250th Birthday Celebration.

Chirico and his family have called Huntington home since 1991. He holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and earned his law degree from Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University in Lansing. In his spare time, Michael enjoys road cycling, traveling, politics, reading, and being a self-proclaimed food enthusiast.