Full Name
Christie Eckhardt
Job Title
System VP, General Counsel
Company
Hendrick Health
Speaker Bio
Christie Eckhardt is Vice President and General Counsel at Hendrick Health, where she leads the in-house legal department and oversees risk management and corporate governance, providing strategic counsel across the organization. With 24 years of legal experience—nearly all of it within the healthcare sector—Christie brings a deep understanding of the regulatory and operational challenges facing physicians and health systems.
Her passion for supporting clinical teams through sound legal guidance has been a defining feature of her career. Before joining Hendrick Health in 2023, she served as Vice President and Chief Operations Counsel at Mercy Health in St. Louis, where she advised hospital and clinical teams across five states.
For the past 18 years, Christie has regularly presented on medical record documentation compliance, risk, and related legal issues. She has also spoken at local, regional, and national conferences on topics affecting healthcare entities.
Christie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduating cum laude from Loyola University New Orleans, and earned her Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Christie is licensed to practice law in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois.
The General Counsel Conference Southwest 2026, scheduled for September 29 in Dallas, Texas, serves as a premier gathering for senior legal executives to address the shifting demands of the corporate world. The event focuses on the General Counsel’s growing role as a strategic business partner. Attendees will explore high-level themes including the ethical integration of artificial intelligence, evolving data privacy regulations, labor and employment, and proactive crisis management strategies designed to safeguard their organizations in a volatile global market.
The 2026 agenda is designed to provide both technical knowledge and executive leadership skills. Specific sessions will tackle critical issues such as "Global Complexity, Local Risk," which examines the legal impact of supply chain disruptions and shifting tariffs, as well as workshops focused on legal's role in responding to cybersecurity hacks. Specialized tracks also include "Contracts 2.0," which explores ownership of AI-generated data and algorithms, and labor-focused sessions addressing the complexities of visas and immigration in the 2026 landscape.
Her passion for supporting clinical teams through sound legal guidance has been a defining feature of her career. Before joining Hendrick Health in 2023, she served as Vice President and Chief Operations Counsel at Mercy Health in St. Louis, where she advised hospital and clinical teams across five states.
For the past 18 years, Christie has regularly presented on medical record documentation compliance, risk, and related legal issues. She has also spoken at local, regional, and national conferences on topics affecting healthcare entities.
Christie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduating cum laude from Loyola University New Orleans, and earned her Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Christie is licensed to practice law in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois.
The General Counsel Conference Southwest 2026, scheduled for September 29 in Dallas, Texas, serves as a premier gathering for senior legal executives to address the shifting demands of the corporate world. The event focuses on the General Counsel’s growing role as a strategic business partner. Attendees will explore high-level themes including the ethical integration of artificial intelligence, evolving data privacy regulations, labor and employment, and proactive crisis management strategies designed to safeguard their organizations in a volatile global market.
The 2026 agenda is designed to provide both technical knowledge and executive leadership skills. Specific sessions will tackle critical issues such as "Global Complexity, Local Risk," which examines the legal impact of supply chain disruptions and shifting tariffs, as well as workshops focused on legal's role in responding to cybersecurity hacks. Specialized tracks also include "Contracts 2.0," which explores ownership of AI-generated data and algorithms, and labor-focused sessions addressing the complexities of visas and immigration in the 2026 landscape.
Speaking At
