dougherty has worked with the hospital trustees project at the hastings center and the new york academy of medicine, as well as the national coalition on catholic health care. he has served on the board of trustees of the catholic health association and the board of editors at both creighton university press and "health progress". dougherty has also served as a commissioner for the state of nebraska accountability and disclosure commission, a government ethics panel. he is a member of the board of directors of mercy hospital; mercy health systems in pittsburgh, pennsylvania; allegheny conference on community development; pittsburgh downtown partnership; world affairs council of pittsburgh; and the urban league of pittsburgh. he serves on the board of the association of independent colleges and universities of pennsylvania and is the chair of the president's committee of the pittsburgh council on higher education.