QueensCare and QueensCare Health Alliance
Appoint Dr. Erin Jackson-Ward
as their New President and CEO

 

QueensCare, and its affiliate QueensCare Health Alliance, are delighted to announce the appointment of Erin Jackson-Ward, DrPH. as their new President and Chief Executive Officer. Effective September 2, 2025, Dr. Jackson-Ward will succeed Barbara Brandlin Hines, who served the organization for 28 years, 15 of which as its CEO. Click to read Barbara Hines’ Retirement Announcement, published last February.

With the help of Morris & Berger, an executive search firm specializing in nonprofit organizations, the Search Committee of the Board of Directors conducted a comprehensive search for QueensCare’s new leader.

After carefully considering over 100 candidates, the Search Committee unanimously selected Dr. Erin Jackson-Ward to be QueensCare’s next President and CEO. Alan Cushman, Chair of the Boards of Directors and Search Committee member, stated on behalf of the Search Committee, “We were impressed with Erin in so many ways. Her experience overseeing major health grants and health equity initiatives is closely aligned with our mission and her ties to Los Angeles are deep. She knows the landscape well.”

With over 15 years of experience in the healthcare space, Dr. Jackson-Ward has a proven track record of advancing equitable health access and leading community health investments. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Grantmaking & Social Impact at Cedars-Sinai where she oversaw the disbursement of over $180 million to over 200 nonprofit, community-based organizations. In this role, she also led the hospital’s social responsibility portfolio, with a focus on sustainability, supplier diversity, employee volunteerism, in-kind donations, and impact investing. Her leadership helped launch initiatives that expanded access to care, addressed local homelessness and food insecurity, and fostered public-private partnerships across Los Angeles County. She is also recognized nationally as an expert and speaker on community benefit practices and has authored articles on philanthropy in publications such as the New England Journal of Medicine and Harvard Business Review. Dr. Jackson-Ward previously spent time in operations, overseeing physicians and clinical staff across Cedars-Sinai’s Southern California Region. Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Jackson-Ward worked with nonprofit organizations across the country, addressing the sociomedical needs of pediatric HIV, homeless, and formerly incarcerated populations.

Dr. Jackson-Ward holds a Doctorate in Public Health, Healthcare Management and Leadership from Johns Hopkins University; a Master’s degree in Public Health in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University; and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Upon her appointment, Dr. Jackson-Ward said, “I am deeply honored to be given the opportunity to lead the talented, innovative, and compassionate team who are the heart of this esteemed organization with its remarkable legacy. It is evident that QueensCare is more than just a charitable organization — it is a community of leaders grounded in empathy, purpose, and a deep commitment to equity. As we enter this next exciting chapter, I look forward to working together to continue building on this strong foundation.”

In 2024, QueensCare launched a new Strategic Planning framework to strengthen its delivery of direct healthcare and support services. A key pillar of this framework is innovation, positioning QueensCare as a catalyst for piloting and scaling solutions to address community challenges. With Dr. Jackson-Ward leading the organization, this new initiative is bound to drive transformative changes within the Los Angeles healthcare ecosystem. Through this initiative, QueensCare will assess needs, design targeted interventions, share best practices, and expand successful models to improve care.

QueensCare recognizes Barbara Hines’ invaluable contributions and is honored by her continued service as a member of the Board of Directors. As Dr. Jackson-Ward steps into the role of President and CEO, the organization is prepared to build on that legacy and chart a bold new course forward.