Health Equity Leadership Team
Professional Bios
Pritesh Gandhi, MD, MPH
Senior Vice President, Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer
Location: Austin, TX
Dr Pritesh H Gandhi is Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer at CommonSpirit Health, bringing two decades of experience advancing health systems and equity, primary care, digital health, health security, and public health. With leadership across private, federal, and nonprofit sectors, he is known for solving complex challenges in high‐pressure, matrixed environments nationally and globally.
He previously served as Chief Community Health Officer at Walmart Inc., leading initiatives to improve outcomes for underserved populations, including Medicaid, underinsured, and uninsured communities. He oversaw digital health equity and chronic disease efforts, behavioral health, and community health worker programs, and represented Walmart federally on public health and nutrition issues.
As Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Dr. Gandhi directed responses to crises including COVID‐19, Operation Allies Welcome, and Uniting for Ukraine, and advised the DHS Secretary on disasters, pandemic preparedness, and CBRN terrorism.
A Fulbright and Presidential Leadership Scholar, he is Affiliate Faculty at the University of Texas Dell Medical School He earned his MD and MPH from Tufts University and trained at Tulane University.
Alisahah J. Jackson, MD
President, Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness
and Health Justice
Location: Mill Valley, California
Dr. Jackson is a distinguished clinical, academic, and operational health care leader dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. With over 20 years of experience, she has pioneered innovative strategies to advance population health, address health disparities, and drive meaningful change for vulnerable populations As the inaugural president of LHDI, Dr Jackson leads transformative initiatives leveraging kindness, compassion, empathy, and trust to promote health justice. Previously, she served as the first System Vice President of Population Health Innovation and Policy at CommonSpirit, where she implemented groundbreaking programs to enhance patient care and community well-being Before that, she was Atrium's Health first Vice President of Community Health and inaugural Chief Community Impact Officer, shaping system-wide strategies to improve health outcomes and address social drivers of health.
A recognized international thought leader, author, and researcher, Dr. Jackson is a sought-after speaker, regularly engaging groups on topics such as population health, health disparities, and the science of humankindness
Education & Credentials: UNC- Chapel Hill School of Medicine: Fellow, Leadership/Faculty development; Carolinas Medical Center: Family Medicine Resident; Wright State University School of Medicine: MD; Case Western Reserve University: BA-Biology/Music
Functional Area: Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice
E. Gaye Woods, MBA
System Vice President, Equity and Inclusion
Location:
Denver, Colorado
In her current role, Gaye leads the development of health equity strategies focused on reducing disparities, improving outcomes, and advancing population health. She oversees initiatives that support data collection, program implementation, community engagement, and workforce training to enhance prevention and reduce care variation.
At CommonSpirit, her impact includes launching a Health Equity Dashboard to support equity decisions and progress, eliminating race-based Chronic Kidney Disease algorithms, and authoring a Community Health Justice program. She also drove the Health Equity Transformation Assessment process to embed health equity capacity across all hospitals and is currently standardizing the collection of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data systemwide.
Previously, Gaye served as System Executive of Community Benefit at Intermountain Health, where she led population health efforts to improve community outcomes. Her work has earned recognition from the Clinton Foundation, American Public Health Association, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the National Institutes of Health
Gaye holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and a BA from Texas Tech University.
Nathan Ziegler, PhD
System Vice President, Diversity, Leadership and Performance Excellence
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Nathan Ziegler, PhD, is System Vice President for Diversity, Leadership, and Performance Excellence at CommonSpirit Health, where he leads the DEIB Center of Excellence and advances the Health Equity Blueprint for Action. His portfolio includes Belonging Circles, DEI education, governance, and strategic system-wide initiatives.
Previously, he served as Vice President of Culture and Inclusion at Bon Secours Mercy Health, Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access at South Dakota State University, and Founding Director of the English Language and Culture Institute Nathan has taught as a Visiting Professor in South Korea and led his own DEIB and team effectiveness consulting firm.
He chairs the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s DEI Council, serves on the Health Progress editorial board, and holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, MA in English, and BA in Spanish.
He was honored by the Catholic Health Association for Best Reporting on Social Justice in 2020. He resides in Toledo, Ohio.
Shannon Twumasi, M.Ed
System Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Shannon Twumasi is the System Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at CommonSpirit Health. Her portfolio spans internal communications, external strategic partnerships, and organizational alignment within the Office of the CEO.
Shannon leads high-impact initiatives such as executive briefings, strategic communications, and award submissions including CommonSpirit’s recognition as a Top Diversity Organization by Modern Healthcare in 2023. She oversees internal engagement tied to federal heritage and health observance months and manages CommonSpirit’s external health equity strategic engagements and sponsorshipsensuring executive visibility, return-on-investment, and alignment with enterprise priorities.
Previously, Shannon spent over a decade in higher education advancing student success and organizational change. Her cross-sector experience in communications, leadership development, and systems coordination reinforces her commitment to measurable equity impact Shannon was recently named to Women We Admire’s Top Women Leaders in San Antonio 2025 and DiversityMBA Media’s Top 100 under 50 Executive and Emerging Leaders 2024.
Shannon received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing from Texas Christian University and her Masters of Education College Student Personnel Administration with a focus in Counseling from James Madison University.
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Anjali Jones, MBA
System Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Location: Aurora, Colorado
In her current role at CommonSpirit Health, Anjali is responsible for advancing health equity with a special focus on LGBTQ+ and Asian American Communities. Prior to this role, Anjali worked as an internal consultant facilitating strategic priorities for integration, growth, and efficiency efforts at CommonSpirit Health.
She joined the organization in 2018 to facilitate the merger between Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. Her 20+ years in the healthcare sector includes nonprofit and academic settings which afforded her leadership experience in strategic planning and strategy implementation, performance improvement in operations, mergers and integrations, quality and regulatory readiness, and marketing & communications.
Prior to her work at CommonSpirit, she led operational turnarounds and led small and large teams of clinicians and administration to realize financial and cultural value for their organizations. Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for health equity through various projects in her work and community.
Other credentials and awards: LEAN / Six Sigma Black Belt
AHA Executive for the Center of Diversity & Health Equity
2024 Rising Star in Health Equity, Modern Healthcare
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Maria Milagros Kneusel Rivera, DNP, MSN-Ed., MSHCE, RN
System Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Location:
Thornton, Colorado
Maria serves as a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging System Director for CommonSpirit Health.
She holds a master’s in nursing education from Gonzaga University, a master’s in health care ethics from Creighton University, and a doctorate in nursing practice from Duquesne University with an emphasis in quality improvement.
Maria is an affiliate professor at Regis University’s School of Nursing.
She chairs the Colorado Action Coalition Committee on Advancing Health Equity which is operationalizing the Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030 recommendations in the state of Colorado and sits on advisory boards for the Colorado Healthcare Ethics Forum and Vuela for Health.
In 2021 she received the National Hispanic Nurse of the Year award for her efforts to vaccinate and educate the Latino community during the Covid pandemic In 2022 Maria received the prestigious Nightingale Luminary Award as well as the Sigma Theta Tau Excellence In Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Award.
Her hobbies include photography and traveling
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Nisha Pasupuleti, JD, MHA
System Director, Strategy and Governance
Location:
Charlotte, North Carolina
Nisha Pasupuleti is a healthcare strategist with a decade of experience, currently serving as System Director of Strategy and Governance at the Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness & Health Justice at CommonSpirit Health (CSH).
She spearheads the Institute's strategic planning and implementation, developing business plans, partnership proposals, and strategic executive communications. Nisha establishes processes, metrics, and key performance indicators to drive impact and creates team governance tools. She specializes in value-based care strategies, including population health, community health, and health equity, to address healthcare disparities.
Previously, as System Director of Transformative Strategy in Population Health at CSH, she led innovation and policy efforts. Prior to joining CSH, Nisha supported C-suite functions at Atrium Health (now Advocate), focusing on strategic planning, value-based care, and quality improvement, earning her Bronze Lean Six Sigma certification.
She holds degrees from the University of Michigan, The Pennsylvania State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nisha teaches healthcare systems strategy at the University of North Carolina- Charlotte.
Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez, PhD
System Director, Operations Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice
Location: Prospect, VA
Dr. Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez serves as System Director of Operations for the Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice at CommonSpirit Health (CSH), where she leads system initiatives that advance health equity through innovation, compassion, and inclusive care delivery.
With over 20 years of experience in research and operational leadership, Dr. Hernandez has dedicated her career to addressing health disparities, fostering transdisciplinary collaboration, and examining how restructuring systems impact health and social service access for diverse and historically marginalized populations
Before joining CSH, she spent 13 years at a large integrated health system in the Southeastern U.S., where she co-led the creation and execution of the organization’s first Community Health strategy. At CSH, she oversees pilot programs and designs scalable engagement strategies that center humankindness, health justice, and community partnerships.
Dr. Hernandez holds academic appointments at Morehouse School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine. She earned her PhD in Geography and Regional Analysis from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.
Functional Area: Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice
Mika Ford, MSOD
System Manager, Inclusion and Belonging
Location: Los Angeles, California
Mika Ford is a System Manager of Inclusion & Belonging at CommonSpirit Health. She leads strategic initiatives enhancing workforce engagement, retention, and culture while supporting patient outcomes and experiences. Leading CommonSpirit’s Belonging Circles, Mika drives framework and operation, fostering connection across the ministry She collaborates closely with regional and market leaders, co-leads internal communications, provides consultative engagement, and supports DEI education and training initiatives.
Mika is an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles (UWLA) and guest lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She serves as President-Elect at the National Association of Health Services Executives (N.A.H.S.E). She is an integral part of the Board of Directors for the Assistance League of Los Angeles. Mika leads with authenticity, compassion, and purpose most recently recognized as a 2024 LA Times Visionary Leader.
Mika is a PhD student in Performance Psychology She holds a Master’s in Organizational Development Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Human Resource Management, bringing a research-informed, human-centered lens to her leadership.
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Heather Foster, MPH, MCHES, CHC
Research Grants Program Manager
Location:
Mocksville, North Carolina
Heather manages national programs aimed at elevating humankindness, improving community health outcomes, and addressing health disparities. Heather brings over a decade of experience in healthcare, community capacity building, and higher education, with expertise in succession planning, operational efficiency, and fostering collaboration across diverse teams for impactful, sustainable solutions
Previously, she held leadership roles at Novant Health, where she secured $2.8 million in funding for community-based initiatives, designed and led the first enterprise-wide community health worker program for care of high risk patients across various care settings, created the first enterprise-wide education for social drivers of health, played a pivotal role in achieving Health Equity Plus NCQA accreditation, and has been recognized with the Community Heart and Chief Balancer Award for her dedication to community well-being.
Heather holds a Master of Public Health in Community Health Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, a Certified Health Coach and a Certified North Carolina Community Health Worker Instructor.
Christy T. Carter, PhD
Sr Analyst Analytics and Reporting
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Dr. Carter is a Sr. Analyst and educator with 17 years of experience in higher education.
Holding a PhD in Biological Sciences and an MS in Environmental Studies from Ohio University, and a Certificate in Data Analytics from UNC Charlotte, her expertise spans data analysis, research, and teaching
She has served in both tenured faculty and data analyst positions throughout her career. Adept in Python, SQL, R, Stata, Tableau, and Looker Studio, Dr. Carter excels at translating complex data into actionable insights through data wrangling, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
At the Institute, she provides critical data support for multiple projects.
Functional Area: Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and
Fred Mendoza, PMP
Data Analyst | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Location: Maricopa, Arizona
Fred Mendoza is a strategic Data Analyst and Project Manager with nine years of experience leading analytics initiatives in technology and now healthcare.
He serves as the inaugural Data Analyst for the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, where he built the foundational framework for enterprise-wide DEIB analytics. As the sole analyst supporting 142 hospitals, Fred leads distinct data strategies and KPI reporting for the ODEIB department, the Health Equity Center of Excellence, the DEIB Center of Excellence, and the broader organization.
He manages the full lifecycle of DEIB Consultative Services requests and oversees the team's accounts payable processes, including invoice tracking and vendor coordination. Fred leads the delivery and presentation of critical data insights to executive leadership, influencing strategy across the People, Patients, and Community pillars. He maintains a strong community presence by facilitating health equity initiatives, including eGFR kidney screening events.
Fred holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and will complete his Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics in Fall 2025 from Grand Canyon University. He is based in Maricopa, Arizona
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Mieasha Harris, PACE
Executive Coordinator to Dr. Alisahah Jackson for LHDI
Location: Vallejo, California
As Executive Coordinator for the LHDI, I bring a strong background in nonprofit leadership, administration, and community engagement. I hold a B.A. in Journalism from San Francisco State University and earned my PACE credential, which complements my professional expertise in communication and executive support. Based in Vallejo, CA, I currently support the President of LHDI in all aspects of organizational management and strategic initiatives.
Prior to this role, I served as Executive Director for Girls Inc., where I led programs that empowered young women through education and mentorship My career also includes managing hospital volunteer services, overseeing a hospital gift shop and Auxiliary team, and holding various administrative leadership roles.
Throughout my career, I’ve remained passionate about creating efficient, mission-driven environments where teams thrive. My work is guided by a deep commitment to service, empowerment, and excellence in organizational support.
Functional Area: Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Humankindness and Health Justice
Debbie Sage
Executive Assistant
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Debbie Sage is a highly experienced Executive Assistant with over 40 years of service supporting senior executives across healthcare, legal, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. Currently serving CommonSpirit Health, Debbie supports national leaders in the Revenue Cycle division, the Performance Excellence Group, and the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Her strengths include managing complex calendars, coordinating executive-level meetings, producing precise communications, and organizing large-scale events for national leadership.
Debbie is known for her discretion, reliability, and commitment to excellence in highstakes, confidential environments. She has played a key role in organizing Leadership Summits and Market Leaders Conferences and routinely supports meetings for CommonSpirit’s COO Operations Team and other high-level groups.
She holds an Associate Degree in Executive Secretarial and Word Processing from Baker Business College and a Paralegal Certificate from Denver Paralegal Institute. Deeply engaged in community service, Debbie has led initiatives such as Adopt-a-Family and served in leadership roles within her church and local organizations.
Functional Area: The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging