Centering Healthcare Institute
Chief Executive Officer
Remote location

About Centering Healthcare Institute
Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) imagines a U.S. healthcare system that offers not just medical interventions but combats isolation and builds communities, empowers and educates patients, and serves as a partner to connect the most vulnerable with resources that contribute to overall health. CHI is driven to create a future where the risk of preterm birth, the inequities of Black women dying from pregnancy-related causes, and the disparities in early childhood are greatly reduced - so that every child has the potential to enjoy future life chances, social and economic opportunities, and overall well-being.

CHI employs the Centering model, an innovative, evidence-based model of group care, to transform healthcare. Centering brings patients out of the exam room and into a comfortable group setting. Clinicians see a group of 6-12 patients with similar health conditions and provide high-quality care while using facilitation techniques core to the Centering model to empower patients and strengthen patient-provider relationships. Through health assessment, interactive learning, and community building, Centering supports positive health behaviors and drives better health outcomes.     

CHI is a non-profit organization that works closely with healthcare providers from all sectors to drive healthcare transformation. With over two decades of experience as the go-to resource for group care, CHI has implemented and sustained the Centering model in nearly 500 practice sites and some of the largest health systems in the ​world. CHI has an annual operating budget of $7.8M, built through multiple revenue streams, including $6M coming from national philanthropic contributions and $1.8M from earned revenue activities and individual donors, making CHI an organization that drives success and impact through both business and social impact lenses, which is key to CHI’s identity. Net assets as of December 31, 2022 were $14.6M.

CHI is a fully remote organization with 40 staff nationally and an engaged and connected Board of Directors. The CEO reports to the Board of Directors and directly manages an Executive team of four:​ ​​a ​Chief Administrative Officer, ​a ​Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Strategy Officer, and a Chief Experience Officer.

CHI’s practice sites – and their clinical staff and patients – faced significant challenges due to the pandemic, as in-person and group care was disrupted. Several clinics reprioritized care to address COVID, shifting away from offering maternity or pediatric care, other practice sites closed, and many families could not access Centering groups due to COVID restrictions. As the US healthcare system realigns to a new normal at the end of the pandemic, CHI is entering a period of stabilization and has recently developed an Adaptive Plan to guide and focus our work into 2024. This thoughtful plan, collaboratively designed by the staff, board, and external consultants, outlines key priorities for the organization, including organizational strength, site retention, and data strategy. The new CEO will begin a comprehensive and inclusive strategic planning process in 2024, serving as the roadmap to and through CHI’s next exciting chapter of growth, change, impact, and scale.

About the CEO position
CHI seeks a visionary, values-driven leader, who is rooted in equity, leads with empathy, and authentically animates the fundamental values that make the Centering model so successful—challenging inequitable systems, centering relationships and care, inclusion, and valuing all voices. They are genuinely and deeply passionate about and committed to work addressing and ultimately eliminating racial health disparities in the US: solving the Black maternal and birthing people health crisis, eradicating infant mortality disparities, and equalizing early childhood and parenting support in healthcare. They bring exposure to and a deep understanding of the intersectional issues contributing to health inequities and an optimism, conviction, and firm belief in the Centering model as a path to change and impact.

The next leader will bring knowledge and acumen around public health, maternal health, and pediatric health, as well as the healthcare system's challenges and pressures. They will understand and thrive at navigating the complex landscape of healthcare–a variety of providers, payers, and policies that impact the delivery of care. The new leader will have experience leading innovation, growth, and change, all informed by data, which is vital to CHI's next chapter of success. Through an inclusive and collaborative process, the new CEO will lead the design and implementation of the strategic plan that charts the course for CHI to grow significantly and scale its evidence-based programs.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a leader to work with a passionate and brilliant Board and staff to have a deep and meaningful impact by disrupting entrenched, inequitable systems and improving the quality of care across the country.  

A strong business and social impact orientation is essential for the next leader to bring to each key responsibility and function of the role listed below.  

Priority Responsibilities

Culture and Values

• Authentically animate the values, ethos, and spirit that make the Centering model so successful through facilitation strategies, bringing lived experiences to the forefront, and building community to advance our work 
• Employ shared power by working together with colleagues towards a shared vision, bringing empathy into governance, bringing an authentic connection, valuing other’s voices, and responding to them 
• As a practice, work to understand the experiences, successes, and challenges of CHI’s ability to implement Centering and our clinical partners’ delivery of the model to ensure a continuous feedback loop of listening, learning, understanding, and adapting. 
• Enhance the remote culture by navigating the specific challenges of connecting and collaborating virtually      

Strategy and Executive Leadership

• Collaboratively design CHI’s strategic plan and chart the path to growth and scale across the next five years.
• Empower and inspire the Executive Team to lead growth and change with their teams and among each other
• Maintain a deep knowledge and understanding of the changing and complex landscape of health care, including providers, policies, and payers, and how changes across the system affect the Centering program
• Prioritize robust data collection methodologies and advance data-driven decision-making throughout the organization 
• Engage the Board of Directors in regular communication to best leverage their time, expertise, and resources

Revenue Generation

• Ensure CHI has the revenue required to grow and scale 
• Develop, cultivate, and deepen relationships with key philanthropic funders through stories of impact, data-informed results, a clear strategy for growth and change, and an engaging communication style
• Identify new philanthropic funders, opportunities, and trends regionally and nationally

Storytelling and Communication

• Elevate CHI’s name, model, and impact on the national stage     
• Authentically share the powerful Centering story with funders and key partners to raise awareness nationally, regionally, and locally 
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for CHI, representing the organization at regional and national convenings, conferences, and events

Desired Skills, Knowledge, and Experiences
Please know that the CHI Search Committee recognizes that not every candidate will bring all the knowledge, skills, and experiences listed below and welcomes candidates from various experiences.

• A record of empathetic, values-driven, and equity-centered leadership and management
• Progressive leadership experience in the healthcare sector
• A business and social impact orientation 
• A record of using data to inform innovations, strategy, and organizational changes
• Experience growing and scaling an organization or program
• Knowledge of healthcare policy at the state and federal level 
• Strong, clear, and transparent communication skills with the ability to engage, connect and inspire a variety of audiences
• Experience cultivating genuine relationships based on trust, a shared sense of purpose, and an authentic desire for impact
• Experience overseeing essential executive functions, including strategy, finance, operations, and programs