Ameya Pawar Named Next CEO of Michael Reese Health Trust
The Board of Trustees of Chicago-based Michael Reese Health Trust today announced that Ameya Pawar has been named its next President and CEO effective September 9. Michael Reese Health Trust is a public foundation that combines grantmaking, incubation, and advocacy to address systemic barriers to health for all Chicagoans.
“We are delighted to welcome Ameya to Michael Reese,” said Mally Rutkoff, Michael Reese board chair. “Through a national search with Koya Partners, Ameya stood out immediately, impressing us with his resourcefulness and time-tested ability to build coalitions and deliver impact. He brings to us a powerful and proven capability to further advance our work in grassroots and systems change. I can think of no one better to lead us through our next chapter as a public foundation and to further our impact as a leading voice in health equity in Chicago.”
With fifteen years of experience in senior leadership positions across government, non-profit advocacy, think tanks, and the private sector, Pawar brings a steadfast commitment to social, economic, and racial justice, which provides a strong foundation for leading the strategic vision for Michael Reese’s long-term growth, impact in the community, and delivery of its mission. He was the first Asian and Indian American ever elected to the Chicago City Council and while in office, he focused legislative efforts around social justice, worker rights, and economic justice, including raising the city’s minimum wage, guaranteeing paid sick leave, and combatting wage theft. He also led over half a billion in economic development, including new affordable housing developments and improvements to neighborhood high schools.
“My career has been spent focusing on social justice, leveraging a variety of approaches to make life better for people in Illinois. Michael Reese’s status as a public foundation, working at the intersection of so many important issues, allows me the opportunity to leverage a new area of change-making,” Pawar said. “As someone deeply connected to the Jewish community, with family roots tied to Holocaust survivors, I am proud to further Michael Reese’s legacy and continue our commitment to Jewish institutions. I have built my career on a commitment to making the world a more just and equitable place, and I couldn’t be more honored to lead Michael Reese Health Trust as it uses its public status to build a healthier Chicago.”
Pawar succeeds Gayla Brockman, who joined Michael Reese in 2016 and earlier announced her decision to step down later this year to return to Kansas City. During her tenure, she has been a catalyst for change, including her visionary direction to establish the organization as a public charity after nearly thirty years as a private foundation formed from the sale of Michael Reese Hospital.
About Michael Reese Health Trust
Michael Reese Health Trust advances equitable access to health solutions for all Chicagoans and carries forward the vision of Michael Reese Hospital’s Jewish founders and the generations of philanthropic leadership they inspired. Through its incubation, grantmaking, and advocacy programs, Michael Reese partners with organizations across Chicago to address an intersection of issues that ultimately create healthier lives: ending homelessness, preventing domestic violence, building a healthcare workforce, and supporting Jewish-led organizations so their services are within reach of anyone in Chicago who needs them. By carrying on the values of Michael Reese Hospital, Michael Reese provides quality, compassionate, and accessible health solutions for all Chicagoans.
Press Contact: Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Communications Director, Jordyn Landberg, for more information or to arrange an interview.