Staying True to Our Work In Uncertain Times

Dear Friends and Partners,  

Over the past month, the current federal administration’s actions have sparked widespread concern, creating chaos, fear, and instability across our country and our city. To you, our trusted partners, let me be clear: these actions go against the values we hold dear at Michael Reese Health Trust. We will not back down from our commitment to health equity in Chicago. 

This commitment stems from Michael Reese Hospital’s legacy, which is hardcoded into our organizational DNA and continues to guide all our work today.

Please allow me to elaborate.  

Michael Reese Hospital was founded in 1881 by Chicago’s Jewish community with a bold vision to fight discrimination that denied healthcare to Jewish immigrants and many others. Guided by Tikkun Olam, the Jewish principle of “repairing the world,” the founders created a hospital that served everyone, regardless of religion, race, or ability to pay. For over a century, Michael Reese didn’t just treat illness— it transformed public health in Chicago.  

Today, we find ourselves in a moment of deep mistrust— of institutions, of leadership, of systems meant to serve the public. But Michael Reese’s legacy reminds us that institutions matter— especially those guided by service to all. They are the foundation of a healthy society, ensuring that no one is left behind. We need more institutions like Michael Reese: places built on trust, inclusion, and a relentless commitment to the common good.  

In carrying the hospital’s torch forward, we’re committed to rebuilding trust in institutions, advancing health equity, protecting vital health systems, advocating for inclusive policies, and forging broad coalitions for change. Most importantly, as always, we will do this work with you— our partners.

In December, we engaged with our partners to understand how we can best support them. One key area of focus emerged— advocacy. In response, we re-launched Staying Strong, a collective of over 40 advocacy and foundation partners working together to safeguard health equity. Additionally, our Health First Collaborative is establishing a responsive grantmaking fund to address immediate threats to the healthcare safety net. These initiatives are just the beginning, and additional efforts are underway. 

We know that the last few weeks have been difficult and painful, but please know this: Michael Reese Health Trust will never back down. Our team stands with you in the fight for health equity, justice, and a better future for all. 

With strength and solidarity, 

Ameya Pawar

President and CEO,

Michael Reese Health Trust

Meet Michael Reese’s New Program Directors: Rashonda Johnson, PhD and Gina Massuda Barnett, MPH

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Rashonda Johnson, PhD as the new Program Director, Strategic Initiatives and Gina Massuda Barnett as Program Director, Health Workforce. 

As the Program Director, Strategic Initiatives, Rashonda will manage current Michael Reese strategic initiatives and support the development of new and emerging health projects that support community-led innovation and power-building. Rashonda will also manage the Health First Collaborative (HFC), a collaboration of funding partners, community organizations, and other stakeholders working together to strengthen public health infrastructure through grantmaking, advocacy, and learning. 

As the Program Director, Health Workforce, Gina will play a pivotal role in driving the foundation’s mission to strengthen the health workforce and integrate community health workers permanently into the public health system. Gina will leverage the trusted expertise and lived experiences of community health workers to enhance the health and well-being of Chicagoland communities. 

These roles will be at the forefront of redefining philanthropy by creating new approaches centered on community needs, ideas, and input. As Program Directors at Michael Reese Health Trust, they will focus on building partnerships that bridge public and private sectors to address the region’s most pressing health challenges.

Join us in welcoming Rashonda and Gina! Connect with Rashonda and Gina directly to learn more.

About Rashonda and Gina:

Rashonda Johnson, PhD,  Program Director, Strategic Initiatives 

Dr. Rashonda Johnson is a highly accomplished leader specializing in program and project management, grant development and writing, strategic partnerships, and research. With a focus on social justice, DEI, and health equity, Dr. Johnson has previously driven significant initiatives in public health and worked extensively with funders at the local, state, and federal levels. She most recently served as a researcher at Evident Change and was instrumental in crafting research and evaluation methodologies for social justice initiatives.  Prior to this role, Dr. Johnson also served as the Director of Health Justice at Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC) and was responsible for the oversight of a robust portfolio of programming targeting HIV, substance use, and incarceration.  

Dr. Johnson, a Chicago native, is passionate about collaborating with communities to identify problems, assess strengths, and work towards equitable and lasting solutions.  

She holds a PhD in Community Psychology from National Louis University and advanced degrees in Social Work from the University of Illinois Chicago and Springfield. Known for her transformational leadership and passion for systemic change, Dr. Johnson combines academic rigor with practical experience to make a lasting impact.  

Outside of her professional work, Dr. Johnson loves to read, exercise, and engage in DIY projects. 

Gina Massuda Barnett, MPH, Program Director, Health Workforce 

Gina Massuda Barnett is a seasoned public health leader. She most recently served as the Deputy Director of Public Health Programs at the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), the state-certified public health department for most of suburban Cook County, Illinois. In this role, Gina oversaw the Division of Community Health and the community health planning process for CCDPH’s jurisdiction. She further provided strategic management of the COVID-19-related grants awarded to CCDPH to ensure alignment with the agency’s strategic direction and priorities.     

Gina has more than 20 years of experience with CCDPH where she cultivated strong partnerships and led organizational and community change initiatives promoting healthy living and equity. She has been recognized for her leadership in public health and holds a Bachelor’s in Science degree from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s in Public Health degree with a concentration in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health. 

In her personal time, Gina finds joy in connecting with her husband and two children, spending time with family and friends, and being physically active – especially in nature.  

Stay connected for the latest updates and news.

Our Newest Board Members: Welcoming Innovation and Leadership

We are excited to introduce and welcome our newest board members: Lee Miller and Dr. David Rubovits.

Both Lee and David share a profound commitment to addressing healthcare challenges, advancing diversity and inclusion, and enhancing community well-being. Their combined expertise and passion for fostering healthy, inclusive communities will bring valuable perspectives to our board. We are excited to see the positive impact Lee and David will have as we continue to strive towards our vision of that every community has the resources needed to be a healthy and safe place for people live, learn, work and play.

Join us in welcoming Lee Miller and Dr. David Rubovits!

Lee Miller

Lee Miller has extensive leadership experience spanning various roles including Operating Partner, Board Member, and Chairman of the Investment and Management Committees at Abundant Venture Partners, focusing on healthcare challenges. Previously, he was the Former Global Chair/Partner at DLA Piper. Lee is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal community, notably through his involvement in the Project for Attorney Retention (PAR) Diversity and Flexibility Connection. He has served on multiple boards including JUF/JF and Sinai Health System, chairing committees such as Audit and Government Affairs. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

Dr. David Rubovits

David Rubovits, Ph.D., currently serves as JUF’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing organizational health, resource allocation, and strategic implementation to enhance efficiency. He will retire from this role on June 30, 2024. Previously, David was Senior Vice President, Planning & Allocations, managing a broad network of agencies and programs. With over 30 years in nonprofit management and psychology, he has contributed significantly to JUF, including roles on the JUF/JF Board and leadership of key committees like the Metropolitan Chicago Population Study. David earned his degrees from the University of Illinois and the University of Houston.

With the addition of Lee and David, our 17-member board is strengthened by their diverse experiences and unwavering dedication to advancing health equity. We eagerly anticipate the fresh perspectives they will bring to our team and the positive impact they will have on our strategic direction.

Stay connected for the latest updates and news.

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.

Our Continued Commitment: Addressing Homelessness After Grants Pass v. Johnson

The Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson represents a significant setback for people experiencing homelessness that will have repercussions across our entire country. In Chicago, nearly 19,000 people experience unsheltered homelessness on a given night with significantly fewer shelter beds available to them. It is cruel and unusual punishment to arrest or ticket people for sleeping outside simply because they have no other safe place to go.

By upholding the criminalization of homelessness, the court has ignored the human right that all people deserve to live dignified lives, further harming people who are already struggling.

Despite this disappointing ruling, Michael Reese remains steadfast in our commitment to advocating for humane solutions that address the root causes of homelessness. We will continue our work to ensure all people in Chicago are given the resources needed to live healthy lives.

Stay up to date on our ongoing efforts to end homelessness: https://wearemichaelreese.org/connect

Beyond the Ballot: Moving Forward After the Referendum

While we are disappointed by the outcome of the Bring Chicago Home Referendum, our commitment to addressing homelessness in our city remains unwavering. Though the referendum did not pass, it has sparked vital conversations, brought many new voices to the table, and raised awareness about the urgent need for affordable housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness across Chicagoland. 

The result of this referendum underscores the complexities of homelessness and the challenges we face in addressing its causes. But it also serves as a reminder of the importance of continued advocacy and collaboration in finding solutions. Regardless of how you voted, we invite you to work together with us and others as we continue the work toward ending homelessness. 

We remain committed in our efforts to find and support innovative ways to ensure every member of our community has access to safe and stable housing. 

Stay up to date on our ongoing efforts to end homelessness: https://wearemichaelreese.org/connect

Support of Bring Chicago Home on behalf of Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness

Emily Krisciunas and Kathy Niedorowski lead Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness, a collaborative of more than 30 Chicago area grantmakers working to end homelessness.

More than five years ago, a group of grassroots leaders unified around a shared vision: a vision to end homelessness for thousands of families across Chicago. That vision, shaped by people most impacted by homelessness, became Bring Chicago Home. On March 19, Chicago voters have the power to help make this vision a reality.

Bring Chicago Home presents our city with a unique opportunity to invest more than $100 million every year—$1 billion over the next decade—in what we know works to end homelessness: permanent housing. Bring Chicago Home was born out of the urgent and ever-growing need to address our city’s housing and homelessness crisis in a meaningful way. Crucially, it would create a new vehicle to address the primary driver of homelessness in our city: the lack of safe, stable, affordable housing.

Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness (CFTEH), the organization we are honored to lead, is a collaborative of local grantmakers. Our foundation members invest more than $30 million annually to address homelessness, supporting essential interventions like emergency shelter, transitional housing, and wrap-around services. Beyond that, CFTEH has awarded nearly $3 million over the last year alone to support advocacy, community organizing, and narrative change efforts throughout the region, including Bring Chicago Home.

CFTEH’s strategy centers racial equity and housing justice— an acknowledgment that:

• housing is a human right,
• that homelessness is perpetuated by systemic racism and exclusionary housing policies,
• and that the scale of any intervention should be proportional to the scale of the injustice.

Through our work, we focus on promoting more equitable housing policy, aligning public and private resources, and shifting power to communities most impacted by homelessness.

For years, the City of Chicago has directed far less than other major cities to end homelessness. Moreover, the resources directed by the city are often inflexible and narrowly focused on important but short-term responses like emergency shelter and outreach, which support people experiencing literal homelessness but not the tens of thousands of people living doubled up, couch surfing, or living under the threat of violence. Bring Chicago Home presents us with an opportunity to restructure and make more progressive the Real Estate Transfer Tax, legally dedicating the increased and far more flexible revenue to create permanent affordable housing for people and families experiencing many forms of housing instability.

As we lead CFTEH, we have the privilege of listening every day to people who know more than we do about how to end homelessness: people with lived expertise, case managers, healthcare workers, advocates, and community organizers. Last spring, we hosted a series of listening sessions with these experts to understand their top priorities for the incoming Mayor.

The group quickly aligned around two priorities: 1) A new, senior-level official in the Mayor’s Office to quarterback the city’s efforts to end homelessness; and 2) A new, dedicated revenue stream to significantly expand access to permanent housing. We weren’t surprised. Through our work with peer cities, these two interconnected recommendations are routinely cited as essential to unlocking progress around ending homelessness.

To that end, CFTEH is proud to be funding the city’s first-ever Chief Homelessness Officer role, and to have joined Mayor Brandon Johnson and many of our partners last fall as he signed an Executive Order codifying this new position. We are also proud to be enthusiastic supporters of Bring Chicago Home. For four years, we have supported the campaign’s efforts to build community power, deepen public and political will to end homelessness, and secure a dedicated revenue source from the city.

We know that homelessness is solvable with permanent housing, and that the way to create permanent housing at a sustainable scale is with significantly more resources from the public sector. We know that for the city’s new Chief Homelessness Officer to be effective, they will need new, flexible, expanded public sector resources at their disposal. And we know that many advocates, organizers, providers, and funders—including us—who have stood behind Bring Chicago Home for many years, will partner closely with the city to ensure both public accountability and also the strategic, efficient, equitable use of these funds.

To be sure, opponents will continue to criticize and litigate the Bring Chicago Home effort, arguing that a more progressive RETT will be catastrophic to local commercial real estate development. More accurately, the progressive structure would bring Chicago’s Real Estate Transfer Tax into greater parity with many of its peer cities, generate revenue for new construction while creating new jobs, and connect thousands of Chicagoans to permanent housing. We invite groups opposed to this transformative opportunity into dialogue with CFTEH and with people most impacted by homelessness about how Bring Chicago Home can do two things at once—ensure that far fewer Chicagoans are sleeping on the street and living doubled up, while generating positive economic impact for the city, too.

As we approach the election tomorrow, we are reminded of a piece in The Atlantic in which journalist Annie Lowrey wrote: “America insists on repeating this lesson over and over again, never really learning it: no amount of private initiative or donor generosity can or will ever do what government can.” It is our tremendous honor to lead Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness, but no amount of generosity or ingenuity by a funder collaborative or a single foundation will ever come close to realizing the potential in front of us through Bring Chicago Home.

Michael Reese Health Trust Announces CEO Transition 

President and CEO Gayla Brockman will be stepping down and leaving her role at Michael Reese Health Trust by the end of 2024. She informed the board and staff of her decision in December 2023 and now other key stakeholders as the search for her replacement is getting under way.  

Gayla, a Kansas City native, will be moving back to her hometown to be closer to her parents and daughter. Until a successor is successfully onboarded, Gayla will continue working closely with the board of directors and staff to ensure the continuation of Michael Reese’s mission.  

“Gayla has left an indelible mark on Michael Reese Health Trust, our grantee partners, and the broader Chicago community we serve,” said Mally Rutkoff, Michael Reese board chair. “We are so grateful for the profound impact she has made on our work to build the resources Chicago needs to be a healthy and safe place for people to live, learn, work, and play. Under Gayla’s transformational leadership, Michael Reese has become a leading voice for health equity in Chicago, driving both grassroots and systems change that our organization will build on for decades to come.”  

Since assuming the CEO role in 2016, Gayla has been a catalyst for change. One of Gayla’s greatest achievements at Michael Reese has been 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.  As a public foundation, Michael Reese can better leverage its expertise and assets, as well as partner with the community to incubate innovative initiatives and scale best practice solutions. Leveraging the transition to a public platform, for example, Michael Reese became a key player in coordinating Chicago’s collective response to COVID-19, establishing a collaborative effort of nearly 85 community-based organizations that worked to ensure an equitable rollout of the COVID-19 vaccinations across Chicago, vaccinating hard-to-reach residents. 

“It has been a privilege to lead Michael Reese Health Trust through the journey toward becoming a public foundation with all the doors this path opens for us and for our community,” said CEO Gayla Brockman. “While we have the months ahead to thoughtfully complete this leadership transition, I am proud of what we have already achieved together. I am certain the board will find a new CEO who will continue to champion health justice.” 

Stay connected for the latest updates and news.

Michael Reese Health Trust Commits Half a Million Dollars to Affordable Housing Ballot Resolution (Bring Chicago Home) 

In November, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution to put affordable housing on the March 2024 mid-term election ballot for voters. 

If passed, the resolution would increase the real estate transfer tax (RETT) on properties sold at any price over $1 million and decrease the RETT on properties sold for less than that. The tax would create a new revenue stream legally dedicated to providing permanent affordable housing to people experiencing homelessness. 

Modeled on successful initiatives in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, advocates in the homelessness sector have long championed dedicated revenue from the city as a critical piece to ending homelessness.  

Michael Reese Health Trust is proud to support the affordable housing ballot resolution (also known as Bring Chicago Home), giving half a million dollars to the campaign. Additionally, Michael Reese is the home of Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness, a funder collaborative mobilizing its 30+ members to support Bring Chicago Home. 

“In a city where over 6,000 people experience homelessness on any given day, we know a dedicated source of public funding is a necessary component to solving homelessness in Chicago,” said Blair Harvey, MSW, Chief Program Officer at Michael Reese. “Advocates, service providers, community, labor and faith-based organizations and funders have spent decades working to move the needle on homelessness. Michael Reese sees the affordable housing ballot resolution as a culmination of these efforts and a defining moment for Chicago.”