Alisahah Jackson

As CEO of Why Health Matters, Alisahah J. Jackson, MD, is a proven leader in empowering women to improve their health and the health of their families and communities. A staunch advocate for health equity, Dr. Jackson is fighting for all people to have the opportunity to be healthy — regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, income, or any other attribute.

For more than 15 years, she has designed strategies to improve population health, help vulnerable populations and drive health equity as a clinical, academic, and operations leader for multiple large health systems.

Dr. Jackson was named to Diversity MBA’s list of Top 100 Under 50 Emerging and Executive Leaders in 2021 and is a frequent speaker at industry events hosted by leading organizations like Becker’s Hospital Review, US News, HLTH, and more.

She serves on the national board of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit dedicated to building resilient and inclusive communities across the country, and previously served on several esteemed boards, including the Public Health Foundation, the American Hospital Association Center for Innovation, and the American Hospital Association Health, Research, and Education Trust as well as on the American Heart Association’s Diversity Leadership Committee.

Dr. Jackson received her undergraduate degrees in music and biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and earned her medical degree from Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, where she was a National Health Service Corp Scholar.

During her residency in Family Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center, she was in the Urban Track program, which allowed her to explore and refine her interest in serving those who are systematically excluded from our health care system — a passion that has never wavered.

When she’s not working, Dr. Jackson enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and playing the piano.