Meet the President & CEO

Dr. Jessica Henderson Boyd is the President and CEO of Unity Health Care, one of the largest networks of community health centers in the country, serving one out of every eight DC residents. A sixth-generation DMV native, Dr. Boyd knew from a young age that she wanted to be a doctor. She has deep leadership experience in the delivery of health care to medically underserved communities and has remained steadfast in her commitment to advancing health equity. 

She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and her Doctorate in Medicine and Master’s degree in Biology and Biomedical Science from Washington University School of Medicine. After graduating from medical school and completing a pediatric residency, pediatric pulmonary fellowship, and Master's degree in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Dr. Boyd began her career as a pediatrician at a community health center where she felt she could have the most impact. She spent the next six years working at Baltimore Medical System where she built a pediatric asthma program, spent time as both a center medical director and director of school-based health, and developed a quality program, ultimately becoming the system’s chief medical officer. 

Following this experience, she joined the global management consulting firm McKinsey and Company to expand her experience in the healthcare industry. There she developed a problem-solving and strategic toolkit, supported large-scale transformations, and focused on system thinking to create impact.

Dr. Boyd then moved to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and served as their medical strategist. Her work at the Foundation focused on organizational strategic planning including the development of a long-term strategic plan, partnering with leaders to drive novel pharmaceutical investments, and progressing innovative care deliver models for the network of 130 accredited cystic fibrosis care centers.

In 2019, she joined Unity Health Care as the organization’s chief medical officer. During her tenure she led Unity’s COVID-19 pandemic response, expanding Unity’s services to include testing and vaccinations, and under her medical leadership, Unity partnered with DC Health to ensure the most vulnerable in the community could continue to safely receive primary care. She was appointed President and CEO of Unity Health Care by the Unity Board of Directors and assumed the role in January 2022. She is responsible for the organization's overall strategic direction, leading a team of nearly 1,000 employees and providing care to nearly 90,000 district residents at 27 locations across the city.