Celebrating Black Leaders Transforming Healthcare Today
At Eko, we’re inspired by clinicians and care leaders who challenge the status quo and expand what’s possible in medicine. In recognition of Black History Month, we’re spotlighting Black leaders whose work is shaping a more equitable, compassionate future for care — from the exam room to health systems, classrooms, and communities.
Advancing care through equity, education, and action
Building upon the long history of predecessors who have broken barriers and glass ceilings, these leaders are actively transforming healthcare with work that influences how clinicians care for patients now and into the future.
Jerome Adams, MD, MPH — Former U.S. Surgeon General; Distinguished Medical Advisor to Eko
As a physician and public health leader, Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, served as the 20th U.S. Surgeon General — becoming the first Black physician to hold the office.
During his time in that role, Adams issued formal advisories and national reports on substance use disorder, smoking cessation, and chronic disease prevention — areas that disproportionately affect Black communities — including a landmark advisory encouraging expanded access to naloxone to prevent opioid overdose.¹
Through this work, he reinforced the role of clinicians and health systems in translating public health science into everyday care decisions and advancing more equitable health outcomes.
In August 2025, Adams joined Eko as Distinguished Medical Advisor, bringing his expertise in prevention and public health to help guide how Eko supports clinicians in earlier detection, stronger patient–provider trust, and more equitable care delivery.
Keith Ferdinand, MD, FACC — Cardiologist; national expert in hypertension and cardiovascular disparities
Keith Ferdinand’s clinical and research work has helped reshape how cardiovascular disease and hypertension are understood and treated, particularly among Black and other high-risk populations.
As a cardiologist, he's advanced evidence-based approaches that address disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.
By grounding equity in measurable clinical data, Ferdinand has helped shift cardiovascular care from acknowledging disparities to actively closing them, pushing for earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment of hypertension, and prevention strategies that reflect a broader effort to advance heart health equity, particularly for Black patients who continue to face higher rates of heart disease and stroke.2
Uché Blackstock, MD — Founder and CEO, Advancing Health Equity
Uché Blackstock has centered her work on confronting racial bias and inequities in health care to improve access to high-quality care for all.
Drawing on her experience as a Harvard-trained emergency physician, Blackstock has been a vocal critic of how bias, clinical decision-making, and institutional structures contribute to unequal treatment and outcomes for patients of color.
As founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, she partners with health systems, academic institutions, and organizations to embed equity into clinical practice, leadership strategies, and accountability mechanisms — urging care systems to change not just how they talk about inequities, but how they deliver care in ways that dismantle racism within the health care system.3
Ernest Grant, PhD, RN — Former President, American Nurses Association
Ernest Grant’s leadership reflects the essential role nurses play in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.
A longtime bedside nurse and nationally recognized burn care expert, Grant first gained national attention for his work treating victims of the September 11 attacks, earning the Nurse of the Year Award in 2002 from President George W. Bush for his leadership in burn trauma care and fire safety.
Building on that clinical expertise, Grant became the first man elected to serve as president of the American Nurses Association in 2018, using that platform to elevate the role of nurses in patient safety, care quality, vaccine advocacy, and health equity nationwide.4
Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD — Physician and epidemiologist
Camara Phyllis Jones is a nationally recognized physician, epidemiologist, and health equity leader whose work has reshaped how the public health community understands racism’s impact on health.
In her landmark article in the American Journal of Public Health, she introduced the influential “Levels of Racism” framework, outlining how institutionalized, personally mediated, and internalized racism drive inequities in health outcomes.5
Throughout her career — including her tenure as President of the American Public Health Association — Jones has called on clinicians, educators, and health systems to name racism explicitly and address it as a structural determinant of health, helping move conversations about disparities toward accountability and systemic change.
Their work and impact endure
Together, these Black healthcare leaders reflect a shared commitment to improving care and trust between patients and healthcare teams. Their work demonstrates how meaningful progress in healthcare happens through action — at the bedside, within care teams, and across the systems that support them.
As we recognize Black History Month, we celebrate not only their leadership and our shared commitment to advancing equity, but the lasting impact their work continues to have on patients, clinicians, and communities.
References
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on naloxone and opioid overdose. Published April 5, 2018.
2. Ferdinand, Keith C., et al. “Disparities in hypertension and cardiovascular disease in blacks: The critical role of medication adherence.” The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, vol. 19, no. 10, 30 Aug. 2017.
3. “About Dr Uché Blackstock.” Dr Uché Blackstock. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
4. “Dr. Ernest J. Grant: A Leader in Burn Care, Vaccine Advocacy, and Nursing Leadership" Washington State University College of Nursing, 14 Feb. 2025,
5. Jones, Camara Phyllis. “Levels of racism: A theoretic framework and a gardener’s tale.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 90, no. 8, 1 Aug. 2000, pp. 1212–1215.
