Goodwin House Elects Health Policy Expert Dr. Dora Hughes to Board of Trustees
Alexandria, Va. – Goodwin House Incorporated (GHI) announced that health care policy expert Dr. Dora Hughes has been elected to its Board of Trustees.
Dr. Hughes is Associate Research Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management at The George Washington University, where her work focuses on the intersection of clinical and community health, social determinants of health, health equity, health care quality and workforce. She joins a board comprised of leaders in health policy, financial services, insurance and other fields of expertise related to senior living and health care services.
“Dr. Hughes is a nationally-recognized leader in health care and she has a passionate commitment to improving the lives of older adults and the community in which she lives,” said Mary Lewis Hix, chair of the Goodwin House Board of Trustees. “We are grateful to Dora and look forward to applying her expertise to our mission, which calls us to support, honor and uplift older adults and those who care them.”
“I am honored to join the distinguished Goodwin House Board of Trustees and become part of an organization which models exceptional care for Northern Virginia’s older adult community,” said Dr. Hughes. “I look forward to working closely with the Board, senior leadership and staff to expand Goodwin House’s services and programs to address the needs of more older adults and the people who care for them.”
Dr. Hughes, an Alexandria resident, served for nearly four years in the Obama Administration as Counselor for Science & Public Health to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the Department of Health and Human Services. Her areas of responsibility included implementation of public health provisions of the Affordable Care Act, as well as signature legislation for Alzheimer’s.
Her career in health policy began as Senior Program Officer at the Commonwealth Fund, and then as Deputy Director for the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Dr. Hughes subsequently served as Health Policy Advisor to then-Senator Barack Obama.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington University, a Medical Degree from Vanderbilt University and Master’s Degree in Public Health from Harvard University.
The Goodwin House Board guides the governance and strategic directions of the organization. Goodwin House has entered year two of a new strategic plan focused on growing its mission and serving more older adults across the National Capital Region. More than 1,400 older adults are now served daily by Goodwin House’s senior living communities and growing portfolio of health care services supporting older adults who are aging in place in their homes throughout Northern Virginia.
Among other innovations, Goodwin House is known for the Health Care Center on its Alexandria campus which is the first and largest “small house” concept for older adult skilled care in the Mid-Atlantic region. Nearly $50 million in the making, this research-guided Health Care Center differs from the traditional institutional medical care environment from the moment you ring the front doorbell to each of the nine “small houses” that comprise the Health Care Center. The Center reinvents the nursing model into an interactive and engaging home environment.
RELATED: Senior Services of Alexandria: Alexandria, A Great Place to Age!
About GHI
Celebrating 53 years of providing exceptional service to older adults, Goodwin House Incorporated (GHI) is a not-for-profit, Virginia-based corporation affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Today, the strength of GHI begins with its clear statements of mission, vision and values, the stability and integrity of its boards and executive leadership and its reputation as a trusted partner and innovator in reimagining aging.
The growing family of GHI senior living communities and services owned and operated across Northern Virginia includes: two Life Plan Communities—Goodwin House Alexandria in Alexandria’s West End and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads in Falls Church, Fairfax County; an innovative continuing care at home program—Goodwin House at Home; and a portfolio of health care services and partnerships delivering Medicare-certified Home Health, Primary Care, Medicare-certified Hospice and Palliative Care to older adults throughout Northern Virginia. GHI also is the management agent for The Lewinsville Retirement Residences, Inc. serving low-income older adults in McLean and Great Falls, Virginia. GHI advances its mission through the Goodwin House Foundation, a 501(c)(3) supporting foundation that provides financial support to current and future residents in need and programs dedicated to promoting well-being and vibrant living as we age.
