Neighborhood Health Plan last week announced it has appointed Richard Ward, a long-standing non-profit and business leader, as VP of Strategic Partnerships. Ward will manage the company’s relationships with community health centers and community-based organizations and will oversee the Partnership for Community Health, a grant program of NHP and Partners HealthCare, in collaboration with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, to support innovation in patient care.
“We are excited to have a leader like Richard with rich experience in philanthropy, community-based organizations and business strategy at the helm of our community partnerships program,” said Dana Rashti, NHP’s Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer. “There are so many opportunities for innovation and synergy based on common goals to remain competitive and efficient. Together, working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and our CHC partners, we can pilot new models of population health for integrated care, as well as network and payment solutions.”
Ward comes to NHP with deep strategic and business planning experience in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors. He has worked extensively with community foundations to build successful business models and strategies for a variety of constituencies. He has held leadership positions at The Boston Foundation, Brookline Community Foundation and the New England Center for Art and Technology, and was President of Verge Philanthropy Partners, a consulting firm specializing in strategic philanthropy and business planning.
“I look forward to building on NHP’s legacy of strong relationships and helping to advance the organization’s innovative goals around health equity and clinical care with its community partners,” said Ward.
In addition to managing relationships with community health centers and community-based organizations, Ward will take a leadership role in overseeing NHP’s Community Benefits and domestic violence prevention programs.
