Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun is an alumnus of the University of Michigan, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and George Washington University who previously served as Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer at CVS Health.

A firm believer that health outcomes aren’t just biological, but also a reflection of a wider systemic issue, Dr. Khaldun has dedicated her entire career to expanding medical care access for those who need it the most.

She doesn’t just speak truth to power; she does the work needed whenever necessary, never being afraid to get her hands dirty.

2019 was a hectic year for the medical industry as it fought to tackle the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet Dr. Khaldun responded with her usual calm, cool, and collected data-centered leadership approach.

It was a temperament that soon put her on the map as a leading voice for equitable healthcare policy.

That said, Khaldun had been preparing for something like a pandemic her entire career.

She received the bulk of her training as an emergency physician in high-pressure hospital settings like Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, and two years prior to COVID-19, in 2017, she even became Director of the Detroit Health Department.

It was a time when the city was still struggling to trust again in the aftermath of years of public disinvestment and state oversight, yet Dr. Khaldun dove right in, navigating neighborhoods on foot, speaking with residents one on one, and crafting policies that residents had an actual say in.

From there, in 2019, just months before the pandemic, Dr. Khaldun was appointed Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan.

Little did she know, she’d soon be seen standing beside Governor Gretchen Whitmer herself at national press conferences related to COVID-19, doing everything from prioritizing equality in vaccine rollout to advocating for data transparency.

At a time when chaos was rampant, she became a model of calm, dignified, Black female leadership that made Detroiters proud to claim her as one of their own.

Today, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun serves as the President and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), a role she doesn’t take lightly.

There, she continues to shape the future of public health with a fierce focus on equity and a “listen first, act when called, and never forget who needs you the most” approach coloring all she does.

She isn’t just another physician treating symptoms; she’s a builder of entire systems – driven, brilliant, and always operating with the highest level of care for the community she’s proud to call home.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: September 30, 2025