President, City of Hope Atlanta
A dynamic leader with more than a decade of combined healthcare administration and general management experience, Jonathan Watkins, MPA, FACHE, joined City of Hope in October 2019. In this role as President of City of Hope Atlanta, Watkins provides strategic guidance for the hospital while working closely with leadership across the City of Hope Comprehensive Care Network.
Prior to joining City of Hope, Watkins served as chief executive officer at Broward Health Imperial Point, a 200-bed acute care facility in Broward County, Florida. Prior to that, he was chief operating officer at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals & Health Plan in California’s Central Valley area, where he facilitated, directed and coordinated operational activities and programs related to the day-to-day operations of three hospitals.
Previously, he served as vice president of clinical operations/chief operating officer of Methodist North Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was responsible for leading, developing and executing key business strategies, as well as directing and administering day-to-day operations.
Watkins holds a master’s degree in public administration with a certification in health administration, as well as a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and planning from Tennessee State University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Tennessee State University’s Beta Omicron Alumni Association. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and is board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Watkins was named the 2013 National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Young Healthcare Executive of the Year and is a past president of the Memphis chapter of NAHSE. In 2015 Watkins received the ACHE Tennessee Regent’s Award and in 2019 was recognized by the South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum with an ACHE Service Award. He was also recently featured in Legacy Magazine’s Most Powerful & Influential Black Leaders in Business and the Haitian Chamber of Commerce for his efforts in increasing diversity and inclusion in healthcare.
Watkins is extremely active in his community serving on the board of directors of the Metro Atlanta and Newnan Chamber of Commerce, Capella University’s School of Nursing Advisory Board, and Tennessee State University’s Public Health, Health Administration, and Health Sciences Advisory Board.