Kerry Watson, MA
Chief Executive Officer
A respected healthcare executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience, Watson has successfully led mission-driven health systems including UF Health St. Johns, Maui Health System, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, Memorial University Medical Center, and Duke University Health System. He began his career at Howard University Hospital (1982–1992) as an administrator in Radiology, marking a full-circle return to the institution that helped shape his leadership journey. As Interim CEO, Watson oversees operations and strategy, working closely with university and hospital leadership to advance quality, strengthen community partnerships, and reinforce HUH’s mission of delivering compassionate, equitable, and high-performing healthcare to the District of Columbia.
Jeffrey Foy, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CPHQ
Chief Operations Officer
Jeffrey Foy is the Chief Operations Officer for Howard University Hospital. With more than 20 years of progressive leadership in hospital operations, he brings deep expertise in emergency services, patient safety, and performance improvement. Before his appointment, he served as HUH’s Associate Chief Nursing Officer and previously held leadership roles with Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center and Jackson North Medical Center. At HUH, he oversees day-to-day operations across clinical and support services, focusing on efficiency, quality, and caregiver engagement. Foy’s leadership is defined by collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to advancing equitable, high-quality care for the patients and community HUH serves.
Vickey Allen, DNP, MSN, CRRN, CNML, NE-BC, QCP
Chief Nursing Officer
Dr. Vickey Allen is the Chief Nursing Officer for Howard University Hospital. With more than two decades of leadership in acute care, critical care, and rehabilitation nursing, Dr. Allen brings a proven record of operational excellence and team development. Before joining HUH, she served as Director of Nursing at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she led a five-star skilled nursing and subacute rehabilitation unit, achieving high employee and patient satisfaction scores. She has also held senior nursing leadership roles at Cobb Hospital/Atlanta Medical Center, driving quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and workforce engagement. At HUH, Dr. Allen oversees nursing operations, advancing clinical excellence, professional governance, and equitable, patient-centered care.
Leslie S. Jones, MD
Interim Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Leslie S. Jones is the Interim Chief Medical Officer for Howard University Hospital (HUH), bringing extensive clinical, academic, and administrative leadership to the role. A respected ophthalmologist and Howard alumna, she oversees daily clinical operations, medical staff activities, and evidence-based care across multiple service lines. Dr. Jones also serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Howard University Faculty Practice Plan, advancing value-based care, physician engagement, and care coordination. Her background includes national leadership in ophthalmology, research in glaucoma innovation, and global medical mission work. Known for her collaborative and patient-centered approach, she is committed to strengthening quality, safety, and health equity for the HUH community.
Scott Goodin
Chief Financial Officer
Scott Goodin is the Chief Financial Officer for Howard University Hospital. With over two decades of experience in healthcare financial leadership, Scott has successfully led hospital finance teams across California, Mississippi, New Jersey, and beyond. His expertise includes turnaround management, clinical documentation improvement, and strategic revenue cycle operations. Prior to joining HUH, Scott served as CFO for Southern California Hospitals and led a $19M financial turnaround at Delta Health System. At HUH, he oversees financial operations and collaborates with executive leadership to strengthen financial performance, ensure compliance, and support the hospital’s mission of care, education, and service.
Kevin E. Lofton, Chair
CEO of Amplify Ventures, LLC
Mr. Kevin E. Lofton serves as Chair of the HUHC Board of Directors and has been a member of the Howard University Board of Trustees since 2023. A nationally recognized healthcare leader with over 40 years of experience, he is the CEO of Amplify Ventures, LLC, an organization dedicated to executive leadership, governance and advocacy. Mr. Lofton currently serves on the Board of Directors for Medtronic plc, chairing its Quality Committee, and contributed significantly during his 15-year board tenure at Gilead Sciences, including four years as Lead Independent Director. As former CEO of CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., he was instrumental in its formation. Mr. Lofton’s prior CEO roles include Catholic Health Initiatives, the UAB Hospital, and Howard University Hospital. Renowned for his commitment to eliminating health disparities and advancing equity, he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Hospital Association in 2007, where he led the launch of the national Equity of Care Initiative. Mr. Lofton was recognized 15 times in Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.” In 2022, he co-founded The Lofton Institute to ELEVATE Health System Executives, Inc., an organization dedicated to preparing and mentoring the next generation of healthcare leaders for CEO roles in national and large regional health systems
Minnie V. Baylor-Henry, Esq.
President, B-Henry & Associates LLC
Ms. Minnie V. Baylor-Henry serves on the HUHC Board of Directors and has been a member of the Howard University Board of Trustees since 2018. An esteemed graduate of Howard University’s College of Pharmacy, she is president of B-Henry & Associates, LLC, and serves on the boards of several publicly traded life sciences companies. A nationally respected regulatory affairs leader, Ms. Baylor-Henry previously served as Worldwide Vice President for Regulatory Affairs for Johnson & Johnson’s Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group, directing global regulatory strategy. Her earlier J&J roles include Vice President for Global Regulatory & Medical Affairs at McNeil Consumer Healthcare and Senior Director of Pharmaceutical R&D. Ms. Baylor-Henry also held senior positions at Deloitte & Touche LLP and served as Director of the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications. She earned her B.S. in Pharmacy from Howard University and J.D. from Catholic University. Ms. Baylor-Henry chairs the Howard University College of Pharmacy Board of Visitors and serves as interim chair for the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Board of Visitors.
Richard Besser, MD
President & CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Dr. Richard Besser serves on the HUHC Board of Directors and has been a member of the Howard University Board of Trustees since 2022. He is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation’s largest private foundation dedicated solely to improving health, a role he assumed in 2017. A leading national voice on health equity, Dr. Besser advocates for racial justice, disability inclusion, and equitable responses to public-health emergencies, including COVID-19. Before joining RWJF, he served as chief health and medical editor for ABC News, providing medical analysis across all network platforms and engaging millions through weekly health discussions. Earlier in his career, Dr. Besser led key public-health initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and recipient of numerous honors, including the Surgeon General’s Medallion and the Dean’s Medal from Johns Hopkins. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Besser volunteered in community clinics nationwide for nearly three decades.
Roy Hawkins Jr., FACHE
Senior Vice President & President (Charlotte Area) Advocate Health
Mr. Roy Hawkins, Jr., serves on the HUHC Board of Directors and Chairs the Credentialing Committee. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and President of the Charlotte Area for Advocate Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare systems. In this role, Mr. Hawkins provides executive leadership for one of the country’s most dynamic and rapidly evolving healthcare markets, overseeing the operational, strategic, and cultural direction of a complex, multi-hospital ecosystem serving millions across North Carolina. His leadership is grounded in advancing clinical excellence, strengthening community and academic partnerships, expanding access to care, and fostering high-performing environments where patients, clinicians, and teams can thrive. Mr. Hawkins brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across academic, nonprofit, for-profit, and government healthcare systems. Prior to joining Advocate Health, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, one of the nation’s largest public hospitals. He has also held CEO and COO roles within the Jackson Health System, HCA Healthcare, and multiple Veterans Affairs healthcare organizations. A proud Howard University alumnus, Mr. Hawkins earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University and later completed a Master of Health Administration at Florida International University.
The Honorable Marie C. Johns
Chief Executive Officer, PPC-Leftwich
The Honorable Marie C. Johns serves on the HUHC Board of Directors and previously completed two terms on the Howard University Board of Trustees, from 2000 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2024. She is the chief executive officer of PPC-Leftwich, a minority-and woman-owned consulting firm specializing in management, operational effectiveness, and public policy. A distinguished business leader and former civil servant, Mrs. Johns was nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2010 to 2013. Her leadership helped deliver record-setting support to small businesses and launched key national initiatives serving veterans and underserved communities. Mrs. Johns is the former president of Verizon-Washington and a long-standing civic leader who has chaired numerous nonprofit boards. She is founding chair of the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science and has held multiple Board of Visitors roles across the University. Mrs. Johns has earned two degrees, a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Administration from Indiana University and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Howard University.
Eugene Washington, MD, MPH, MSc
Chancellor Emeritus, Duke University
Dr. A. Eugene Washington serves on the HUHC Board of Directors and joined the Howard University Board of Trustees in 2025. A nationally recognized leader in health policy and healthcare delivery, he is Chancellor Emeritus at Duke University, where he also served as President and CEO of the Duke University Health System. Before his tenure at Duke, Dr. Washington held major academic and executive leadership roles at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the University of California, Los Angeles, advancing clinical innovation, population health, and health-equity initiatives. He is an elected member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. A proud Howard University alumnus, Dr. Washington earned his Bachelor of Science and received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Howard in 2023. He completed medical training at UCSF, graduate studies at Harvard University and University of California Berkeley, and his residency at Stanford University.
