Dr. Lynnette Watkins Named to Massachusetts Health and Hospital Assoc. Board

BURLINGTON — Cooley Dickinson Health Care President and CEO Dr. Lynnette Watkins was voted onto the board of trustees of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Assoc. (MHA), which serves as the leading voice for the Commonwealth’s hospitals and health systems.

As an MHA board member, Watkins will help advance the healthcare community’s mission to provide high-quality, affordable, and equitable care for patients in Massachusetts.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Watkins to our board at a time when strong leadership is more critical than ever for our healthcare system,” MHA President and CEO Steve Walsh said. “In just her short time at the helm of Cooley Dickinson, Dr. Watkins has emerged as an extraordinary advocate for the patients, caregivers, and communities that the organization serves. Her expertise in care quality, patient safety, and financial management will be of tremendous value to the work of MHA and our members.”

MHA’s board of trustees continues to be at the center of the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. It also steers the direction of the association’s advocacy efforts on Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill.

In addition, the 2022 board will oversee the association’s strategy to address diversity, health equity, and inclusion, including the recently announced push to ensure diverse representation on governing boards.

Watkins, an ophthalmologist and healthcare administrator and leader, took over as president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care in September 2021. Prior to that, she was the group chief medical officer for the Baptist Health System/Tenet Healthcare – Texas Group.