Fallon Health Names Katie Acker Health Equity Program Manager

WORCESTER — Fallon Health, a nationally recognized, not-for-profit healthcare-services organization, announced that Katie Acker has been named to the newly created role of Health Equity Program manager. Acker has more than 13 years of experience in healthcare and brings a unique perspective to the position, having held various leadership roles both in the U.S. and as a volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps.

In her new position, Acker is responsible for guiding Fallon Health’s equity strategy and program. She will work in collaboration with others throughout the organization as well as with external stakeholders to keep the organization focused on putting in place changes that will help reduce health disparities and increase equitable access for Fallon members.

“At Fallon Health, our long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion guides the decisions we make and the work we do,” said David Brumley, interim chief medical officer and vice president of Medical Affairs for Fallon Health. “This new role aligns with our commitment to dedicating resources directly to strategies and initiatives that address the unique needs of our members. Katie’s unique perspective on the deep and expansive health inequities our community faces make her ideally suited for the job.”

The addition of the Health Equity Program manager role to Fallon comes as the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the damaging effects of health disparities in healthcare. The impacts are well-documented and were recently discussed by Acker and Fallon Health President and CEO Richard Burke during Fallon’s most recent radio podcast.

Acker serves as chair of Fallon’s cross-functional Health Equity Workgroup and as a member of the organization’s Council for Cultural Competence. She previously served as a health-promotion specialist for government programs for Fallon from 2018 to 2021. Prior to that, she managed community health-education programs in both Seattle and Boston. She also spent two years as a community health and development volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic while attaining her master of public health degree from the University of Washington. Acker holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marymount University.

“Social and environmental factors outside of our control have an enormous impact on our health,” Acker said. “Fallon’s commitment to addressing inequities for members stands out among health plans, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with all stakeholders on our shared goal of eliminating inequities in the care our communities receive.”