Erika Simpson-Akpawu

About

Strategic healthcare operations and transformation executive with 20+ years of progressive leadership experience leading complex healthcare operations, multi-site ambulatory systems, organizational transformation initiatives, and operational performance improvement efforts across Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), community health organizations, and mission-driven healthcare environments. Proven ability to lead operational stabilization, workflow optimization, cross-functional implementation initiatives, healthcare systems improvement, and organizational scaling efforts while supporting patient-centered care delivery, operational sustainability, and workforce alignment. Experienced partnering with executive leadership teams, Boards, providers, operational stakeholders, IT, finance, and multidisciplinary teams to strengthen operational infrastructure, optimize workflows, and support organizational growth during periods of complexity and transition.

Experience

• Founder & Principal Consultant · Health Scope Consulting2022

  ▸ Advise healthcare organizations, community health centers, and mission-driven organizations on operational transformation, workflow optimization, healthcare delivery improvement, and organizational strategy initiatives. ▸ Lead and support operational improvement projects involving healthcare operations, systems coordination, process redesign, implementation support, and organizational effectiveness. ▸ Partner with executive leadership teams, Boards, providers, operational stakeholders, IT, and finance teams to identify operational gaps, strengthen accountability systems, and improve workflow efficiency. ▸ Develop KPI frameworks, operational dashboards, reporting tools, executive summaries, and performance tracking systems to support operational visibility and decision-making. ▸ Support healthcare organizations through periods of operational transition, growth, organizational restructuring, and systems improvement.

• Interim Chief Administrative Officer · LifeLong Medical Care2024 – 2025

  ▸ Provided executive oversight of Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, Procurement, and Patient Services across a large multi-site FQHC healthcare organization. ▸ Supported enterprise operational initiatives focused on workflow optimization, operational sustainability, workforce coordination, patient access, and healthcare delivery improvement. ▸ Coordinated cross-functional initiatives involving clinical operations, operational stakeholders, finance, IT, and administrative departments. ▸ Assisted leadership teams with implementation coordination, operational reporting, systems improvement initiatives, and organizational performance efforts.

• Interim Deputy Chief of Clinical Operations · LifeLong Medical Care2023 – 2024

  ▸ Coordinated operational activities across 6 health centers and 3 satellite locations within a highly matrixed ambulatory healthcare environment. ▸ Facilitated collaboration across clinical, operational, administrative, and support teams to improve workflow coordination, healthcare access, communication systems, and operational performance. ▸ Supported implementation efforts involving healthcare delivery optimization, process improvement, and organizational alignment initiatives.

• Interim Chief Executive Officer · West Oakland Health Council2021 – 2022

  ▸ Led enterprise-wide operational transformation initiatives across a $21M multi-site healthcare organization serving historically underserved populations. ▸ Directed cross-functional operations involving compliance, patient services, workforce operations, facilities, administrative services, and organizational infrastructure. ▸ Built KPI frameworks, executive dashboards, and operational reporting systems to strengthen accountability, operational visibility, and organizational performance management. ▸ Led workflow redesign, operational modernization, staffing coordination, and process improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, healthcare access, and organizational sustainability. ▸ Secured and operationalized more than $2M in funding to strengthen operational infrastructure and organizational capacity.

• Chief Operating Officer · West Oakland Health Council2019 – 2021

  ▸ Oversaw enterprise operations and administrative services across a complex multi-site community healthcare organization. ▸ Led operational improvement initiatives focused on workflow optimization, healthcare delivery coordination, workforce alignment, and organizational effectiveness. ▸ Coordinated cross-functional operational projects involving providers, operational leaders, multidisciplinary teams, and external stakeholders.

• Chief Operations Officer · Ravenswood Family Health Center2015 – 2019

  ▸ Directed operations across 16 service lines within a large multi-site FQHC organization supporting more than 55,000 annual patient visits. ▸ Led strategic operational initiatives involving patient access improvement, workflow redesign, healthcare delivery optimization, and operational scaling. ▸ Managed multidisciplinary operational teams while strengthening provider coordination, communication systems, workforce alignment, and organizational performance. ▸ Supported operational implementation efforts involving EHR workflows, healthcare systems coordination, and process improvement initiatives.

Education

• Touro University CaliforniaMaster of Public Health (MPH), Global Health Concentration
• Howard UniversityBachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Anthropology

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