Lowell, MA (February 7, 2024) – Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) is pleased to announce Jennifer Meehan as the organization’s new Chief Advancement and External Relations Officer. Jennifer brings not only established credentials as a fund development professional but also her passion as a community advocate, known for creating strategic, mission-driven initiatives.

Jennifer is adept in forging community connections and has a strong background in corporate communications and public relations. She previously worked in communications at organizations such as National Amusements, Mass. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and Weber Shandwick, and joined Lowell CHC on February 5th.

Read the story in the Boston Business Journal.

Susan West Levine, CEO of Lowell Community Health Center, shared, “2024 is a pivotal year for us as we plan significant programs like our Family Medicine Residency Program and Health Justice Learning Institute^Ó. Jennifer’s deep understanding and commitment to the Greater Lowell Community, along with her expertise, will be crucial as we create more healthcare jobs and expand primary care access for this community.”

Jennifer added, “As a long-time Lowell resident, I’ve seen the vital role Lowell CHC plays in this community. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of what will be transformational change for this community – changes that will create a new standard in collaborative healthcare education, one that is deeply intertwined with the principles of health justice, cultural proficiency, and community engagement.”

Jennifer’s previous work, experience, and dedication to the field of behavioral health have made lasting impacts, work she plans to continue at Lowell CHC. She previously served as Director of Development at Lowell General Hospital, where her relationship-based fundraising significantly enhanced the hospital’s corporate giving programs. Her master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy complements her practical experience, providing a strong foundation in strategic planning and governance.

Jennifer’s dedication to the Lowell community is evident through her involvement in various boards promoting education for women and girls. Her work with the Academy of Notre Dame, Women Working Wonders, Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell, and the Marty Meehan Education Foundation highlights her commitment to local service.

LOWELL, MA — [1/30/24] — Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) is pleased to announce Cara Marshall, M.D., as the Inaugural Director of its planned Family Medical Residency Program. Dr. Marshall’s extensive academic and professional journey, particularly in social medicine and community health, positions her ideally for the directorship.

Read the article in The Sun for news coverage of this announcement.

The Family Medicine Residency Program will be a key component of Lowell Community Health Center’s planned Health Justice Learning InstituteÓ and is set to become only the second accredited Teaching Health Center in Massachusetts operated by a Federally Qualified Health Center.

“Dr. Marshall’s addition to our team is a significant milestone for Lowell CHC. Her background in family medicine, commitment to equity and community health, and her dedication to fostering educational rigor are exactly what we need,” stated Dr. Kumble Rajesh, Chief Medical Officer of Lowell CHC. “Our program will emphasize a healthcare education that is grounded in community needs, practitioner leadership, and antiracism, and Dr. Marshall will be instrumental in embedding these values into our new residency initiative.”

A graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine through an accelerated B.S./M.D. program, Dr. Marshall completed her residency at Montefiore Medical Center’s Residency Program in Social Medicine. She has been recognized with several accolades, notably the Family Medicine Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Marshall brings experience in curriculum development and resident supervision from her previous roles. She has contributed to several initiatives on diversity and health equity.

Dr. Marshall noted, “joining Lowell CHC is an extraordinary chance to impact the future of family medicine and the delivery of healthcare within the community. We will be training doctors in Lowell, for Lowell.”

The residency will occupy a state-of-the-art 16,000-square-foot facility on the 5th floor of Lowell CHC, opening its doors to six residents annually starting in 2026. By year 3, the Family Medicine Residency program will provide more than 5,000 residents of Greater Lowell with 18 new Primary Care Providers.

Program residents will hone their skills, fully aware of the impacts of the social determinants of health such as racism and privilege, alongside other members of the care team. Our distinctive programs and innovative modelÓ will empower our next generation of physicians to be collaborative and committed to equity in their practice. The Residency will help prepare a diverse workforce to meet the growing need for cultural proficiency in healthcare settings – meaningfully & sustainably. Earlier this year, Lowell CHC received a $500,000 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for this residency program, developed in collaboration with Tufts Medicine. Collaborating with Tufts Medicine will enable Lowell CHC to meet rigorous accreditation standards which require resources beyond the health center, including inpatient hospital rotations for rounding, access to a medical library, and on-call rooms for residents to sleep during rotations. The medical residents will rotate between Lowell CHC and Tufts Medicine-affiliated hospitals, including Lowell General Hospital.

(Lowell, MA) – Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) has announced that Elizabeth Hale DNP, RN, CENP, will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately.  

Dr. Hale currently serves as Lowell CHC’s Chief Clinical Officer overseeing all clinical operations including nursing, clinical pharmacy, infection prevention, quality, integrated care management, behavioral health, occupational health, school-based health centers, and laboratory services. In this new and expanded role, Dr. Hale will continue to provide oversight for these services, and in addition will work to assure that our health center operations are aligned and integrated across our organization, with a focus on patient access, equity, experience, and quality of care.   

“I am delighted that Beth has accepted this challenge,” said Susan West Levine, CEO of Lowell CHC. “Beth’s knowledge of health care operations and commitment to excellent patient care make her a tremendous leader for the COO role.”  

Levine continued, “Beth will launch a broad, solutions-oriented operations team comprised of leaders across the organization that will focus on continuous performance improvement, identify timely solutions to operational challenges, ensure compliance with regulatory agencies, and provide a forum to respond to urgent matters as they arise.”    

Dr. Hale joined Lowell CHC in September 2015 as Chief of Clinical Services. During her tenure, she earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of New Hampshire and served as Incident Commander, successfully leading us, and our community, through the COVID pandemic response and, now, recovery.  

Dr. Hale earned both her MSN in Nursing and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to working at Lowell CHC, she served as Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Lawrence General Hospital and, prior to that, as Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH.