Knitasha Washington DHA, MHA, FACHE

Dr. Knitasha V. Washington is a prominent figure in healthcare transformation serving in the capacity of thought leader, advocate, researcher, performance improvement, and health equity expert. She has been leading innovation working with healthcare systems, U.S. government agencies, and numerous policymaker groups to ensure that patient-centered and equitable approaches are at the heart of healthcare redesign, quality, and safety improvement efforts. Dr. Washington founded and serves as President and CEO of ATW Health Solutions, a healthcare advisory and research innovations firm based in Chicago, Illinois. She also serves as a board member for National Quality Forum (Washington DC) and Grand Prairie Behavioral Health Services (Illinois). Shaped by her passion and belief in social justice, Knitasha has earned recognition nationally for her work in quality improvement, patient and family engagement, health equity, and patient safety.

Dr. Washington brings more than 30 years of national thought leadership that drives innovative solutions to improve outcomes for communities of color. In 2009, she lost her father to a preventable medical error; an event that dramatically inspired her sense of urgency for quality improvement with an integrated approach to eliminating harm for vulnerable populations and thus inspiring the start of her own healthcare consulting practice ATW Health Solutions; named in his legacy.

Knitasha is credited for being a key thought leader for the work of the CMS's large-scale quality improvement efforts with the Partnership for Patients Campaign and Transforming Clinical Practice Initiatives. Dr. Washington is a fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and received her Doctorate of Health Administration Degree from Central Michigan University, Master of Health Administration from Governors State University, and Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Business Administration from Chicago State University.