A seasoned healthcare executive and public health policy leader, Miller currently serves as Chief Administrative Officer of Dignity Health’s Mercy Medical Group, following his role leading national health equity initiatives as a Vice President with CommonSpirit Health since 2019. 

Previously, he was the inaugural Director of Corporate Reputation and Thought Leadership at Blue Shield of California, and served as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the California Department of Public Health.

Miller also held leadership roles at Kaiser Permanente in communications, public affairs, and brand strategy after beginning his career as a data analyst with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and the Medstat Group. At Sutter Health, he completed a hospital administration residency prior to serving as program manager for the Children’s Hospital and Special Projects and later moved into communications management. 

Since 2021, he’s served on the Presidential Health Equity Task Force of the American Psychological Association and, as a native of Sacramento, CA, was elected to the Board of Directors of the California Endowment. He is also the published author of Equity, Equality, and Justice for All: Born to Be an Advocate.

Miller earned a BA in psychology from Columbia University, a Masters in Health Administration from University of Southern California, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Western University of Health Sciences. 

NMF is proud and grateful for Jahmal Miller’s willingness to lend his expertise to our scholars and alumni. Please enjoy this Q&A: 

Q: Having spent nearly 28 years in healthcare, what about NMF’s mission motivated you to join its Board of Directors? 

For nearly 80 years, NMF has substantially contributed to the ability to diversify and feed the pipeline of men and women who, if it weren’t for NMF, would have faced obstacles to practicing medicine.

NMF is a particularly credible institution that has withstood the test of time, and given its reputation, Michellene’s leadership, and those who sit on the Board, I welcome the opportunity to reimagine and invigorate its strategic plan to position NMF as not only relevant for the near future, but also long term. 

Q: Let’s talk about your non-traditional career path toward health administration, starting with your BA in psychology.

I considered a career in psychology – but, even when I thought I was pivoting off path, in reality, I wasn’t. I was just on my way to where I needed to be.

My first job out of undergrad as a data analyst was truly foundational for me. It’s amazed me throughout my career how many non-data-driven decisions are made in the business of healthcare that have significant implications on patient care quality. That job kicked off a career of diversifying my skillsets and gave me practical exposures to different parts of our healthcare system. That made me much more dynamic. 

Sometimes, I thought, am I doing the right things in the right way? Some of my colleagues’ paths seemed more direct and intentional – then again, maybe they don’t have the versatility I do being highly focused and successful in one particular channel of healthcare. I’ve learned to embrace that strength. 

Q: I believe that mindset will resonate with our scholars and alumni – as will the fact that you, too, returned to your hometown to make a difference. What advice do you have for healthcare practitioners today? 

There’s great value in returning to where we come from not only to contribute to communities that served us but also to leverage the power of our strongest networks to reinvest in community engagement, partnerships, and mentoring. If talent is constantly exported, how can younger generations look around and think, “I can be like them, too? ” Some people get mixed up into thinking their significance is based on where they are, versus, “I am significant wherever I am.” 

What comes down the line for these kindred spirits, especially for those practicing medicine, is that they get to a point, maybe sooner than later, when leadership starts calling them to make greater impacts. Helping one patient at a time is extremely important, but many of those with shared lived experiences and personally-driven expertise will ultimately want to understand and influence more of the business and policymaking behind healthcare. 

My advice is to anticipate that will happen and start preparing for that leadership now. 

Q: How do we, collectively, move forward and through to what is the ultimate goal of affordable, accessible healthcare for all? 

I’ve always been a strong advocate for equitable representation within and beyond our healthcare workforce, and I maintain that commitment. For many of us, the inequity is real not only by way of numbers but also of lived experiences. 

For 80 years, NMF has stood on the business of not only morals and ethics but also data and analytics. NMF illuminates the statistical fact that outcomes improve by virtue of who is practicing medicine – that patients relate to providers with similar experiences and mindsets. 

Q: What direction would you like to see in the future of NMF? 

Now is the time to be strategic and courageous. NMF’s strong portfolio of ambassadors and leaders can help speak to the now far-reaching ecosystem of healthcare that has a shared interest in the organization’s founding mission. I’d also like if NMF could think more globally. For example, during my health equity research trips to Cuba, I noticed that even if infrastructure is lacking, the medicine they’re being trained in at the Latino School of Medicine is second-to-none – and there is always a cohort of U.S. medical students. Are they on NMF’s radar? Are there other schools around the world training our students? How can we forge international alliances and partnerships to broaden and deepen engagement with students we might otherwise miss? How can we most effectively tap into a global effort to fulfill the healthcare needs of the world?