Alexandria, VA – December 9, 2024- National Medical Fellowships (NMF), a respected institution committed to supporting underrepresented students and practitioners in medicine and health care professions, has announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors. The expansion increases the board membership to fourteen and further enhances the organization’s ability to provide strategic leadership during this pivotal time. With the addition of these experts, the NMF board gains a broad range of skills and experience all of which reinforce NMF’s commitment to advancing a more equitable health care system. 

“We are incredibly excited to welcome these six distinguished professionals to our Board of Directors. Their collective experience and dedication will be pivotal in revolutionizing health care and empowering a new generation of healers to deliver excellent care to our communities.” 

– Michellene Davis, Esq, President and CEO of NMF

The following individuals have been appointed as the new board members: 

Félix Manuel Chinea, M.D. is director of health equity & inclusion strategy at Doximity where he applies an equity-centered, inclusion lens to impact people, practices, and products. Dr. Chinea was a 2022 Aspen Ideas Health Fellow. 

Imelda Dacones, M.D. is the Optum pacific northwest market president, overseeing both the Washington and Oregon markets. Dr. Dacones is an internist/hospitalist and is widely recognized for her leadership in driving value-based care models, innovation, and transformation. 

Kim Henderson, M.D. is a managing director at Morgan Stanley and recently joined Family Office Resources as the head of wealth management health and wellness education. In this role, Dr. Henderson highlights opportunities for clients to consider healthy choices, spearheads thought leadership on health care issues facing ultra-high net worth clients, shares best wellness practices, and discusses the impact of health and medical developments with clients and their families. 

John A. Johnson, M.D., M.B.A., FACP is chief medical officer at Government Employees Health Association (G.E.H.A.). Dr. Johnson oversees all clinical programs, including dental and behavioral health services, focusing on quality improvement, and enhancing culturally relevant services and solutions inherent in G.E.H.A.’s continual efforts to evolve the member experience. 

Dallas Lea, M.D. is the principal partner of Lea Medical Partners, LLC and the medical director of Lea Medical Therapies in Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Lea is a highly respected leader in the field of spinal cord injury and spasticity management. He is also regarded as an expert in the use of Botox® and Xeomin® for the treatment and management of spasticity caused by stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. 

Omondi Nyong’o, M.D. is a pediatric ophthalmologist treating children and families affected by disorders of sight. The most satisfying aspect of his work resides not only in his capacity to restore sight to blinded children, but also in the power of sight-healed children to bond a family and to connect a community. 

The members of the NMF board bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the organization. Their backgrounds cover a variety of sectors, including health care, finance, technology, and education. This diverse expertise will be invaluable as NMF continues its mission to diversify medicine. 

For interview requests or more information, please contact Skai Blue Media at TeamNMF@skaibluemedia.com.  

About National Medical Fellowships 

National Medical Fellowships is a nonprofit organization that advances equitable health care workforce development so everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve their highest level of health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status or geography. Founded in 1946, NMF has awarded over $50 million in scholarships and offers service-learning programs, mentorship opportunities, and clinical research leadership training for students and practitioners of medicine, behavioral health and related health professions. By diversifying the health care workforce, NMF works to ensure everyone has access to the highest quality care from providers who understand them and from doctors with shared lived experience to their patients.