Health Imperatives Announces Upcoming Leadership Changes

President and CEO Julia Kehoe to pass the reins to Stephanie Brown

BROCKTON, MA, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Health Imperatives today announced that after 13 years as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Julia Kehoe will complete her tenure on June 30, 2026. The Board of Directors has named Stephanie Brown, a seasoned nonprofit and public sector leader, as the organization’s new CEO effective September 14, 2026.

Julia’s exceptional stewardship reshaped the organization into one of the most effective and regionally recognized nonprofit organizations in Southeastern Massachusetts, including the Cape & Islands.

Under Kehoe’s leadership, Health Imperatives expanded from a $10 million organization into a $21 million regional provider of sexual and reproductive health care, trauma-informed services, low-threshold housing, substance use support, immigrant services, gender-affirming care, and economic empowerment programs.

Kehoe led Health Imperatives through a strategic realignment that bolstered the organization’s sustainability and impact, making targeted investments in high-impact services. Her tenure included major program expansions during COVID-19, the launch of Sanctuary Place for survivors of trafficking and trauma, and the development of Pathways to Power, an initiative focused on economic mobility and intergenerational poverty.

“Julia’s work here has been marked by bold decision-making, financial discipline, and an unwavering commitment to the populations we serve,” said Jennifer Forbes, Chair of the Health Imperatives Board of Directors. “She has strengthened our position and built meaningful relationships with municipalities and other nonprofits, better positioning us for growth. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and the lasting impact she has had on tens of thousands of lives.”

Kehoe will work closely with Brown to ensure a smooth transition. Brown currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Casa Myrna, a Boston nonprofit dedicated to ending domestic violence. Under her leadership, the organization’s budget grew from $3 million to $11 million, while expanding services to support more than 2,200 survivors annually.

She brings more than two decades of nonprofit and state government leadership experience to this role, including senior positions at the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, where she oversaw policy, programs and services supporting more than 840,000 low-income residents, and directed housing and homelessness initiatives serving thousands of families statewide.

“We are excited to embark on this next chapter in Health Imperatives’ service to those in need across Southeastern Massachusetts with Stephanie at the helm. She is a proven leader whose track record of powerful advocacy, collaboration, and results is fully aligned with our mission and the populations we serve,” added Forbes.

In 2025, Health Imperatives became one of only three organizations – including Planned Parenthood – that was stripped of Medicaid funding by the Trump Administration, placing critical reproductive healthcare services at risk. Rather than retreat, the organization recalibrated, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts stepped in to provide relief, and private donors mobilized. In late 2025, the organization was awarded a $2.5 million grant from Action for Women’s Health, a philanthropic initiative founded by Melinda French Gates. The flexible funding is being used to expand women’s health services across the region.

“Health Imperatives has a long history of working in partnership with diverse stakeholders, including the people we serve, to develop innovative and effective solutions to some of the state’s most difficult problems,” said Julia Kehoe, President and CEO of Health Imperatives.
Brown said she is honored to lead Health Imperatives in its next chapter.

“I believe deeply in Health Imperatives’ vision – that every resident of Southeastern Massachusetts deserves to be healthy, safe, strong, and empowered,” said Stephanie Brown. “Achieving that kind of lasting impact requires real partnership with the communities we serve.”

Tara Goodwin
Goodwin Consulting
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