President/CEO
City of Hope Atlanta
Jonathan Watkins is a dynamic leader with more than a decade of combined health care administration and general management experience. As president of City of Hope Atlanta, he provides thoughtful, strategic guidance and serves as a unifying spirit to ensure everyone at the Atlanta market works in tandem to provide compassionate patient care while maintaining high-quality medical standards.
Prior to this role, Watkins served as chief executive officer at Broward Health Imperial Point, a 250-bed acute care facility in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Before that, he was chief operating officer at Kaiser Permanente in California’s Central Valley area, where he facilitated, directed and coordinated operational activities and programs related to the day-to-day operations of three hospitals.
Previously, he served as vice president of clinical operations/chief operating officer of Methodist North Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was responsible for leading, developing and executing key business strategies, as well as directing and administering day-to-day operations.
Watkins holds a master’s degree in public administration with a certification in health administration, as well as a bachelor’s degree in health care administration and planning from Tennessee State University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and Tennessee State University’s Beta Omicron Alumni Association. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and is board certified in health care management as a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Watkins is a past recipient of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Award and is a past president of the Memphis chapter of NAHSE. He received the ACHE Tennessee Regent’s Award and was honored by the South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum with an ACHE Service Award. He’s been featured in Legacy Magazine’s Most Powerful & Influential Black Leaders in Business on several occasions and has been recognized by the Haitian Chamber of Commerce for his efforts in increasing diversity and inclusion in health care. Watkins has also been recognized by Atlanta magazine as one of city’s 100 Most Powerful Leaders, and in Georgia Trend magazine’s Georgia 500, which spotlights the most powerful leaders across major industries and organizations in the state. In recognition of his professional achievements, he was recently selected for honorary membership in the Beta Gamma Sigma international business honor society.
Watkins is extremely active in his community. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Metro Atlanta and Newnan-Coweta Chambers of Commerce, Capella University’s School of Nursing Advisory Board, Tennessee State University’s Public Health, Health Administration and Health Sciences Advisory Board and the Coweta County Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.
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Bridging Gaps in Population Health: Strategies for a Healthier Future (121H)
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
10:45am – 11:45am CT