Metro Philadelphia Health Care Power Players 2023

Sebrina Tate began her career as a social worker, committed to ensuring child welfare and safety. Today, she has 30+ years of experience, working in diverse roles across multiple domains, including mental/behavioral health, housing, education, social services, and community relations. A Philadelphia native, Tate earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Temple University, a Master of Social Work from Howard University, Master of Criminal Justice from Saint Joseph’s University, and certificate in LGBT Health Policy and Practice from George Washington University. 

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
One of the biggest rewards, and my favorite thing about working in health care, is creating pathways to access. Access to high quality, culturally responsive health care is critical to an individual’s overall well-being and quality of life. Striving to ensure access and provide high quality services, while treating people with dignity and respect, fills my soul. At Bebashi, our core values and mission are grounded in these principles.  

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is a city of Eds and Meds. This region is super-resourced with premier healthcare facilities and research/educational institutions. Yet, the city’s most vulnerable populations often are not beneficiaries of this resource. Lack of access to quality care and affordable health insurance, compounded with culturally dismissive care and bias, are obstacles Philadelphians face when trying to get and stay healthy. Unfortunately, the intersectionality of these factors yields poor health outcomes for many of our citizens.  

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
Holistic, community-based care. I believe the large, prominent health care systems are beginning to understand the need to meet people where they are, in their communities, with specialized and comprehensive health care options. From clinical and diagnostic services to nutrition support. Optimistically, I see this as a key component of progress towards closing the disparity gaps in health care. Collectively, we can move the dial towards equitable care. Ultimately, we want Philadelphians to live longer, healthier lives. 

Dr. Megan Todd was appointed chief epidemiologist in March 2023. Dr. Todd’s work focuses on population health, health policy, and translating scientific findings for policy and general audiences. She strives to better understand the biological, social, and economic factors that influence health and mortality, with the ultimate goal of eliminating racial and other sociodemographic disparities in health in Philadelphia. She holds a PhD in Demography and Public Affairs from Princeton University and an AB in economics from Harvard University.

As president and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center, Robert Uzzo is responsible for leading the center’s overall clinical operations. Uzzo is the G. Willing “Wing” Pepper Chair in Cancer Research and also serves as the organization’s president of the medical group. Uzzo’s primary research focus is renal cell carcinoma. He has been a principal investigator, investigator, or co-principal investigator on dozens of leading national and international trials in urinary cancers.

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
Working in health care provides a daily opportunity to collaborate with exceptional people focused on a singular mission of making a difference for those in great need. When people choose you for their health care, they are making an investment of their “health care capital,” and our job is to give them a return on that investment and trust by providing quality results with empathy and compassion. 

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is home to both the country’s most elite health care institutions, professional schools, and biotech companies, as well as the highest rates of poverty, addiction, and violence. These challenges limit access to advanced care, screening, diagnosis, and available support mechanisms. Our fundamental challenge is to harness the talent we have to improve health, reduce risk, encourage wellness, and bridge the gaps in our communities.  

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
Cancer is on the cusp of a major revolution. In fifty years, most cancers will have become chronic or even curable diseases with life expectancies five to ten times better than what we see today. Precision medicine will allow us to match targeted treatments to genetic profiles. Prevention, early diagnosis, and better risk stratification in treatment decisions will become much more important aspects of clinical practice. 

Dr. Joel Wagman is board-certified in internal medicine and family medicine. Dr. Wagman earned his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. He went on to earn his medical degree at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Wagman completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, and then completed his family medicine residency at Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Reading, PA.

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
My favorite thing about working in health care is the opportunity to help people and influence them to make healthy decisions about their lifestyle and health issues. 

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Unfortunately, I think the rise of gun violence in Philadelphia has placed an incredible burden on our citizens, police force, and the health care delivery system. Finding solutions to this problem is the most critical priority we all must address. However, with so many high-quality health care delivery systems in our city and our motivated health care providers, educators, and law enforcement teams, I believe we will overcome these challenges and grow in the process.

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
Hopefully, health care will evolve in the ways mentioned above. 

Maurice Washington, a Philadelphia native and Central High School graduate, embarked on a nursing career beginning as an ER nurse at Einstein MC and then shifted to psychiatric care at Friends Hospital. His journey saw him rise through the ranks, serving as Chief Nursing Officer and CEO. Beyond Philadelphia, he made a mark in Houston and Atlanta. Maurice holds a BSN from Penn State University, along with an MSN and DNP from La Salle University.

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
Each day, I cherish the chance and honor to make a difference in someone’s life by providing assistance to those in need.

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
The primary challenges confronting Philadelphia’s health care system include affordable access to care, shortage of nurses, and availability of community-based education resources for public health care information.

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
The future of health care in Philadelphia is characterized by a greater focus on mental health and an increased availability of community-based resources.

Matthew W. Yarnell is president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. Yarnell worked as a certified nursing assistant at a long-term care facility at age eighteen. He got active in his union, became full-time staff, was elected a state officer of SEIU, and a few years later in 2016 was elected statewide union president. Yarnell coordinates advocacy to protect patient care and expand access, and fights to make sure that the health care industry creates more good, family-sustaining jobs. 

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
It’s absolutely getting to spend time with the residents I cared for and to give them the dignity and respect they deserve.  

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Within long-term and home based care especially, there is a crisis of access to quality care and a workforce crisis. Because the pay for direct care workers is so low, health care benefits too costly or non-existent, and the work is so hard physically and emotionally, we have a shortage which means not enough homecare workers and nursing home workers, which limits the ability to offer services.  

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
I am hopeful that as homecare workers join our union to advocate, we can turn homecare jobs into quality jobs like SEIU homecare workers have done in other states. I am hopeful, since nursing home workers are organizing to hold large for-profit companies more accountable to how they spend their public dollars on residents and workers. I hope we have more home based care opportunities, a higher quality in PA nursing homes, and a strong workforce. 

Baligh Yehia is a nationally recognized physician leader who is passionate about community health and reducing health inequities. He leads Jefferson Health’s 17 hospitals and 50+ ambulatory sites throughout Greater Philadelphia. He held leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and Ascension, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems. Dr. Yehia is trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases and has been widely published in healthcare journals.

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
The most fulfilling thing about working in health care is having the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our patients and their families. Also, witnessing the dedication and compassion of our health care professionals who work tirelessly to provide the highest quality care is also rewarding. Finally, the ever-evolving nature of health care keeps me engaged and excited about the challenges and innovations that lie ahead.

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia faces health disparities where care access, medical needs, health outcomes, and life expectancy vary greatly from one ZIP code to the next. There is also a growing mental health crisis and substance abuse epidemic. Jefferson is committed to tackling these challenges head-on and we are a part of numerous coalitions with many partners to advance health equity throughout the region.

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
The future of health care in Philadelphia is promising, with a commitment by many stakeholders, including Jefferson Health, to improve health equity, care accessibility, community health, and person-centered care. As health care delivery evolves further from traditional hospital settings into outpatient centers, ambulatory practices, and virtual healthcare, health care is becoming a team sport now more than ever.

As CEO of Temple Health, Michael Young leads a $2.6 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. Mr. Young is a five-time CEO with more than three decades of proven leadership. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Health Administration degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

What’s your favorite thing about working in health care?
What we do makes a difference in the lives of thousands of people.

What are the biggest issues facing the health care system in Philadelphia?
Availability (i.e. a lack) of key caregivers, cost of drugs and implants, keeping the system adequately staffed with nurses, techs, and doctors; low levels of payment for services, and the aging population who require much more care.

What does the future of health care in Philadelphia look like to you?
Challenging but bright. We have great talent in Philadelphia – both on the medical and management sides. We all must be very creative to stay on top of the wave versus under the wave of change. We will need many more developmental resources – medical schools, nursing schools, technical schools. I also believe there will be new medical breakthroughs — in cancer and AI — that  will lead to better care and lower costs.