JSI Welcomes Monica Valdes Lupi to its Board of Directors

A preeminent expert in results-oriented public health, Valdes Lupi brings to the JSI Board 25-years in advancing health access and bridging gaps to critical care.

JSI, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives through better health and education outcomes, has elected Monica Valdes Lupi, Managing Director at Kresge Foundation, to its Board of Directors. Valdes Lupi brings to the role 25 years of robust experience in public health policy, strategy, and implementation within city, state, and nonprofit organizations.

“As one of the nation’s preeminent experts in bridging systemic gaps, Monica Valdes Lupi brings a proven, results-oriented approach to strengthening public health. Her leadership will be a defining voice in advancing JSI’s domestic public health agenda and sharpening our impact across the United States and globally,” said Dr. Muka Chikuba-McLeod, President and CEO of JSI.

“JSI is honored to welcome to our Board a leader of such profound passion and experience—someone who has dedicated her entire career to the very heart of our mission,” said JSI Board Chair Dr. Sandro Galea.

At Kresge Foundation, Valdes Lupi spearheads its initiatives to create equitable health systems. Since assuming this position in 2020, she has partnered with communities to enhance well-being through food policy development, community safety, and leadership development.

Previously, Valdes Lupi was a Senior Fellow at the de Beaumont Foundation, where she advised on policy initiatives addressing critical public health issues and worked to enhance health access. She has also served as a Senior Advisor to the CDC Foundation, guiding efforts to identify and support gaps in local health departments’ responses and recovery activities.

Prior to these roles, she served as Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, overseeing a portfolio that included the city’s Emergency Medical Services, the largest homeless services program in New England, school-based health centers, and other essential public health services. As Deputy Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, she managed day-to-day operations across public health hospitals and various regulatory bodies. Additionally, she was the first Chief Program Officer for Health Systems Transformation at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

Valdes Lupi holds a JD from the Dickinson School of Law, an MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health, and a BA from Bryn Mawr College.