08.07.2023 / Press Release

Families USA appoints outreach expert Tasha Dawson Director of Strategic Partnerships

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Families USA is proud to announce the appointment of Tasha Dawson as its Director of Strategic Partnerships. A coalition builder and expert engagement professional, Dawson works to strengthen relationships with national, state, local and industry-level partners, which spans the organization’s four focus areas: health care value, health equity, coverage and people’s experience.

Dawson has worked for various nonprofits, government, and academic organizations. Most recently, she was Manager of Outreach and Partnership Engagement at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Resource Center. She led development and implementation of the office’s strategic outreach and partnership efforts and fostered several minority health-related collaborative projects.

Prior to that, Dawson worked at the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). At AARP headquarters, she managed the Office of Volunteer Engagement and Partnerships– supporting 53 national offices, helping secure funding for multiple community-based partners and launching new partner-affiliated programs and initiatives. As Interim Associate State Director of Community Partnerships and Engagement at the Wilmington, DE office, she built strategic partnerships with legislative leaders, community stakeholders and representatives from civic and faith-based organizations. She also held partnership and engagement roles at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, So Others Might Eat (SOME), and the Washington Hospital Center. Dawson holds a master’s degree in nonprofit and association management from the University of Maryland, University College and a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Howard University.

“Tasha has a solid track record of building strong, meaningful relationships across sectors and spaces from community organizers in the trenches to legislators at the highest levels of government,” said Yael Lehmann, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships. “Both her personal and professional commitment to relationship building, particularly within local communities, will be an asset to the organization as we work with our state and national partners to remove barriers that prevent families from reaching their optimal health.”

“I’m excited to join Families USA. It’s an opportunity to use cross-sector collaboration and coalition-building to increase access to affordable, quality health care for all families no matter where they live, how much money they make, or how they identify,” said Dawson.

 

Families USA, a leading national voice for health care consumers, is dedicated to the achievement of high quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.