September 16, 2025, Middletown, Conn.—The Weitzman Institute is pleased to welcome Cassandra Okechukwu, Sc.D, MSN, MPH, as its new Director of Research.
Dr. Okechukwu is a nurse executive with more than 20 years of experience in academia, government consulting, and the health care industry. She brings a unique combination of strategic vision, applied research expertise, and partnership development, grounded in a deep understanding of health systems and a sustained commitment to advancing evidence-informed impact.
Since 2010, she has held various roles at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she currently serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor, mentoring graduate students and collaborating with global leaders to translate research into practice and shape policy. From 2018-23, with the MITRE Corporation, Dr. Okechukwu’s main focus was supporting health centers, leading projects to develop tools that made federal investments more responsive to communities.
Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Okechukwu stated, “My passion for the health center model goes back to my earliest days as a student nurse, when I saw firsthand how they transform lives by combining clinical care with social care. That conviction has guided my career, and it is what excites me most about advancing the Weitzman Institute’s mission.”
Dr. Okechukwu holds a Doctor of Science from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She received a Master of Science of Nursing from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and holds a BS in Nursing with honors from the University of Maryland.
According to Dr. April Joy Damian, Chief Science Officer and Director of the Weitzman Institute, “Dr. Cassandra Okechukwu’s vision, expertise and leadership will guide the Weitzman Institute to new heights of innovation and impact. We are delighted that Dr. Okechukwu is joining the Weitzman team and look forward to our work together.”
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Founded in 2007, The Weitzman Institute is a leading research, innovation and education organization committed to improving health care for populations in need throughout the US and abroad.