Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Appoints Accomplished Cardiologist and Leader to Medical School Board

Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) in Pasadena has announced the appointment of Dr. Maria Ansari to its Board of Directors.

A Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine statement said Dr. Ansari serves as CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group and president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. Together, these medical groups consist of over 11,000 physicians and 45,000 nurses and staff delivering healthcare to 5.4 million Kaiser Permanente members, the statement added.

Dr. Ansari is also co-CEO of The Permanente Federation, providing strategic leadership to the Permanente Medical Groups alongside co-CEO Dr. Ramin Davidoff.

“We are elated to welcome Dr. Maria Ansari to our medical school’s Board and are fortunate she will share her extensive healthcare and graduate medical education expertise with us,” Dr. Mark Schuster, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Founding Dean and CEO, said. “Dr. Ansari has helped champion residency and fellowship programs at medical institutions across California and has already been instrumental in helping create clinical opportunities for our students.”

Dr. Ansari has designed and implemented advances in primary and specialty care by empowering physicians and staff to sustain innovation, the statement said. She has been integral in launching graduate medical education fellowship programs and was instrumental in developing a Kaiser Permanente Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship program at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Throughout my career, I have served as an advocate for the exceptional care of patients, and bearing this in mind, I am excited to step into this new role at an institution that not only educates and shapes future physicians but also actively promotes health equity for underresourced communities,” Dr. Ansari said.

Dr. Ansari serves on the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation Board and the Board of the nonprofit San Francisco cooking school, 18 Reasons, which addresses food insecurity. She is an American College of Cardiology fellow and has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times and Women Health Care Executives of Northern California, according to the statement.

“Dr. Ansari is an ideal addition to the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Board of Directors,” Dr. Holly Humphrey, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Board Chair, said. “Her commitment to medical education is considerable and spans the full continuum from medical school to residency and fellowship to continuing education for practicing physicians.”

Named after the former chair and CEO of Kaiser Permanente who “championed major initiatives around making care and coverage more affordable for Kaiser Permanente’s members and customers,” the Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine offers an innovative medical education built on the three pillars of Biomedical Science, Clinical Science, and Health Systems Science. Students learn to advocate for better health in homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and society to transform the nation’s healthcare.